I missed this piece from last week. As always, Avnery’s characterizations of politicians is spot on, and he rips to shreds any false hope that the conference may actually help the Palestinians in Gaza. Given the economic crisis, the conference received little coverage here. I doubt the Obama administration wanted much press about their promise for nearly $1 billion dollar in aid. It is, however, worrisome to me when Avery starts sounding so pessimistic:
Without hope there is no Left. The Left is by nature optimistic, it believes in a better future, in the chance of changing everything for the better. The Right is by nature pessimistic. It does not believe in the possibility of changing human nature and society for the better, it is convinced that war is a law of nature.
But among the despairing there are still those who hope that an intervention by foreigners – Americans, Europeans, even Arabs – will impose peace on us. This week, that hope was severely shaken.