Can Love Conquer the Israeli/Palestinian Conflict?

The Archangels Address this Question

I got a comment from a reader yesterday regarding the people who are and have been and probably will be victims of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. He correctly stated that love is not likely to help these people, and wanted to know how to answer the carnage Hamas and Israel are responsible for in a loving way.

I get what he is saying. There are some situations that can’t be instantly cured by all the love in the world directed at them, at least not at this point. Hamas attacked first this time around, but they are not likely to be last.

In the past, both Israel and Palestinians have been responsible for killing civilians. There is a fault on both sides. For me, the saddest part is that the people on both sides who are being killed likely do not want war and are not responsible for causing it.

They’re the ones paying the ultimate price, however, my reader asked me to ask the Archangels for some clarity and insight into how love can be applied to this situation when hate is clearly the focus. Their response follows.

Question: I understand that love has to overcome hate, but right now, it doesn’t seem to have much of an impact on what is happening in the Israeli/Palestinian conflict in terms of protecting people.

Is there any guidance or insight you can offer for the victims in that part of the world as well as those who are saddened by this conflict and loss of life?

Answer:

We do, although it is not the quick solution that many of you crave. We would love to offer a step-by-step plan for how to neutralize the situation and protect the people who live there, but only the people of Earth can do that, and since most of you are out of practice in using love as an antidote, a solution will not come quickly. It is mankind that has waged war against mankind, and it must be mankind that puts an end to it.

Consider options that could help the people of Gaza which have been closed to them. Countries have closed their borders to refugees. Humanitarian aid is all of a sudden scarce. When there have been natural disasters, aid has been present, yet it is hard to find in Gaza right now, not because no one cares, but because hatred, retaliation, and cruelty are still stronger in the area than love.

If most people saw someone starving or dying of thirst, they would give food and water. Yet, there is little food or water to be found in Gaza.

Rather than joining together in an outcry for the refugees in that part of the world, demanding they be helped, regardless of on which side they have been placed and labeled, people are still choosing sides and explaining why their treatment is understandable and excusable.

There are billions of people living on Earth. A very small, almost immeasurable fraction of those are the people who are responsible for killing the Israelis and Palestinians in the Middle East.

What do you think would happen if these billions of people demanded a stop to the killing of the civilians in the area? What if billions demanded humanitarian aid or safe evacuation of the people, opening borders to them and offering a safe haven? Would the handful of people waging war stand against so many, or would there be a pause in battle to evacuate all who do not wish to fight or kill others?

Mankind is moving in this direction, but it is moving too slowly at this time to be of much help to those in Gaza. You must reach a point where you do not think of others in terms of “them” and make a full transition to “we.”

Borders remain closed, because governments prioritize “their own people” over those from other countries, and the people do not demand that the borders be opened and help given because they fear the consequences and how this would affect them. We do not say this in judgment or criticism.

It is simply a statement of the overall mindset at this time. At some point, there must be a transition from a separation and prioritization of people to viewing all of mankind as a group in itself, and everyone being of equal worth and importance.

You are not there yet, but you are headed in that direction. Just as with the Ukrainian war, people are concerned more than ever about those who are suffering now in the Middle East, and who are victims.

Not so long ago, most people would have had a brief moment of sadness, cast it aside, then gone about their lives. This is no longer the case. People are more affected by the hardships of others all over the world, especially the loss of innocent lives in senseless wars. They do not cast them aside anymore.

However, you have not yet transitioned your thoughts and concerns fully into actions and unity. That will take more time, and it will not likely happen in time to help the people who need it now.

Concerns for self and one’s own community, area, country, race, etc. is still more common than concern for everyone. It has begun, it is gaining strength and numbers, but it has not progressed enough yet to encompass all of mankind. It will, but it will not happen overnight.

It is easier for us to be hopeful as we see mankind’s progress, because it is substantial, because we can see the entire picture. Most cannot see the growth and spiritual evolution happening everywhere on Earth, but we can, and we clearly see a monumental rise in the collective consciousness as it continues to evolve. Individual growth is widespread, and it inevitably leads to collective growth, but it takes time.

While that is taking place, do not underestimate the power of love you can extend to those in Gaza and elsewhere. Send them your love and hope until you can send them food and water with wider collaboration.

It begins there and will lead to more concrete ways of help. It all begins with the recognition that all people are important, and we should care about all of them, rather than choosing sides and casting blame.

There are innocent people being killed on both sides and killing more innocent people should not be excused or accepted. There is no justification for killing innocent people, regardless of which side they claim or are placed on or which side started the violence.

