The Israelis are terribly xenophobic. It would seem that the Israelis have woken to the mood on the streets and the dangers of Palestinian autonomy. Any man will listen to reason for a while, but when the passions rise, reason is quickly forgotten. There are wrongs done on both sides. Militant Jews create a tension in the country accusing the Israeli Government of giving away their birthright, their land and that the land belongs to them and not to the Arabs nor the Christians. They continue to focus attention on the morality of their cause as they attempt to force the Israeli Government into a more militant position. Israel's stance remains a threat to peace. Land grabs have undercut the peace process and the West Bank and Gaza continues to seethe with hostility until the inevitable explosion occurs. Enmity grows and remains a festering cancer. It will escalate things beyond belief. It will be the spark that ignites the powder keg. Killing and more killing. Will they get too exhausted to kill each other any more? Can they reach peace?

The Islamic Jihad do not believe it is murder to fight for what has been stolen from them. I hate the violence. I think such people are madmen. Certainly there is injustice, but it can never be changed by action such as the recent bombing. They go beyond morals, pity and all reason. It is most stark and tragic, but how do we change it? I have an overwhelming sense of the reality and fragility of the peace process. Somehow I am caught within its vortex, looking in and knowing. Seeing so much, watching and the knowledge pains me. It goes beyond concept and intellect, beyond what analysis knows or imagines. I see beyond the phenomenal and contingent world to the eternal and non-contingent. Peace will only emerge after so much death.

The land is only one of the sacrifices that will be asked of the Jews. And each sacrifice to come, each pain, each trouble overcome will make them stronger. Until they move forward in their acceptance, discord will remain. The extent of human stupidity remains infinite! I guess, if anything, we have to fear ourselves if we have any wisdom because we tell ourselves the most plausible lies, lies we want to believe. The Israelis need to walk two steps behind themselves and watch everything they do. Perhaps then they would understand the true meaning of humility!