Sad

I don’t have a more creative title than that…

So many of my Israeli friends–who all fought in Lebanon 2–have been called up. One of them had the Facebook status so-and-so “WANTS TO GO HOME.” Over here in the States, someone else I know posted that he “thinks it’s about time!” After reading Daniel Gordis’s latest dispatch, I understand that better. But at the same time, I want to scream at that person not to be so righteous about it when he’s not the one who has to go off to war.

Facebook statuses are weird these days (and it’s even weirder that I’m tying this post together by referring to the Facebook status). So many people I know have donated their statuses to the Qassam count: “11 more Qassam rockets fired into Israel today.” Finally I saw one status donated to the “other side”: “530 Palestinians murdered by Israel.” I noticed a few things about that: So many people were posting the Qassam Count. Only one person popped up posting about the other side. We’re all preaching to the choir (I’m speaking for myself and the people I know, obviously, but it probably applies to a lot of others). And that’s annoying, because over here, so far removed, we should be able to reach across and make friends on the “other side.” And if those people who are posting the Qassam Counts aren’t all preaching to the choir and the people reading their statuses are also reading the other side’s, 530 is a lot more than 11. Of course, that’s comparing apples and oranges…

Speaking of food, the UN has halted food aid in Gaza. There should NEVER be starving children, I don’t care whose children they are. So The Jew & The Carrot is calling for suggestions on how to assist in pressuring for more aid access (or other more effective responses), please post them as comments. Here’s a link to the IRC for giving to the International Red Cross and Red Crescent.