The American news media in the last week or so has reported the peace process in the middle east between Israel and Palestine is on the verge of collapse. Unfortunately, those reports have taken on a tone of failure by the United States and Secretary Kerry once again to settle an age old problem not created by the United States.
If indeed the talks fail the blame belongs to both Israel and Palestine, make no mistake about that. Their problems go back over 2000 years and was created by religions beliefs that is still playing havoc through out the middle east. Jerusalem has been a holy place for Jews, Christians, Arabs and Moslems since before biblical times but Israel wants Jerusalem all to itself.
Religion teaches that Jesus preached in the Jerusalem temple and that one day, god his father will return there for his earthly abode. The Moslem faith teaches that the prophet Mohammed's ascented to heaven from the sacred dome of the rock that sits on top of the temple mount. The sanctity of Jerusalem is well known by scholars.
Israel, its jewish people and the people of the Arab world have the same father, Abraham. Abraham's son Ishmael was born to him and Hagar, a slave of Abraham's wife Sarah. Isaac was the son of Abraham to him and his wife Sarah. Trying to define what territory is Israel and what is Palestine is one of the great problems why peace has been evasive and religion is at the core of the problem.
Written records have been discovered concerning the bible lands and the middle east where thousands of years ago kings of those lands said they went to war against other nations and kings on the order of their god. If that sounds familiar it is because leaders of some nations in that region are still killing people in the name of their god.
The lack of a peace agreement between Israel and Palestine lie at their own door step and not the United States inability to broker a true peace. The people of America understand how religion in that part of the world is used to divide and not unite. It is a leson the people of the United States should not let itself get trapped in. Our fore fathers showed their wisdom concerning the separation of church and state and those who try to divide us along religious lines should be rejected loud and clear.
This commentary written by John Lucia.
