Why Can't We Get along
In the Middle East?

In the Middle East violence has erupted again. This area of the world has been at war with itself so long that it does not seem to want any solution to the problem of living together in peace.

President Clinton attempted to bring the two parties, Israeli and the Palestinian leaders, together to work out a deal that would allow both who claim the land to live on it in peace. But this problem seems to be as stubborn as any of the conflicts of this world.

When parties claim the land as divinely given to them and they are willing to do anything to remain on it in exclusion of the other, the problem becomes intractable and irreconcilable. But somewhere along the way of life, all of us must learn to get along with each other.

As both parties proclaim their right with divine certainties, one divine certainty is this: we are here together on this one planet, it is not getting any larger, and the day is over when one group can claim divine sovereignty over another and rest in peace with that claim. Whether we like it or not, we must live together on this planet, often side by side, until Divinity brings about a new order. And only Divinity, without the help of mankind, can bring about that new order.

Could it be that Rodney King has more knowledge and insight than all the educated and revered leaders, as he asked, "Can't we all just get along?" Why is there such clarity of understanding in his statement, when the elected leaders and the wisdom of the nations are without clarity?

Of course, it is easy to dismiss his clarity with smooth Western rationalization. It can be heard, "The situation in the Middle East is too complicated to be understood and/or comprehended by a Rodney King or his simplistic questioning." But Western rationalization has niether understood nor resolved it.

How long will feigned self-aggrandizing continue its destructive course? Since the syllogistic reasoning of Western rationalization has kept the participants at savage confrontation with each other these many years, why not set aside the sophisticated, but dilettantish, paradigms of Western thought and give peace the preeminence?

Rabbi Michael Learner, a noted scholar and clear thinker, has been a voice for clarity in this combustible caldron of confusion. He spoke to Israel, which possesses most of the military power in this conflict, to step back and stop the violence. Of course, he was not applauded for it. Yet, it is true that those who are most powerful should be the ones to exercise restraint and sensibility. It is the duty of the strong to use strength prudently. Yet, the forces are marshalling themselves on both sides.

The American Jewish League bought advertisements in the local media touting their position, while the Arab position has been advanced through marches and protest rallies. It seems as if the press and streets have become the battleground for vaunting stout views on both sides. Yet, their battleground is wrong; their war aims are wrong; and the entire tone of this debate is wrong. Western paradigms and syllogistic reasoning assume that might (military) makes right on the ground; and that too is wrong.

So in this confused state, when all parties are marshalling their forces for Armageddon, Gibbs recommends that both sides step back and allow the voice of peace to be preeminent; for another divine certainty is this: we all must get along or we all will die together.