Israel Begins Ground Offensive as Obama Prepares for Inauguration
As Obama prepares for Inaugural Day, Israel ups the ante with ground offensive. Israel allows Palestinians to flee, as UN calls for ceasefire. Protests in US and Europe, as expected, but what will Obama do? That for us remains the burning question. Some thoughts: I am watching the American blogosphere closely, and I always read both the conservative and liberal POV, and do feel my perspective is becoming more balanced as I do so. I have the antiZionist ( not antiSemetic) stance, but this is a knee-jerk reaction left over from identifying with certain mentors and authors who believed Zionism was an incoherent and failed ideology. The Israelis have attempted to build their tourism industry even as Hamas has stockpiled weapons and thrown rockets toward them. I understand their frustration, and yet feel that the Palestinians have their own grievances, and war is always repulsive to the sensitive, although it is a necessary part of life ( and as a Nietzschean I know this, and am not too keen on total pacifism) . What is my major concern at this juncture - as I actually sympathize with both sides increasingly - is whether Obama will be able to make a difference. Perhaps I am expecting too much in the way of singular, brilliant, innovative action from him. For instance, does he have the power of moral suasion to call for a divided Jerusalem, with a Palestinian state within? As expectations - about new US policies regarding the Middle East springing forth under an Obama Administration - continue to rise, what is he thinking and feeling? In any case, he will have his hands full after he is sworn in, and I do not envy his position. Below, a child of Gaza:
As Obama prepares for Inaugural Day, Israel ups the ante with ground offensive. Israel allows Palestinians to flee, as UN calls for ceasefire. Protests in US and Europe, as expected, but what will Obama do? That for us remains the burning question. Some thoughts: I am watching the American blogosphere closely, and I always read both the conservative and liberal POV, and do feel my perspective is becoming more balanced as I do so. I have the antiZionist ( not antiSemetic) stance, but this is a knee-jerk reaction left over from identifying with certain mentors and authors who believed Zionism was an incoherent and failed ideology. The Israelis have attempted to build their tourism industry even as Hamas has stockpiled weapons and thrown rockets toward them. I understand their frustration, and yet feel that the Palestinians have their own grievances, and war is always repulsive to the sensitive, although it is a necessary part of life ( and as a Nietzschean I know this, and am not too keen on total pacifism) . What is my major concern at this juncture - as I actually sympathize with both sides increasingly - is whether Obama will be able to make a difference. Perhaps I am expecting too much in the way of singular, brilliant, innovative action from him. For instance, does he have the power of moral suasion to call for a divided Jerusalem, with a Palestinian state within? As expectations - about new US policies regarding the Middle East springing forth under an Obama Administration - continue to rise, what is he thinking and feeling? In any case, he will have his hands full after he is sworn in, and I do not envy his position. Below, a child of Gaza: 
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