They have started up again. I was almost sure that the temporary ceasefire would become permanent; despite all odds, I guess. When I started my afternoon walk there were the booms of missile interceptions; then, on the way home, I looked up to see more. That was quite a big round. Although it was far away, I crouched down next to a tree, because, who knows, there have been stories of shrapnel falling.
But all this is nothing compared to the mass murder taking place in Gaza, probably as I write these lines. By now, I think there is nothing that Israel could do that would give me a worse opinion of it. To all would-be Khalistans, Kurdistans, Catalunias, Euscadis and Islamic caliphates, I say there is no place in the world for more homogeneous homelands. All countries should belong to all of their inhabitants, whatever their religion, language, culture or ethnic affiliation they may be. We don’t need more countries based on race or religion or other traits. They all end up discriminating against, or oppressing, or exterminating, some of their inhabitants. No modern country, even outliers like Japan, is 100% “pure”.
And yet who am I to say: it’s not as if anybody is going to ask my opinion. Neither am a loyal resident citizen of any state. In addition, even when states declare themselves to be multicultural, this does not always help them to be less discriminatory. The European countries are, to a greater or a lesser degree, secular, multi-ethnic and multi-cultural. But all have populations that feel alienated, oppressed or discriminated against on the basis of their group identity.
As usual, in my thoughts, I start from the place of hating what Israel is doing, and end with the understanding that all nations are doing terrible things. Indeed, Israel could not be murdering Palestinians without international support. The support comes from those nations which, on the face of it, seem more moral. I end by wondering if I’m an anarchist; but, at a time when the world has such serious problems to address, in a super-organized way, nation states seem to be necessary. We simply don’t have time to hope for an alternative.
So I go back to the position in which I already find myself: an individual trying to live according to the dharma, to live frugally and morally. I could join movements for change, but activism isn’t my strength, and this is a time of life for retirement and other pursuits.