Pope Benedict XVI: Gaza situation deeper than shallow solutions

(Social Justice South Africa; News 24 (South African; Secular) 01/01/08)

Article by Marc Aupiais

Pope Benedict XVI: has condemned what he sees as an arms race: saying that the majority people in the troubled middle-eastern scene: between Israel, and Hamas: actually desire peace. Like any other sensible source: he has not taken sides: but has called for the International Community to do something real: to help the two sides abandon a "dead-end road": blaming distrust, and hatred for the violence.

While Israel: has strong support for their offensive: having claimed about 400 lives, and dozens of civilian casualties: this support comes due to constant barrages of Israeli territory: aimed at civilians, by the Hamas Terrorist grouping: in charge of Gaza. Political authorities in Israel: have been forced into an offensive: by the perceived lacks in security, by the citizens of their country.

So far, most International intervention has been biased in one side or the other, or has aimed at temporary solutions: which do not look at any real causes of the issues in the nation.

Instead of focusing on justice, peace, development: and calling to account crimes: it has been focused on tit for tat negotiations: and has done nothing to halt the hate-speech of terrorist grouping: Hamas: nor has it done anything real to secure the safety of Israeli citizens: instead: adults are forced into peace agreements: as though they were children: real problems are trivialized: and most of the "help" given: is a politically shaded: as the "Help" South Africa continues to give to what only those connected with or biased towards: it still call: "Zimbabwe".

As with the case of Northern Ireland, and in the case of South Africa: any real peace: can only follow justice: where all war-crimes on both sides are accounted for: and the International Community ensures that these go to the Hague.

Political "demigods", can no longer look to their own interests, nor should they be allowed to: the world needs to use its might in this situation: rather than taking sides: or sensationalizing, or justifying terrorism: which never has a justification: all guilty: no matter how powerful: of breaking international law without extenuating circumstances: must be made to book; there is no extenuating circumstances of course: for terrorism.

Just as with gang violence: the answer, and only answer: is the punishment, and I do not refer to "collective punishment": but rather: international intervention, and punishment of those specific people; who are guilty of escalating unjust violence.