Injustice – 298 dead in Ukraine, over 700 dead in Gaza.

My one loyal reader – remember Archie? – knows the one human failing that always gets up my nose is injustice; injustice of any kind. There is no such thing as partial injustice; there is either injustice or there is no justice. All injustice, even perceived injustice, burns like a hot ember in the psyche of those affected – it rankles for generations and is never forgotten.

The terrible tragedy of Malaysian Airlines flight MH 17 with the loss of 298 lives (many  were children, even infants) – shot down by Ukrainian separatist rebels has a parallel lost in the confusion of current events - Gaza. The continuing violence in Gaza has left over 700 dead, most of whom are women and children – innocent women and children. There are obviously some, reputed, militants among the dead as well but it is the deaths of women and children and the over three thousand injuries that have been reported that really upset me.

One received worldwide condemnation, the other is barely mentioned. Why?

The 298 dead in MH 17 were killed when the aircraft was shot down by a surface to air missile fired from Russian separatist controlled Eastern Ukraine; the majority of the over 700 dead and the thousands injured, in Gaza, died or were injured  by missiles fired from the air – air to ground missiles - what's the difference?

The Russians blame the Ukrainians for the loss of life in MH 17; the Israelis blame Hamas for the loss of life in Gaza.

Both are wrong. Both are the result – the tragic result – of injustice.

The injustice, in Gaza, and Palestine, has its roots in the aftermath of the First World War. The Palestinians believed that the British, who they had helped to defeat the Turks, would grant them the right to live in Palestine (a British “mandated” territory, where they had been living for centuries anyway).

Meanwhile the Jews believed that now the First World War was won and the Turks defeated,  the British would grant them their God given right to the land of Israel (according to their interpretation of the Biblical Old Testament).

Unfortunately neither of these beliefs was ever realised. Accordingly the very disillusioned Palestinians blamed the British and the Jews for the fact that their beliefs turned out so wrong.

Similarly the Jews were greatly disillusioned that their “God given right” to the land of Israel was to be so frustrated – they accordingly blamed the British and the Palestinians.

The British, in effect, threw up their hands and walked away from the problem, thus setting the scene for the fact that there has been no real peace in Middle East since 1946.   

This, current, senseless violence and appalling loss of life will inevitably end in a truce or ceasefire in Gaza so it may be useful to reflect on why the conflict was ever started in the first place!

If Israel continues to refer to the horrific past visited upon the Jews of Europe in the 1930s and during the Second World War as a justification for their “right” to have a homeland which “right” they also claim is supported by the Bible’s Old Testament, why can’t the Palestinians also refer to their “horrific” past in the hands of the Jews and the war time allies (USA, England and France)?

It is recorded that the great teacher, Hillel (who died in 10 C.E.) summarized the essence of Judaism by saying: “That which is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow humans; this is the whole Torah, all the rest is commentary. Now go and learn.” Another central premise of the Torah (the moral code of Judaism) is the command to “Love your neighbour as yourself.”

Remember the Palestinians were summarily removed from what had been their “homeland” for centuries, to make way for the state of Israel, and many were made stateless and homeless. Some still lay claim to the land and buildings now occupied by the Israelis.

Also remember that far more Palestinians have been killed by the Israelis than there have been Israelis killed by Palestinians. And remember that the Palestinians in Gaza have no where to go. They live in one of the most densely populated areas on earth. Giving 10 minutes warning of a bombardment, as the Israelis claim they give, is no answer. Another point to remember is that the Israelis have had a "siege" in place for years - nothing may enter or leave Gaza without the Israelis say so.

This is the injustice that the Palestinians seek to have redressed (and are prepared to fight for this to be redressed); this is the injustice that the Israelis cannot, or will not, accept. For a people (the Jews) who have suffered so much injustice, racial vilification and horrific pogroms in their long history, one would hope that they would have developed sufficient insight, understanding, humility and empathy to accommodate the Palestinians in the land that “belongs” to all (all land was present before humans existed and all land will still exist long after humans have vanished from the face of the earth). 

But no – the Israeli response has always been “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.”

As for the current Russian/Ukraine problem this, again, stems from injustice and a perceived “right” to land. The Russians believe they have a “right” to Ukraine because of historical links – and they are offended by the Ukrainian’s desire to be affiliated with Europe rather than Russia. Many Ukrainians object to this Russian view - they will recall the terrible loss of life under the rule of Stalin (when Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union) – enforced starvation killed over 5 million Ukrainians; many Ukrainians will recall the Russian imposed limitations on teaching (and speaking) the Ukrainian language; many Ukrainians will know that their forebears fought for Ukrainian independence from Russia at the end of the Second World War, which was brutally suppressed. This is the injustice that many Ukrainians resent. 

Hopefully a yet to be seen Russian directed pull back by the Ukrainian separatists in Eastern Ukraine may at least bring about a semblance of a truce.

Violence is never, repeat never, a solution to any problem – violence begets more violence. As has been stated before in these Posts, violence is the usual outcome of moral bankruptcy.

(Amended 24/07/2014)