The enemies are on both sides of the conflict. They are the instigators and retaliators who are behind the senseless killing. They are the ones who wish to send a message and make an example at the expense of innocent lives.

They care more about power than they do about people. They draw lines and sacrifice others for their own selfish reasons. Make no mistake, these people exist on both sides of the conflict. They will always exist, but they will eventually lose their power and position when the far greater numbers of the masses refuse to put or keep them in power or tolerate their actions.

We cannot wave a magic wand and make this happen any more than you can. It will take the unity of people on Earth to make it happen, and that is coming. In the meantime, what you can do, is focus on cultivating love for all people. Visualize what can and should be, rather than what is.

Foster love and sympathy for all people, even if it feels useless and isolated. Stop choosing sides and justifying actions based on hatred. Grow love in your heart to replace anger and hate and to overpower it in others. Focus on the love of self and the love for others regardless of who they are, where they live, and what they do.

It will spread to others and increase exponentially until unity exists and can turn back the hatred and actions of violence done by others.

The best way to make this happen is to determine for yourself that all people are important and equally worthy of life, hope, and dignity, and foster that within your heart and mind. These thoughts may seem very abstract in the face of war and violence, but they will eventually turn into more concrete actions that will at some point put a stop to war.

It is a different way of thinking that is needed. There are still too many who justify retaliation for violence. If that thought crosses your mind, ask yourself which of the children who were killed on either side deserved to die.

You must realize that regardless of who did what, who began things, and who committed these atrocities of war, the answer to the killing of innocent people is not more killing of innocent people. It solves nothing. Do you think retaliation will lead to peace? Do you think fear of retaliation is the answer?

We tell you, neither of these things will lead to sustained peace because eventually, fear will not keep everyone from waging war. When one side retaliates with more violence, more violence will ensue, and peace will not be permanently gained. There must be a complete change of mindset that does not focus on fear and hatred or depend on force for protection and safety.

The only sustainable peace will be when people acknowledge the importance and connection they share will all people, that all people are equally important and deserve to live in peace, and when most believe that violence and force should never be accepted or tolerated.

When that attitude and belief system is in place, there will be no support or imaginary need for war, and the people who continue to support war will no longer be put into places of power or status. They will still want war, but they will not be in a position to instigate or continue it.

It all starts with the individual realization that all people are equally important and deserve help and love, even if it means sharing what you have with them, and especially if you are under attack from another source.

It is easy to offer love to everyone when you are safe and thriving, but when you can see the humanity in those who would attack you or take from you, you will know that love within you has won.

Final Thoughts

That last paragraph is key, I think. It’s one thing to send loving thoughts to victims on the other side of the world who are not affecting us in any noticeable way, but how many times throughout history have we seen people change radically when they are directly threatened or afraid? Think of the Holocaust, the Japanese internment camps, and the terrorist attacks on our home front from both internal and external groups.

Think of the many hate groups around the world. In addition, there are people today who may not have engaged in violence but nonetheless persecute others through legislation, trying to control others’ actions, and taking away their freedoms and choices. None of these things are motivated by love, I assure you.

Individually, I think there are more people who are mostly “good” than there are people who are mostly “bad”, for lack of a better description. However, there have been so many times when people react in ways that are out of character because they are afraid or are convinced by others that they are being threatened or could be under attack if certain people are not stopped. It’s happening now.

I remember when Osama bin Laden was killed. There were people celebrating in the streets! He was not innocent, but hunting down and killing someone, whoever they are, should not be celebrated. Until we reach the point individually where we can see ourselves in the faces of our perceived and proven enemies, we have work to do.

And please don’t bombard me with anti-American accusations and nationalistic scorn. I have never been pro-bin Laden or pro-terrorist, whether they are after me or anyone else.

I simply offer food for thought, and possibly a goal for us to shoot for, for the sake of worldwide peace someday. We can’t be against war elsewhere, and then turn around and scream for retaliation if we’re under attack. We can’t condemn the Middle East and then celebrate the death of a terrorist. That’s not love.

Believe me, I’m not entirely there yet, driven and guided by love all the time, but it’s what I aspire to, and I’m trying to remember that, regardless of someone’s actions, they are still human beings, even if they do not model humanitarianism, peace, or love.

Easier said than done, but I’m a work in progress, just as we all are. I think we all need to stop blaming and calling out others and consider instead how we can improve ourselves and allow more love into our own hearts. As the Angels say, that will lead to collective change.

Blessings, all.