That Which Non-Jewish Folk Need To Know In Regards Israel & Gaza's Palestinians

An informative article on the root causes of current event in The Middle East War between Hamas and Israel ...

That Which Non-Jewish Folk Need To Know

In Regards Israel & Gaza's Palestinians

& The Ongoing Conflict Between The Two Peoples

Written By Marvin Thomas Cox-Flynn de Graham

Copyright © 2023 Marvin Thomas Cox

DBA: Marvin Thomas Cox-Flynn de Graham

All Rights Reserved

For the record, I am not Jewish, per se, but I am a research writer who seeks to bring my researched, read, studied, and shared thoughts to the light of the discussion table as an article of things that non-Jewish folk need to know in regards Israel and Gaza's Palestinians, and the ongoing conflict between the two Peoples.

To Begin With: Two's Company And Three's A Crowd

In regards Israel, those who refer to themselves as Palestinians residing in the Gaza Strip (No offense intended: This is not an anti-Palestinian article), and Hamas, I would agree that, proverbially at least, that it does take two to tango, two to fuss, argue, and battle, and two that make for the best chance of getting along side by side. Unless, it should be that the two become three as an interloper comes along in subversive attempt to decimate and destroy that precious chance at what could have proven to be a worthwhile and lasting relationship between the two.

And all such tragic loss (as detailed above) of any possibility's congeniality between the two -- due expressly to that interfering, ever meddling, third party (e.g.: Hamas, Hezbollah, etc.) as that one always conspiring to stir the pot of troubles and woes to that one's own motive's advantage -- as a covertly overt act of breaking in between the two in order to breakup up any possible resulting stable relationship to have a glimmer's gleam of a prayer's chance in hell of culminating in peace and harmony -- rather than the heart-wrenching bloodshed of yet another round of innocent lives lost in slaughter's butchering-fields of another insanely senseless War.

It is not by accident that it is said: Two's company and three's a crowd. Because, such a deadly threesome is a most dangerous situation, most especially, when meddlers and promoters of interference, violence, & hatred (e.g.: radical groups such as Hamas or Hezbollah) are readily at hand and overly willing to give a true to terrorists group's show of acts-of-violence-in-hand, rather than serving any humanely, sanity prone, useful purpose in choosing to assist their fellow human beings in seeking lasting amicable solutions to controversial issues based upon logic and sound reasoning.

Hence, Gazans claiming to be Palestinians (a topic which we shall touch upon further below) present themselves as a People wrongly and unjustly occupied and oppressed by Israel -- a People beaten, battered, and abused, held as virtual reality prisoners -- who never actually right out and openly state, profess, or concisely-claim to sincerely seek a peaceful existence as an independent, sovereign, and free nation comprising the Palestinian People, but, rather, do lead one to (all too) handily arrive at such a conclusion.

And if true, I would say that as such is a most noble aspiration, one which has already been shared by every existing nation (past or present) around this world as witness to, exactly why they do, indeed, exist, and also do possess a record of testimony to their past history of existing as a People that formed and established themselves as a nation (nations exhibit certain necessitated characteristics, such as: Established Governments, Capitals, Monetary Currencies, Borders, Armies, Import/Export Trade, etc., etc.)

Fact of Reality: This is not an anti-Palestinian article

Regardless of the People or nation one should seek to refer to, that which is called a “land,” -- as in the ancient “land of Israel,” or the ancient “land of Palestine,” -- is but a plot of earth upon this planet men call Earth, nothing more and nothing less, until people, as a People, set their minds of purposed intent and desire to organize and unite themselves in order to form and create that entity which all the world calls a nation. Historically, the aspiration to form and create a nation has come at the cost of countless Human Lives, and sadly so. But, we must, first, recognize that before there is ever a nation, there is just a piece of land that is but a piece of earth upon planet Earth.

Men do not own this planet Earth, but, rather, men inhabit the Earth. Men as Man, slaughter one another, in War after endless Wars, for possession of land that no man shall ever, honestly own. In the meantime, men lay claim to such ownership via the avenue of establishing nations. This is the way things have been since men as Man formed the first civilizational communities, that, subsequently, gave birth to cities, that, eventually, gave birth to the world's history of nations.

