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Real Mid-East Peace Will Arrive When We Act Boldly

Posted on by dsmarth

Real Mid-East Peace Will Arrive When We Act Boldly

The television media bytes on the mid-east situation regarding the Gaza ceasefire and next phase are lacking in substance or real facts. The electronic media never goes near the real issue.

Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, and Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East – negotiating a next phase is concerning! There can be no fair negotiations by individuals who are steeped in Zionist principles, favoring one side over the other due to their own religious identity and ethnicity. Kushner Companies Charitable Foundation has reportedly in the past funded Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

It is clear that the next phase has to be more than eliminating Hamas and establishing new governance. Why has peace not come to this decades long Israeli-Palestinian conflict? The U.S. has failed to go down the courageous path of establishing a two-state solution because Israeli political leadership, especially the current Prime Minister Netanyahu, will not go along with it. Trump, the art of the deal negotiator, needs to step up to the plate and say to Netanyahu – no more $4 billion plus a year in aid or other military/defense support – if the two state solution is not worked on and put in place.

Since the ceasefire commenced this past October, Palestinians still don’t have electricity and Israeli Defense Forces have destroyed more than 1,500 structures in Gaza through demolitions. More than 69,000 Palestinians have been killed since the beginning of this conflict. Even if one was to support a ‘just war’ theory, the suffering and death of innocent Palestinians is disproportionate to the 1,200 Israelis killed and 250 hostages. It is time to stop actions of ill will and violence. It leads to a dead end.

Eliminate hatred, which produces terrorism, and catalyze reconciliation along the lines of what Bishop Desmond Tutu did in South Africa (in response to apartheid). Let the Palestinians govern themselves, trade, and not be subjected to
blockades and checkpoints, institutional violence, illegal Israeli settlements in Palestinian areas, and the tempo would change. The Palestinians have their own identity since before the Balfour Declaration and the creation of Israel (decades ago) which carved out land from the Palestinian territory.

Arab countries and European countries as well as The Vatican have vocally supported a two-state solution. The United States needs to do the same or else the decades-long violence, war and human rights violations will continue again.

The only way to defeat terrorism and hatred is love, reconciliation, and mercy. It is so simple but due to US political actors’ blindness and one-sided views (presidential administration and congressional), there is never a step in the right direction. Now is the time to change that mindset. A bold move is required now more than ever.

Real mid-east peace will arrive when ‘We love our neighbor as thyself” (all humanity). The Golden Rule (“Treat every human being as you would want to be treated”) holds the key to a peaceful and harmonious society and world.

Deborah Smarth

The Trump Administration Actions Are Inconsistent with Peace

Posted on by dsmarth

President Trump established the White House Faith Office with representatives from various Christian and other religions participating. The Religious Liberty Commission just recently held its first meeting. In a June 19, 2025 ETWN interview with the chairman (Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick) Patrick mentioned that Donald Trump “used the name of Jesus more than any other President in history in the Oval Office.” Unfortunately, President Trump doesn’t walk the walk. His green light or a wink and a nod for Israel to bomb Gaza to smithereens with more than 50,000 Palestinians killed and his distasteful initial suggestion that Gaza should be made a resort relocating Palestinians from where they have lived (even before the state of Israel was founded) as well as the green light for Israel to be the aggressor in bombing a nation state’s nuclear site within Iran’s borders are not exactly peace making activity.

Then, getting the US military to actively bomb the Iranian sites. Do we really think that there will not be any long-term consequences? Trump in his announcement reportedly stated, “I want to just say we love you, God, and we love our great military. Protect them.” These actions do not reflect the principles that Jesus, the carpenter from Nazareth, communicated as he went from community to community 2,000 years ago. The greatest commandments were the ‘Law of Love’ and ‘Love thy neighbor as thyself’ (all humanity).

If Trump wants to uphold his campaign promise of attaining “peace” his administration needs to re-analyze US positions in the middle east and truly understand both sides, not just one side of the Israeli Zionist regime. He needs to treat these issues -since it involves destruction and killing – not with the ‘art of the deal’ approach but with an open heart, compassion, and an understanding of “love” as put forth by God. I hope that Bishop Robert Baron, who serves on the Religious Liberty Commission, and Pope Leo XIV advocate strongly for the proper approach. There are no gray areas when it comes to the respect for human life and the language and communication by such religious leaders can’t be timid. And, when it involves nuclear weapons, the only way to proceed is for across the board nuclear non-proliferation that every country having such weapons including Israel should abide by.

Deborah Smarth

 

Can We Return to Common Sense and Civil Behavior Toward Each Other?

Posted on by dsmarth

President John F. Kennedy confronted the Israeli government on the Dimona facility and nuclear weapons development. Israel maintained that this was for research and development purposes only. But, as discovered indeed it was for the development of a nuclear weapons arsenal. There was a severe rift and contention with then Prime Minister Ben Gurion. Kennedy was concerned that a nuclear arsenal in the mid-east would lead to more dangerous potential results. Had he not been assassinated this objective may have been advanced despite contention.

