‘To have peace’

My daughter is in third grade. I compared the English to the Arabic curriculum and I was shocked. There is a great difference.

The West uses social studies for children to form their identity while we, Arabs, use other parameters.

Everything begins at school and early home learning.

There is a grievous situation in the Middle East. The reasons for conflict: lust, exploitation, prejudice, greed, vengeance and arrogance. These are not found anywhere in our religion.

Then why are there factions fighting in its name?

Why can we not find peace within ourselves?

The conflict with Israel is attributed to religion, flag, area on the map, people, etc.

The West applies double standards in the region, asking Arabs to give up their rights, even though both sides to the Middle Eastern oldest problem are seeing the land as their ancestral homeland.

To reach a resolution, all must accept to coexist on all parts of the same territory, irrespective of faith; to accept the other and live with him.

The problem lies in employing disguised peace endeavours to spread religious doctrine among others.

How can we reach a point where we accept others? 

I remember a line in the film “The Karate Kid”: “Your home is where you hang your hat.”

The Muslim refugees in Europe know this very well now, while repatriation is far away.

When weapons are close at hand, peace is far away.

In the Middle East major powers of the world add wood to the fire, causing more misery.

We need to reach common understanding based on common sense.

To have peace, we must abandon bloodshed.

We must work together and accept to live with each other by accepting others as they are and not try to change them in any respect but to the better.

And there should be no dispute about this “better” thing.

Khaled Suleiman Alnobani,
Amman