Glean The Fruits Of Recorded Facts Of History: Research, Study, & Learn

The following is not (I repeat: Is not) intended as an offense towards or against those Gazans who consider themselves as Palestinians, for, they are ancestrally linked to the “land of Palestine.”

Therefore, The Palestinian People -- People, who, historically, were (contrary to that which far too many people mistakenly believe) never dispossessed from their land and homes in 1948 due to any instance's act on the direct part of Israel -- do, in fact, possess a (“land of Palestine”) claim in reference to the land which was dubbed as “Palestine” by Decree of the Roman Empire.

However (hang with me here and remember: This is not an anti-Palestinian article), The Palestinian People do not possess a “national-claim” to the “land,” as does Israel. Why so? Because of this pertinent fact of history:

Remember: Glean the fruits of recorded facts of history and research, study, and learn. Historical fact: There has never in the history of the world, existed a nation that called itself, Palestine. I repeat for contemplative consideration's effect: To this day, there is no known historical record of any land called Palestine having organized itself into openly declaring itself to the world to be a nation -- a nation with a government, a capital, established borders and duly populated cities, all of which were protected by said nation's army. And thus, again, there has never existed, in the history of the world, a nation known as Palestine. There has been a “land of Palestine,” but never a nation of “Palestine.”

In having shared and stated the above, would I venture to say that The Palestinian People have no right to autonomy, no right to establish, for themselves as a People, a sovereign nation which could come to be called the nation of Palestine? No. I would not. Therefore, please do not assume as such, because, we are not finished as of yet, so please do be patient and witness that which shall unfold, little by little, below.

Robert A. Heinlein: “A generation which ignores history has no past-and no future.”

In order to rationally discuss the current catastrophic atrocities of events taking place in Israel and Gaza, it is only logical to reason that the best place to start is to be found within recorded events of history.

Shall we begin? Way Back When:

When resettlement of that land which was once ancient Israel began around 1917 … Oops! Let's stop for a moment. Shall we clarify matters, for certainty's sake? What Israel are we speaking of? Answer: Ancient Israel, a sovereign kingdom nation stripped of its name by the Roman Empire with all but a tiny remnant of its population exile-deportation-dispersed into other nations, also, conquered, occupied, and assimilated into The Roman Empire -- and this atrocity coupled with the added insult of stripping Israel of its name by Rome-Decree dubbing it as the, “land of Palestine.”

Shall we begin again and continue? began around 1917, Jewish settlers found that they had returned to a land most desolate, virtually and near literally treeless, uncultivated, and with drinkable water, rather than poisonous water, difficult to find for survival and agricultural aspiration's sake. Reality 101: In the absence of dedicated caretakers of that which was once Israel, the land itself had gone to hell in a hand-basket, so to speak. Those peoples who had arrived to fill the vacuum left after the Roman forced Diaspora, had done little to nothing to care for the land, cultivate the land, much less better it.

With the exception of that which remained of Jerusalem, one would not find or visit new cities which had been created and built since that ancient day and time when Israel thrived upon the land, before the invasion and occupation by the Roman Empire. But against hopeless odds, returning Jews, as settlers, undertook to bring life back to that which was once a living, thriving, and vibrant land of proverbial milk and honey.

And, how did the, then, current occupants of the land react and think, regarding such Jewish immigrants? For the most part there existed amiable, workable, equitable, productive, and even friendly relations between Jews, Arabs, Muslims, and the Bedouin. There was, in fact, little to no animosity between Jewish settlers and those Arabs whom they associated with on a regular basis. The problems began when Jewish settlers established themselves to a point to where they could hire and pay Arab workers to assist in reclaiming the productive potential of the land -- implementing irrigation projects, plowing fields planting trees, planting, raising, and cultivating crops. What could possibly have been seen (by anyone sane or logically rational) as wrong with that? This: The settlers (Bear in mind, they were not rich, just not greedy) were willing to pay more than did the Arab workers' own Arab sources of employment and work -- work which was also scarce.

