LET'S CUT THE CIRCLE OF VIOLENCE IN PALESTINE AND ISRAEL

No body knows when the circle of violence in the land of Palestine will end. This Friday morning (7/3), a deadly act of violence again happened. Reuters reported at least six people were killed after two Palestinian gunmen opened fire in a Jewish religious school in Jerusalem. The gunmen were also killed in the assault at the Merkaz Harav seminary.

Two days before the attack, the military might of Israel had reportedly killed a two-month-old baby and wounded eight Palestinian fighters in its new attack on Al-Garara village in the southern part of Khan Youris, Gaza Strip, Tuesday evening (4/3).

Over these past two weeks, at least 125 Palestinians had been killed and 380 others got wounded as a result of the Israeli military operation in HAMAS's Gaza Strip areas. Tel Aviv claimed that its ongoing military operation was launched in response to what it called the rocket attacks of the Palestinian fighters on its areas.

In every deadly conflict, the most vulnerable victims are always children, women, and old people. No matter who they are and what their religious beliefs are, the victims are human like us. None wants violence but peace.

The string of violence that we again see in the Gaza Strip over these past two weeks has indeed threatened the peace that both Palestinian and Israeli people badly need.

Peace lovers and fighters anywhere they exist -- in the two divided nations, in the United Nations, in the Organization of Islamic Conference, in the United States, in Russia -- must not bow to the violence. Instead, they must keep doing the best they can to end the violence by offering the most acceptable solution for the Palestinians and Israelis.

In the peace building process, the social and economic welfare of the Palestinians must be part of the primary elements that the whole stakeholders of peace need to prioritize. Don't let the Palestinians, whose land is occupied, continuously live in uncertainty. Don't also let their human dignity and democratic choice be continuously ignored but, at the same time, the powerful states and international bodies force them to accept the peace agreement that they do not fully involve in its drafting and negotiating process. It is time to respect and protect the basic rights of the Palestinians. As the people of Israel, who have enjoyed welfare on the land they have occupied for tens of years, the Palestinians also need prosperity. It is natural, isn't it? The first things first that need to be given to them are independence, true respect and justice. For the Palestinians, the internal reconciliation is also a must before going ahead to reconciling with the fact of life that they have a neighbor, called Israel. A wise man says: "we can choose friends but not neighbors". Peace !!!