The Divide

It’s difficult to write about the conflict in the Middle East without sounding biased. Taking sides on this issue is not a road anyone wants to take, and a path I’m certainly not treading on. This open wound has been festering for decades, at the very least, and will continue to do so until only one, or none, is left standing. It’s a violent, faith-based argument, where neither side will ever agree, and where signed deals have never lasted long, considering neither side has ever made much of an effort to stick to them.

Following the attacks on October 7th of 2023, the violence and destruction has hit levels not seen for a long time. Now, it’s spread to Iran and Lebanon, surely making it ever more difficult to reach any sort of settlement, at least in the foreseeable future. So how can the vast gap between the sides ever be closed? On the contrary, the divide is only to get larger. Neither side is willing to compromise, each claiming to be fighting for the truth. To be honest, I don’t see a great willingness to back down from any of the parties. The only way forward has been with bombs and bullets.

Many innocents have perished and will continue to do so. Not even UN personnel or press have been able to stay totally safe. It’s like the gloves are off and it won’t stop until the end, type thing. So how does one speak of the gap between factions? How does one do this without thinking how preposterous it sounds? Our world is now more and more divided and it seems to be where things will stay, until we finally wake up and put a stop to it. Unfortunately, I don’t believe that will happen until something disastrous happens, something that will strike fear, (one of the few emotions we actually listen to), into humanity.

Our attitude of being a spectator in this dangerous game is merely an illusion. Most of us might not realize how truly connected we all are to these situations. We live among many people whose past and present is directly connected to these regions I speak of, and since you can’t leave it behind you, you live it wherever you are.
We cross paths with people who are mentally still living in areas where people die every day, and that makes it everyone’s responsibility. I say all this, but offer no solutions because, as I’ve stated, I don’t believe that there are any. In order to help we all have to be on the same page, and since there are so many conflicting stories among the truth and the lies, getting together on an issue, even one as important for world peace as this one, well, it’s a long, tough road. At the same time, there are those who prosper from these situations, and as money is king, the quiet resistance to reach a settlement causes severe damage to any remote possibility of peace. It’s inhumane to make profits from war, yet there are several countries that mange to overcome sentiment and morality, and forge ahead. I mean, they have shareholders to please. The amount of money spent on weapons and ammunition when in conflict is staggering, and yet here we continue, as taxpayers, subsidizing war and its profiteers, while simultaneously wondering if a bridge can ever be built, one that can’t be blown to bits.
Fiquem bem.
Raul Freitas/MS