The Hussein Family Enters The Picture & Begins Working In Subtlety

To Muddy The Waters Of Good & Friendly Jewish Settler's & Arab's Relations

It soon became the Hussein family that was to become the proverbial thorn in the side of Jewish settlers, their aspirations to give life and productivity back to the land, and live in peace and harmony alongside their Arab and Bedouin friends and neighbors. In fact, historically, it was the Hussein family who began to incite sentiments of strife, anger, and hatred against Jewish settlers working to better the land which they willingly shared with their Arab neighbors and Bedouin in the land which Rome had dubbed as “Palestine.” In addition, historically, it was the Hussein family which worked to prevent the creation of a Jewish State and the rebirth of the nation of Israel. Furthermore, historically it was the Hussein family which worked to incite Arab nations to, not only oppose the creation of a new State of Israel but, to attack, invade, and seek to destroy the State and Nation of Israel, upon the monumental even of its declaration of rebirth and return to official, UN sanctioned and approved, existence in 1948.

Please Do Note: Not a negative word has been spoken regarding Palestinians, above.

Please Do Remember: This is not an anti-Palestinian article.

But, Israel selfishly displaced thousands upon thousands of Palestinians for the sake of its own piece of the land-pie of re-emergence and re-existence.

False

Not so, but a viciously false and most blatant lie sold to Arab peoples as propaganda's means to incite hatred against Israel. But, indeed, there was a land-pie, and both Arabs and Jews were offered a piece of that land-pie granted by the British Mandate for Palestine created at the end of World War I, coupled with United Nation's Resolution 181 at the end of World War II, which were dutifully upheld and offered by The British Empire, but, thanks to the Hussein family and its program of DIS-informational-Propaganda (similar to a double agent playing both ends against the middle), things went more than just a little awry in thwarting the chance of there coming to exist an Arab State, as well as a Jewish State, side by side within that land (repetition is for effect, here) which the Roman Empire had anciently dubbed as, “Palestine.”

So, Palestinians were not dispossessed and driven from their lands and homes to flee as refuges by Israel? Correct! Palestinians fled to surrounding Arab nations, not as a result of any act of Israel but, as a result of the invading Arab forces, and the sly and cunning propaganda brainwashing of the Hussein family which had (we can only suppose or assume) duped the Palestinians into: Refusing its own chance at a piece of the British Empire's UN sanctioned offer of a piece of land-pie, in turn refusing to recognize the State of Israel, and choosing to evacuate the “land of Palestine,” or, for all practical purposes, be driven into the sea along with Israel, as was the Hussein family's Arab forces plan to eliminate, delete, and wipe the name of Israel from the face of the Earth -- and that, they had thought, decisively.

And what is even more underhandedly similar to the behavior of a double agent, with his own agenda, is this unbelievable, but historically true fact: After fleeing the “land of Palestine,” as dispossessed (but not by the hand of Israel) landless and homeless refugees seeking safety, protection, provisions, food, and shelter from neighboring Arab nations (i.e.: Egypt and Jordan), nations which one would think to believe would have welcomed them with open arms, and embraced them as Arab brethren. But, instead, these same Arab nations ousted and expelled them from their selfsame Arab land's nations. Go figure: The Hussein family at work once again, folks. But, there is more.

The Palestinian People are, either, one of two things. The question is which one: Willing conspirators against Israel, with the past aims of the Hussein family remaining as their, even now of today, current agenda. Or, they are gullible dupes fooled into playing the part of pawns who sacrifice themselves, their families and loved one's lives, their own lives, and past, present, and future hope of livelihoods in a Middle East Chess Game set into motion of long ago by the Hussein Family, which once consisted of Sadaam Hussein and King Hussein of Jordan. Perhaps, the answer is to be found as a bit of a mixture of the two, but which of us can say of a certainty, but The Palestinian People, themselves? It is time for the Palestinian People to speak up and declare openly and candidly, to the world, that which they desire for themselves as a People. There has never been better time than now. Nor the circumstances of events more dire.

But it is not over folks, because as the world looks towards Iran only, as the violence supporter of chaos in Gaza and Israel, the Hussein family continues smoothly on, alive and well, with King Abdullah II sitting upon the throne of his late father King Hussein, as one of the Arab nations which expelled The Palestinian People from their nation's land. If leopards do not change their spots, do we actually think to see the Hussein family depart from its conspiratorial aims and efforts directed against Israel? Again, who can say, but we had best keep our discernment's ears and eyes open for any and all possibilities.

