The News

Israel - the land of the birth of my Mother. The nation wherein I have spent half of my adult life - is at war with Hamas.
The major news sources are reporting this as a war on Gaza, but by listening to any and all quotes from the Israeli side, this is a war on a party.
Having invested as much of my growth as an individual to Israel as I have, I feel I have a stake in the outcome of this war. In fact, I feel I have a stake in the future of Israel - and by extension - the future of Gaza and the diverse Palestinian people.
I recently read an article in Time magazine about how people are happier when they have friends and family in their vicinity who are happy. (The Happiness Effect, by Alice Park - Time - December 22, 2008). Viewed in reverse, unhappy people are more likely to be surrounded by other unhappy people.

Can this be applied to nations? Are successful thriving nations likely to border with other successful, thriving nations? Are troubled nations more likely to be bordering with other troubled nations? Do troubled nations exist in isolation?

I don't think so. War and internal conflict create conditions that spill over man-made borders. When a nation is poor or poorly run, infrastructure suffers. Lacking the amenities of their neighbours creates ill will that can be directed at the richer side. There will be smuggling and illegal immigration, leading to more cross border strife. Poor infrastructure can also lead to health issues in one state that do not abide by borders and freely visit their neighbours (see the fear of the spread of cholera from Zimbabwe to South Africa).

Is it really a coincidence that the long-running global epicentre for terror concerns (Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan) have back-to-back-to-back-to-back borders?

Would Zimbabwe be better off without Mugabe? I've yet to read or hear of an opinion refuting that.

Would Gaza and the Palestinian people be better off without Hamas? That seems to be the case. When the means of infrastructure are being used to attack neighbours while their own citizens lack adequate health care measures, I am lead to question the long-term vision, the wisdom, the ability to govern, of the leadership.

What are the aims of Hamas when firing rockets into Israel? What do they want to achieve? What are they aiming at? How will they measure their success?

I cannot see a way by which their present and recent actions demonstrate their usefulness to their constituents or to their fledgling nation. And if Hamas is bad for the Palestinians of Gaza, they are bad for Gaza. And if they are bad for Gaza, they are bad for Israel. And if they are bad for Israel and they threaten and create harm to Israel and the Israeli people, then Israel and the Israeli people should have the full right to defend themselves and to eradicate the threat to them.

And if Israel succeeds in this endeavour, then Gaza will benefit just as much as Israel will.

What does this have to do with the news? Much to my chagrin, I have yet to find an accurate, not overly biased source that has been able to separate the analysis from the reporting where the Israeli-Hamas war has been concerned. As much as I support Israel's right to defend itself from Hamas, I find it equally as important to my sense of morality that this war is conducted right. That is, responsibly and as humanely as possible.

In my attempts to interpret the various news sources I have been audience to, I have been led to believe that they have been responsible. But I notice that each source either mentions how many incidental civilians have been hurt from the Gaza end, or how many from Israel. The sources that speak about the dead and wounded civilians (don't forget the children) of Gaza, never mention the incessant indiscriminate nature of the rockets sent towards Israel. Conversely, the sources that toll the damage to Israel and the suffering of its citizens avoids talk of the effect of the war on Gaza.

So what is the truth? Can we get news without commentary?

For the sake of all concerned, I hope this ends soon. I hope for a way out of the war with minimal funeral processions. And I will continue to hope. Good luck to all of us.