When sadness damages hope

Hope is a critical factor in maintaining good mental health. A lot of research has been invested in the concept of hope and reflecting on why some people survive horrendous conditions, such as concentration camps, while others do not. Resilience is one factor identified in maintaining hope and it seems that some are born with more natural resilience than others.

In recent times, people suffering from sexual abuse have become more vocal about their suffering. Once again, hope and resilience become critical factors in survival and moving on to strong, personal health and social involvement.

What then are we to do when we hear of the horrendous situation unfolding in Gaza? There are all kinds of arguments flying around in the media and social posts, personal, communal, religious and so on. Who is right and who is wrong? When is violence acceptable and when is it not? Who is the most violent participant in the conflict? When did it start and how will it be resolved? What is often missed in the battle of wills and ideas is the death of people without the capacity to defend themselves, including many young children and babies.

Statements such as, every effort is being made to only target combatants and minimise injury to civilians, ring hollow as hundreds die daily. If your family is wiped out and you find yourself sitting in the rubble of your home cradling your dead grandchild, it matters little who is right or wrong and what can be justified by intellectual arguments; your grandchild is still dead and your family is destroyed. Yet people keep talking and talking, justifying, making excuses and then more shells and bombs are delivered.

It seemed wise to send NATO into Southern Serbia to maintain peace; however, the politics are completely different for the people of Gaza and the West Bank. The so-called moral Western democracies are very uneven about which battles are fought and who is ignored. The USA, while trumpeting its world leadership credentials, has interfered with multiple countries post the Second World War, often with disastrous consequences. From Cuba and Chile to support cruel dictators, to Central America, Vietnam, Iraq and Afganistan. So it is little wonder that when thousands of people are killed in Gaza the USA is once again on the wrong side of history, indicating the vacuous nature of its politics, indicative of a failing world power. Australia, once a small country strongly influencing the setting up of United Nations has become a mere follower, rather than a moral leader.

We will need a revival of moral courage from all countries to influence the situation in Gaza and the West Bank, in order that Christian Palestinians and Arab Palestinians, as well as Israelis can find a way to create societies that are sustainable and safe, sharing a small area of land. As long as any group denies the right of the other to be treated with respect, there can be no peace. As long as one calls for the destruction of the other, there can be no peace. As long as a colonial power controls the destiny of the other, there can be no peace. What would happen if Israel gave up the notion of being a Jewish state, that is one where one religious group has primary status over the other? What would then happen if Arab and Christian Palestinians agreed to a multi-faith state. Could there ever be a multi-faith, secular state in Palestine? The Israeli state might say that would not be safe for us, given the thousands of years of persecution. This is not an unreasonable argument; however, the Palestinians might say, then how can we be safe if you maintain a state that prioritises your people and their rights at the expense of others?

Somewhere at some time, each group involved in this area will have to ask themselves, how long do we wish to engage in futile, destructive conflict? How long will it take for us all to feel safe and to build sufficient trust so that we can live side-by-side in peace? That is so naïve, I hear you say, but that is not nearly as naïve as thinking people can keep up this fight forever without creating more and more pain and suffering.