The Future Is To Be Found In Making Good & Peaceful Use Of Unfinished Business

I am about to present a few thoughts for everyone's thoughtful and careful consideration. Now, I am not a politician, nor a diplomat. But, I do seek to attain and preserve a stance as a Moderate in a world of extremes of people who do seem to be pitted against one another as extremes of Right Wing Conservatives and Left Wing Liberals. With such extremities of opposing viewpoints, is it any wonder that we all live in a world where there are those who commit acts of violence fueled by extremism? Our positions of chosen extremes serve to train and teach them the evil that they do. I am convinced that we must find some middle ground upon which all parties can stand, tolerate, and exist in seeking solutions to all the world's problems, and, as for this discussion, Israel, Gaza, and The Palestinian People.

Allow me to share some logic based reasoning upon the above topic in more detail of below:

Peace At Any Price? No! But, Peace It Must Be,

Or More War's Misery It Shall Be In Lives Lost

Without Rhyme Or Reason, But That Of Hatred, Alone

Quite obviously, Great Britain possessed the right to give away its own conquered land to anyone, or any People or nation, that it chose to give or grant such land to, as also later did confirm the United Nations 1947 Partition Resolution 181, at the end of World War II.  Hence, Israel possessed a lawful, UN confirmed, right to exist as per UN Resolution and land freely granted the Jewish People via the conclusion of the British Mandate for Palestine,  also confirmed by the British Empire's commitments carried forth by today's Great Britain.  

The moment Israel announced its declaration of existence as the State of Israel, on May 14th, 1948, the newly reborn nation was instantly attacked by neighboring Arab Nations, and in 1949 Israel was granted membership and admittance into the United Nations. These facts are recorded history that is easily discoverable and researched by library book, or the world wide web.


  The British Empire may no longer exist, per se, but Great Britain was, in fact, faithful to its duty before the world -- the once great empire upon whom it was said that the sun never set, for it encompassed a vast majority of the world --  (as a member of the United Nations) did see fit to finally keep its word in seeking to fulfill the Partition Resolution of the UN, in cooperative spirit of willingness to assign land to, both, Palestinian Arabs and Jews -- and it should (it must) be noted that Great Britain continues to exist, to this very day, and therefore must logically carry much more authority of weight than a Roman Decree issued by a Roman Empire that no longer exists.


And yet, there is no logical, humane, reason why the two peoples of Gaza's Palestinians and the State and Nation of Israel cannot live harmoniously together side by side -- and that in peace and prosperity.


Consider this:  If there are (and truly there are) Arab Israelis who are loyal citizens and contributing members of the nation of Israel, and that willingly so? Then, Palestinians as Gazans might wish to adjust, (perhaps even delete) their stance of position on the existence of Israel, if for no other reason than that of attaining the same right of existence for themselves as a sovereign nation and people, thus, bringing about the fulfillment of the UN Partition Resolution which does offer each side the right of existence, the hope of Freedom and Liberty of its own making, and the chance of living side by side in peace that has not been witnessed since the first Jewish settlers returned to the Jew's homeland that had become Rome Decreed as the “land of Palestine.”

To continue my plea presented to all Palestinians:  Palestinians must sensibly adapt to reality:  Israel does exist, and the weight of Israeli occupation and rule should serve to verify that all too surreal reality -- a reality which Israel did not bring upon the Palestinian People, but was the direct result of Arab nations who were willing to sacrifice The Palestinian People as inhumanly incorrigible means to achieve the destruction of Israel at any and all cost -- even that of the obliteration of the existence and future of the Palestinian People, themselves. Hopefully, Palestinians will learn to recognize this fact for its own good and betterment, and respect it, not out of fear but, in full recognition of Israel possessing the exact same right to exist that they, themselves, do claim for themselves as a People who seek to establish themselves as a nation of Palestinians, perhaps, calling itself Palestine.


What is to be gained?  For starts:  Sovereignty, Freedom, and Liberty.  What else might there be lurking right in the face of that which a fledgling new born nation could use?  Foreign aid, from a neighboring nation closely nearby, and an excellent example of a nation to pattern one's young-nation-self after in recognition that Israel possesses the 4th highest ranking economy of developing nations world-wide. Jewish or not, Israel is doing something right.  

What nation, no matter Arab or simply Islamic would not wish or seek to better itself in learning from other nations, and applying lessons learned to improving its people's overall way of life?  What nation, new or old, does not wish or seek to be successful?  What nation or people would choose to hate so much that they would consciously select failure, for themselves, rather than prosperity and economic security?  