Russia through its Arms Control Chief recommended that an international conference be organized in 2016 by the United Nations Secretary General addressing the issue of nuclear non-proliferation in the Middle East. It also called for Israel’s accession to the Treaty on Nuclear non-proliferation (NPT). In 2012, the UN General Assembly unanimously approved a resolution (174-6) calling upon Israel to open its nuclear program for inspection by the International Atomic Energy Agency and supporting a high level conference to prohibit nuclear weapons in the Middle East. Despite the conference being slated for mid-December in Helsinki, Finland with the commitment of all the Arab nations and Iran to attend this gathering, the U.S. announced that the conference would not be held due to political turmoil in the region and blaming Iran for its defiant position concerning nonproliferation. However according to news sources, “Iran and some Arab nations countered that the real reason for the conference cancellation was Israel’s refusal to attend.” In addition, a Syrian diplomat commented to the UN Assembly that his government was disappointed due to “the whim of just one party, a party with nuclear warheads.” Reported in December 2012, Israel along with three nuclear weapon states India, Pakistan and North Korea refused to join the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.

The aggressor actions of Israel to attack Iranian nuclear facilities and killing Iranian leaders and scientists with the help of the Mossad should be seen as an act of war. But, the media and political establishment including President Trump are selective when it comes to Israel. Those war acts naturally catalyzed a response from Iran. How does such violence achieve anything? Violence has destroyed Gaza. The US has no business green lighting war strikes if the Trump administration is true to its campaign promise of peace. Unfortunately, once again we have a one sided view and position when it comes to Israel. These latest war actions will only perpetuate more bitterness, hatred, and instability. The nuclear nonproliferation treaty needs to be revisited and implemented across the board. The community of nations needs to serve its people, maximizing peace and liberty.

The US Congress, the Presidency, mainstream media establishment and allies need to stop promoting misinformation or one-sided set of facts and conditions. The American public can only be a true check on government (a government for and by the people) if they seek out the truth on both sides and not just buy into the continual propaganda being put out by the same political actors over and over again.

What is the difficulty of following one simple universal principle called ‘The Golden Rule’ (“Treat every human being as you would want to be treated.”)?

Deborah Smarth

 

Why the Silence About the Violence Against Palestinians?

Posted on by dsmarth

It was encouraging to see Pope Leo XIV speak out against the harsh conditions being experienced by Palestinians. The UN has issued statements that they are on the verge of famine notwithstanding the horrible psychological effects of continual bombardment of Gaza by Israeli Defense Forces, destroying homes, schools, hospitals, etc.

Hasn’t there been enough of this military violence? While President Trump issued a statement about the starvation, he needs to do a little more than issuing statements. They need humanitarian help and this administration should be admonishing the Israeli Prime Minister for his new round of violence and bombing in Gaza, causing more Palestinians to be killed. The October 2023 massacre by Hamas resulted in 1,200 Israeli deaths and 251 hostages which was condemned. The casualties of Palestinians have reached more than 50,000!

The only way to settle this longstanding conflict is for the US and its politicians to be even handed and become a fair negotiator. However, neutrality on this issue has never emerged since Jimmy Carter’s administration. The media only misleads, commentating with a one-sided vantage point.

Where is the outrage concerning these killings and starvation? Congress and the executive branch need to be more critical of Israel’s continued war killings. Hatred can never bring true peace. Reconciliation and love despite our differences are the only route to a sane solution. A two-state solution is needed. The only one holding it back is Israel’s prime minister and the U.S. which continually takes Israel’s side on all its actions, providing weapons and billions of dollars every year. Discontinue this assistance until military destruction and killing in Gaza stop and a two-state solution is arrived at.

Mainstream Media Sending Misleading Messages

Posted on by dsmarth

The mainstream media and political establishment ought to be more careful as to how they use the term “anti-Semitic” to characterize college/university protests.

“All men are created equal.” Every human life possesses the same intrinsic value regardless of religion, gender, behavior, race, or ethnicity.

The signs used at these protests should be indicative of the latter truths. It would better serve their purpose in promoting human rights for the Palestinians. The communications should engender the message of “The Golden Rule” ( “Treat every human being the way you want to be treated.”) from the Sermon on the Mount.

Hamas’ horrendous action in October 2023 should be condemned. And so too, the killing of thousands of innocent Palestinians in Gaza by the Israeli defense forces. The media is mixing – with one broad stroke – “Hamas” and “Palestinians.” That broad stroke is not acceptable and causes misunderstanding.

There is nothing wrong with protesting for human rights for the Palestinians and doing so in light of what the Carpenter from Nazareth (Jesus), Mahatma Gandhi, and Martin Luther King, Jr. expressed: non-violence and the equality and intrinsic value of every human being. There is nothing wrong with respectfully expressing one’s opinion that America’s foreign policy is often one-sided. Respect and promote fair/honest dialogue concerning the equality of all human beings, Israelis and Palestinians.

People should educate themselves and not rely on a biased media concerning this longstanding Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Unfortunately, with expanded Israeli settlements in Palestinian areas the opportunity of a two-state solution is diminished.