Beyond "An Eye for an Eye"

The recent suicide bombings in Israel continue the rapid disintegration of both the Israeli and Palestinian people. The bomber surely caused a moment of malevolent satisfaction among the oppressed Palestinians but their taste for blood will soon turn bitter as Israeli tanks roll into their neighborhoods to extract a deadly justice once again.

What the politicians and military leaders don't understand is that this situation cannot be resolved in any way because both parties are trapped in a system of retribution that cannot be placated or won. The Jewish people, as well as the Palestinians and their Arab allies, hold to a strict rule of ascending retribution. Their historical view has been to balance the violence by one with an equal return of violence by the other thus maintaining the Middle Eastern code of "an eye for an eye."

This ongoing retaliatory approach has only maintained the status quo of mutual deterrence. With the entrance of more radical extremists, the stakes have been raised with each attack scoring greater and more punishing results on the other, the natural result being the eventual destruction of both nations.

The answer to this dilemma is not pressure from the U.S. or a peace plan from Europe. The answer was put forth by Jesus 2000 years ago when He taught His disciples to, "turn the other cheek" (Matthew 5:39) when offended or struck. In the present situation, therefore, the only way to break the cycle of violence is for one of the parties to turn the other cheek when attacked in order to claim the moral high ground.

Once this is done, the support for continued attacks or oppression will dissipate and an atmosphere for peace and reconciliation will dawn. You can't accuse your enemy of violence, oppression, or injustice if he refuses to strike back when you attack him. His silence will encourage your own. His forgiveness will engender your own. His willingness to bear your aggression without revenge will earn your respect, even perhaps your love. An old solution maybe, but none of the new ones have worked thus far.