Hey guys,
This week, Jerusalem was the site of a deadly bus bombing. The terrorist attack, perpetrated by the group Hamas, was the first such attack in Jerusalem in about four years. The city has been on a path of peace with Jews, Christians, and Muslims living together in the city in relative harmony.
Jerusalem is a holy city for all three faiths, and as such all three faiths have cause to ensure the city’s holy shrines and sites remain undisturbed.
The politics concerning Jerusalem, Israel, and the Palestinians as a whole are complicated, multilayered, and span centuries… as such, I can’t possibly explain this conflict in any great detail here. Just know that the area is enormously important to all three faiths, and people have fought and died over the right to this area, known collectively as “the Holy Land.”
Israel’s response to the bus bombing is the launching of missile attacks in the area of Gaza controlled by Hamas. Hamas has retaliated by firing missiles of its own deep into the populated areas of Israel. This greatly involves the United States as Israel is our greatest ally in the region, and the United States has long defended Israel’s right to exist.
Aside from all the politics and religious issues, hearing the news that a new wave of violence has erupted in the region really affected me. I visited Jerusalem this past summer and fell in love with the city, its people, its vitality, and its endurance. It breaks my heart to see history repeating itself in the area. I was only in the city for four days, but I can say without a doubt that it changed my life for the better, and helped me to better understand people of all faiths.
What do you think?
- X
Link to Bus Bombing story: I have no idea why that address is so long!
Link to map of Israel, the occupied territories, and surrounding countries.
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/middle_east/conflict
It think that it is pointless to bomb a city even if you wanted to claim it. Noone should bomb anyone , because now they are going to go into war. and more people are going to die.
ReplyDeleteKnowing that Jerusalem is a Holy Land why Bomb the place? Jerusalem is a great place even the people are great. I wish i could go there someday. I dont understand why are they doing this because Jerusalem has never done anything to deserve getting bombed.
ReplyDelete-Vanessa Aristy
It is unfortunet that there was a bus bombing. Nobody should bomb anybody or anything at any cost. Jerusalem is aoarently the Holy City. When a bombing has happened it can lead to bad things. This could start another war with a different group and cause even bigger problems out in the Middle East.
ReplyDelete