I am engaging in an on-again/off-again conversation with two pro-Israeli Jewish friends. I do not have the background to carry on (from my point of view) a credible conversation/debate with either one. I do not know and have not found anyone either Christian or Muslim, willing to engage in a candid and civil conversation on the Israeli-Palestinian issue.

Please advise. Thank you.

Rev. Russell Melby, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Clergyman

Truth is, the neighborhood there is terrible. Though the news reported that there have been no homicides there this year is not very comforting. It is only May. And there was a homicide there last fall. Hardly anything to brag about.

I was assaulted there last fall by three African Americans and barely escaped with my life. Its a terrible neighborhood. The police don’t put plain clothes cops in good neighborhoods. They news reported the cops were part of an anti robbery unit. Ha. They can’t even prevent homicides and violent assaults in crowded public places let alone prevent robberies. Even worse, the cops are not even safe themselves. The news reported that two of the cops were shot also.

Bottom line is this. Adams Morgan is not a safe place. The cops are not even safe there. I stopped going there last year after I was assaulted. It has been overrun by ghetto hoodlums and soon nobody will go there.

I am not at all optimistic about him like many are.

I think Oren’s idea for bolsturing industry is a good idea. It has nothing to do with the current Palestinian political make up. It has to do with making the Palestinians less reliant on the corrupt and undemocratic leaders they have now. The Palestinians are politically immature. They need to see that there is a way to climb up economically with out being connected to Hamas or Fatah. Once they see that, they’ll want to climb up politically and start their own parties.

The part about “allowing only barely enough…” was placed in quotes because it was a direct quote from the UN statement in the BBC article. Nevertheless, what the UN says to the media about Israeli actions, and about the situation in Gaza, is very different from what things look like on the ground.

What do you mean by my thoughts about Israeli actions in Gaza? Do you mean the operation/war a few months ago? Or do you mean policy regarding crossings?

You write well and convincingly. But to love the Israel is to criticize it also.

By “deliberately” avoiding what Israel has done, you put yourself in a muddy situation of an Israel apologist. By “deliberately” avoiding to talk about Israel’s actions, you in a strong way, brush off the plight of many people in Gaza, who by the way are not all terrorists and not all support Hamas, or willing to join it as a militant or a suicide bomber.

By excusing collective punishment because the UN has used it before, you seem to permit it and encourage it. The UN was wrong. Their action might have helped in Somalia, but it sure as hell doesn’t help every time. Hamas, according to recent polls published by Reuters, became more popular after Operation Cast Lead because of this idea of collective punishment. Remember that it goes both ways, and as the old saying goes, two wrongs don’t make it right -or fair, or just, or humane. And it sure doesn’t make a good excuse.

You have put Israel’s restrictions on the crossing in quotes. Do you not believe that it’s true or are you trying to be accurate?

Why don’t you tell us what you really think of Israel’s actions in Gaza? I’m really interested in knowing what you think, deliberately.

Please excuse my dissent.