These thoughts are matters which Palestinians will have to answer for themselves.  I do hope their conclusion is a positive one.  For, I do not stand against the Palestinian People, though I do support the Jewish People and Israel.  I am a Moderate in an extremist world.  I can, and I shall, manage support of both.


It Is High Time To Get Off The Religious High Horse


Perhaps the reason for such preferential treatment of Arabs (Muslims) over Jews (in the past, Christians over Jews) is that of the Jews laying claim to their existence as God's select and chosen People, a factual claim that some may consider to render the Jewish People as mass-delusional and supremacist-narcisistic in such a fashion that tinder's jealousy against the Jews in greenest envy of wishing to be that proverbial “Teacher's Pet,” as well?

As an Ex-Preacher, two observations have become my studied conclusions(no offense intended towards any people of any given Faith or Religion, whatsoever):  

	1.  All Organized Religion is a society-permissible form of delusional schizophrenia, because if one sees things or hears voices, but claims that it is God revealing himself and speaking to you, then, you're okay, but otherwise, a paddy-wagon of men in white coats shall escort you out of harm's way. 

	2. Behind every form of Organized Religion which proclaims that their version of God (Islam's Allah, Judaism's YHWH, Christianity's Jesus) has commanded them to preach, teach, and convert all the world -- is a man, or men, who seek to dominate, control, and rule the world.  

But, that is simply my, personal, take on things as a Deist and a Fan of Mankind's Humanity. I am not an Atheist, but have no problem with Atheists.  And I do avidly support every Human Being's choice and practice of their select Faith as their right of Freedom of Religion, always have, and always shall. 

However, I would propose that fervently religious Jews in Israel must consider the reality that Gazans as Palestinians do possess the very same United Nations given right to a national existence which they, themselves, do claim for the nation of Israel, and that as equity's tit for tat, rather than spit and spat and argue, and maneuver for that next moment of yet another war that always ends in the deaths of innocents on both sides of each and every equation set into motion, thus far to date. 

Contemplate this:  If the God of Israel actually proclaimed to Egypt's Pharaoh: "Let my people go!," then perhaps it is time for the religious right in Israel to pass that Exodus freedom forward and on to those who do, honestly, possess a right to be free, live free, and posses both Freedom and Liberty that may be held in hand of realizing as their very own, the same as is true for Israel.

Another lesson in Reality 101 reveals the all too, undeniably, obvious:  The true source of this ongoing travesty of senseless bloodshed and loss of Human Life, is all about extremist ideals of fervently held beliefs of Religions that think to attest that their version of God (be it Allah, YHWH, or Jesus) empowers them to assert a stance of supremacy over nonbelievers, and those of other faiths upon this Earth (no offense meant towards anyone of any given faith). 


What Is Good For The Goose Is Good For The Gander


If the fervently religious Jewish right could find it in themselves to give up a few inches of land that they are not even in full possession of, are not dwelling in or upon, and are, realistically, unlikely to ever do so in their lifetimes of war after war, after war, then in turn about is fair play spoken in respect to the Islamic right, please do consider that, what is good for the goose is good for the gander.  If religious Jews could ever concede to give up that almighty inch, could you?  Would you, for the sake of true, lasting, peace in the Middle East?  For your peoples who devoutly listen to your voice?


For The Record:  A Message To Israel


Palestinians are not property, nor are they prisoners of war.  Palestinians are Human Beings just like you and I.  And despite all the lies and exaggerations regarding Israel in false claims of abuse of Palestinians and out right accusations of Israel now existing as an Apartheid State, a not so pretty fact shines through all the fabricated rubbish that is spoken:  If there were not, at least, some shred of truth to such accusations, there would be no believable means to make such accusations against Israel, the supposed shining Jewish Beacon of the world, allowing itself to be lowered to that level of an Apartheid State, a sad state of affairs, wherein the Ghettos are now inhabited by Palestinians, walled in within the Gaza Strip, rather than Jews.  


It is high time for the atrocities and killings to end, and that on both sides of an insane position and attitude towards life, where winning has become more important than living in peace.


