Who is the Terrorist?

An insight into the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The Israeli-Palestinian dispute takes another turn, while one side accuses the other as the terrorist, violence escalates in the region and people cling to either a pro-Palestinian or pro-Israeli stance.

But the issue at hand should not be about being pro-Palestinian or pro-Israeli, or proving whether the other side is engaging in terrorism or not. The fact is the death toll is on the rise--does it really matter whether a Palestinian, Israeli or Lebanese has died? The reality is "people" are dying.

The major problem in this dispute is the de-humanization of people. A majority of the Israelis do not recognize or even want to listen to what sort of life a Palestinian lives. The result of this lack of recognition has been turmoil and war, and violence has become the only phenomenon apparent in the holy land.

The state of Israel, if not recognized by its neighbours, is nonetheless recognized by the most powerful nations in the world, including the U.S. It is clear that there is more power in the hands of the Israeli government to take real action and to fix the situation. But rather than taking action, Israel has instead been quick to accuse others of violence, while they themselves attack Lebanon and re-enter Gaza. Israel should know from its own history that such actions will not solve the problem. This decision by the Israeli government has just opened the door to another terrain of violence, adding another sorrowful chapter in the history of the Middle East.

It is not to say that only Israel can call all the shots. Violence has come from both sides, and the Palestinian people regardless of how frustrating their situation has been under what they view as sheer "occupation," should really think: Is violence going to help our situation? No, it will just lead to more Palestinians and Israelis dead. Will it lead to peace? No. But Israel needs to think the same way. Israel is the one with the nuclear weapons, not the Palestinians. The bargaining power tilts towards the side of the Israelis, yet Israel is the one that made the rash decision to respond with more violence? This violence must come to an end if either side wants to live in peace.