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The Key to Unlock Peace
by
Peter Sprenkeler
Joshua listened closely as his God spoke
of His plan,
To lead his long-suffering people to 'The Promised Land.'
Obedient and courageous Joshua led the 'Chosen People,'
Of the Canaanites - their lives and property he would demand.
He laid siege to the towns - and slew their populations,
A ruthless and bloody conquest - Palestine was soon to be theirs.
The land divided up between the twelve tribes of Israel,
The few Palestinian survivors - hastily dispatched elsewhere.
And so it occurred some three thousand years ago,
Israel occupied Palestine - obedient to their Lord's command.
And when you view the present day seething tensions between them,
It is not so difficult to understand.
Three thousand years of almost continual confrontation,
Have laid the seeds for hatreds that know no peer.
Side by side they now live in constant discord,
The only thing they have in common - is fear.
Israel claiming the land a gift from their God,
Palestine outraged - the land was theirs from ancient times.
The struggle and disputation goes on around the clock,
Both accusing each other of humanitarian crimes.
These are the reasons behind the bitterness and rage,
Cemented well are the passions of both nations.
Who is right? - and who is wrong? - the arguments go on,
What is important? - to violence an urgent cessation.
So how do you diffuse such intense passion and animosity?
When it has had so many centuries to grow and bloom.
If they could focus on forgiveness - one day they may in fact see,
In the Land of Milk and Honey - for them both is room.
An over-simplification - I hear you scoff?
I think not - for everything else surely has been tried.
In the complexities of emotion and such a violent history,
Both nations stand guilty! - both having forgiveness defied!
My personal plea to Palestine and Israel 3/7/2002 -
FORGIVENESS - Is the one
critical ingredient missing from plans for
peace - - - .
PEACE will never happen without it!
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