Written 9 years ago. Not only is it still relevant, but the situation in Gaza is catastrophically worse.
Since my last post I have been struggling with feelings of despair– “Operation Protective Edge” was for all intents and purposes a war on civilians living in Gaza– a vast number of whom were children under the age of 18. During the assault (which, thankfully, has ended) I was glued to my FaceBook looking for messages from my friends living in Gaza and the West Bank. I longed for their safety and for the safety of Palestinians I’d never met. My sleep was irregular, interrupted by images I’d seen earlier each respective day of mutilated bodies, many being children; anguished and tired faces of Gazans; destroyed buildings–white dust, dirt, rubble, fragments of what once were homes and work-places; and the color red. I can only imagine that the pain I felt in my heart-mind was like a drop of water in an ocean compared to the pain the people there were experiencing. I didn’t sleep well, my heart and mind screamed in agony over the lost lives and the senselessness of it all. As said by someone, I can’t remember who, I thought–“Silence is not an option.”
I needed to DO something, so in addition to my continued repostings of articles, essays, reflections and photos coming out of Gaza and the West Bank and from reporting organizations I trust and respect and participating in local Portland, Maine rallies, I began drafting a petition for Buddhists to join me in supporting an arms embargo on Israel. I consulted with Stephen Fulder, leader of the Insight Meditation community in Israel; I consulted with Thanissara, a dear and deeply compassionate Buddhist teacher-in-the-world I have learned from over these past few years. They wrote back to me, guided me, supported me as I thought through and wrote the petition. Thank you, dear Stephen and Thanissara–
Even so, Buddhists tend to be very quiet on this issue. Views are influenced by the lens through which we look. And we all benefit when we look deeply into the conditioning factors that shape our views. What is wise, skillful speech and action arising from right understanding; what are the manifestations of our ignorance (i.e. avoidance)–and how do we know the difference?
In the meantime, the world doesn’t wait for our understanding.
Buddhist Travels in the Holy Land 