Jose Arocha’s blog

First, I would like to express my sorrow
for what you are going through. You both feel hurt. I am sorry for your
families in pain. My condolences and thoughts are with you.

I have been engaged reading the stories, looking at the
heart-breaking images, reading the discussions in online fora, news
media and blogs. Some people justify war in the name of honor, faith or
national pride and interests. I respect their position. However, in my
core, I cannot justify war.

I believe that life is our utmost precious right and our source of
joy. The life of a Lebanese or an Israeli girl could be the life of my
children. For me, every girl counts. Every life is sacred. I cannot
justify the stabbing of any single life.

In the previous times of history, signed by the lack of
understanding and means of communications, many were the myths, many
the misunderstandings, many the misconceptions, many the fears of the
unknown. War was a human reaction to secure the life of the closest
ones.

Today, July 2006, in the era of knowledge, information and
communication, our human culture still drags those old paradigms to the
management of conflict. In many circumstances we have not been equipped
with the ability to dialogue, the understanding that nature demands a
giving to gain, that our social nature is a conversation continuum of
trade-off and negotiation. Today, dialogue is our ultimate tool for the
survival and advancement of life.

On the other hand, our natural social and cultural evolution also
drags a history of psychological and emotional wounds.  In the process
of learning, we have made many mistakes. We have. And we could have not
expected otherwise.  For such is our nature. But this also implies, that
as a human race, forgiving is of utmost importance to move on as
society.  The contrary is just jail for our existance and a vicious
cycle of hatred and death passed to our children.  Could we embrace
learning, failure and forgiving as society?

To the hearts and minds of the Lebanese and Israeli, to the hearts
and minds of every human being on this single and only earth, I beg
you: Let us stop war with each other.

Let us embrace dialogue, learning and forgiving. Let us stop this
suffering and embrace the joy of understanding. Let us leave war behind
as a means of negotiation. Let us embrace each other in dialogue,
learning and trading-off for the sake of every human life and the
future of our children.

Peace be in you.