The Middle East is the Hub of the World where wars constantly start and peace seems impossible. The only solution is a united planet with a global democracy, and can anyone seriously imagine our species being intelligent, mature, and evolved enough to come together to make it so? 

Had my own moment of silence. Today. So many emotions. One year after Palestinian terrorists from Iran’s proxy militia Hamas broke out of Gaza into southern Israel and murdered about 1,200 people. Most were Israelis, Jews, but others were citizens from more than 30 different nation-states and from other religions. A large number of those were Thais working in Israel. Most of the Thais were likely Buddhist. The killed and wounded ranged from babies to the elderly and from across all genders. Hamas engaged in mass carnage. The Israeli counterattacks have killed and maimed many, many more in Gaza, tens of thousands more, mostly Palestinians but also others from different countries and religions including Christians. 

Since then the war has spread across Gaza and Israel to the West Bank, Yemen, Lebanon, and has drawn in Iran, Jordan, Iraq, Syria, Saudi Arabia, the United States, and several European allies including France, Italy, and the UK. Waves of anti-Semitism and sometimes violent pro-Palestinian protests have erupted in numerous countries including here in the USA. There have been vigorous pro-Israeli and pro-Jewish pushback. There are also mass demonstrations within Israel against their Prime Minister Netanyahu and to negotiate a ceasefire to return the remaining hostages home alive. Mass protests by Israelis against Netanyahu had been going on well before the Hamas butchery as Israelis rose up in the streets against their increasingly Far Right, authoritarian, and heavy handed regime. Continue reading →