Dear Editor,

There are two very pertinent sayings that should come to mind when one considers commenting on the war between Israel and Hamas. One is “When elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers” and the other is “Cockroach has no place in fowl business”.

The fight between Israel and her neighbours goes back to periods way before AD 1. It is a complex relationship that seems impossible to fix. After all, how can there be acceptability and tolerance when one side believes that the greatest power in the universe made them above all other men.

How can an individual or sect that believes they are created superior ever succumb to lesser beings? Therein lies the conundrum and one which cannot be resolved by earthly authorities. Neither the United Nations nor the world’s legal system can dictate to a people whose only loyalty is to a higher authority. The question for those who do not accept such a belief is this: Can there be, at any time, a compromise?

The brutality and disregard for human life from both sides is nothing new. From Bible days there have been very brutal wars and what can be considered by many in today’s world as genocide. Joshua 6 of the Bible speaks of the taking of a city. Verses 20 and 21 state, “So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets, and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city. And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword.”

Many who believe in the Bible would agree that such brutality is justified. Others may differ. But for those of us who do not understand, perhaps the best position to take is to mark and observe. Things may not be as simple as they seem. These are some really challenging times.

My belief is that any people claiming to be of God should at the very least have a character that reflects the fruits of His spirit, that is, if one dares to believe in the Bible. Those fruits, according to Galatians 5:22-23, are “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law”.

But what do I know?

Steve Alvarez

bilcoa@hotmail.com