Head Butting Cousins
And The Kiss Of Death

Consider this: If Palestinians possess a rightful “land-claim” to parts of that land called “Palestine” via Roman Decree, and, again, I agree that they do, and all of the above recognized by the historical reality that Rome conquered, vanquished, and literally came to own the land that was once the nation of Israel (via the spoils of War), and as such by right of military might and rule that was, in those ancient days indisputable and stood as acknowledged fact of law, though, today, the Roman Empire no longer exists, and is no more? Albeit, the Roman Decree which created the term, the “land of Palestine,” served to pave the way for those peoples who would come to settle in that “land of Palestine,” and come to call themselves, today, Palestinians. And, rightfully and historically so.

But, please do ponder upon this similarly important fact, as well:  If recorded history stands to support the origins and existence of the Palestinian People, detailed above, why do the British Empire's British Mandate for Palestine, Balfour Declaration, and United Nations Resolution 181 not serve to aptly apply towards Israel, and its own ancient origins and continued right to exist?  It would seem that the Roman Empire is not present today in order to challenge Israel's right of return existence.  Nor is it reasonable to assume that the ancient Decree of an extinct empire should carry more legal authority (after 2,000 years) than The British Empire's Mandate for Palestine of the early 20th Century, or the United Nations Partition Resolution 181 of 1947, a Resolution which amicably granted land to both Arabs and Jews, alike. 


Or, does the all too surreal reality remain that the world, at large, continues to operate, think, design, and interpret justice through the clouded lens of partiality's set of double standards, wherein one standard of justice is delegated as implicitly for Arabs, and the other is delegated exclusively for Jews, relegated to the dregs of that other standard of justice which the world is willing to dole out to them in a sick and twisted form of lopsided antisemitism?  For, you see, the Arabs -- in this example's instance, we are speaking emphatically of Palestinians:  The Palestinian People -- are a Semitic people, same as the Jews.  In fact, they are kinsmen.  An even more shocking fact (hang on to your seats), is that they are  Y-Chromosome cousins (obviously, not kissing cousins).  As per the brief excerpt below taken from the article, Jews And Arabs Share Recent Ancestry, published to the web by www.Science.Org:

“... As fighting continues in the Middle East, a new genetic study shows that many Arabs and Jews are closely related. More than 70% of Jewish men and half of the Arab men whose DNA was studied inherited their Y chromosomes from the same paternal ancestors who lived in the region within the last few thousand years ...”  October 30th, 2000 by Ann Gibbons

Face it folks, it does appear that the world is (not just may be) meddling in a family affair.  For who knows that which may arise from the misplaced and overlooked annals of history, in coming to light of factual reality -- next?  What could be more shocking?  Scientific evidence that supports the Palestinian People as being actual ancestral members of the long missing and assumed as forever lost, “Lost Tribes of Israel.”  

Wouldn't that just take the cake?  Such a finding, if substantiated, would clarify that the controversy and conflict between Jews and Palestinians is not simply about land or either side's right to exist.  No sir.  Such a finding would clarify and directly determine that this controversy and conflict between Jews and Palestinians is all about a family squabble over inheritance rights, as each and every tribe of ancient Israel was allotted a portion of the “Land of Israel,” that became the property-belongs of that tribe ancestrally from generation to generation, and such a generational right to a tribal portion of the land would be (and is) in full effect right up to now of this very modern day time of a technological world of men who continue to slaughter one another like carnivorous animals fighting over a bone.

Perhaps, I speak of conjecture, that which is but speculative, or a wildest implausible theory, but one never knows what will turn up next.  Is there hope for a brighter tomorrow?  Only tomorrow will tell. But, like I said:  This is not an anti-Palestinian article.  This a Pro-Israel and Pro-Palestinian article.


Thank you for reading, 

Marvin Thomas Cox-Flynn de Graham

(Written October 30^th, 2023)

Tags: Current-Affairs, World Affairs, Conflict-In-The-Middle-East, Israel, Gaza, Hamas, Palestinians, The-Palestinian-People, The-Jewish-People, Organized-Religion, Lost-Tribes-Of-Israel, Judaism, Islam, Christianity, Muslims, Jews, Christians, Opinion,

Reviews

[Dave Brown]

a very informative 'article.'
a startling assumption to consider it being a family affair
We certainly should hope for a brighter tomorrow with this being just one segment darkening a much larger cloud,

[Marvin Thomas Cox-Flynn de Graham]

Dave,

How the hall are ya? ... It is good to hear from you ... Thanks for taking the time to read this piece that is of importance to me and the way I think about the situation in the Middle East ...

Marve