The bloody battle and deep personal feud between the Hatfields & the McCoys started over a suspicious death and ownership of a hog.

Wars are funny in that, if they last long enough, the original reason why you’re fighting become untethered from the daily battles and raw desire to win or get revenge. In that context, and with much daily focus on the fights, settlements and borders between Israel and Palestine and freedom for Palestinians, have the players lost sight of the big picture? Or are the parties too emotionally invested in revenge, winning, nationalism (take your pick) to simply step back to evaluate and measure the battle by the ultimate and original goals of the conflict itself?

I think it’s that idea that prompted writer Abdulateef Al-Mulhim from Arab News to ask this thoughtful question:

“…the harder question that no Arab national wants to ask is: What was the real cost for not recognizing Israel in 1948 and why didn’t the Arab states spend their assets on education, health care and the infrastructures instead of wars?”

 

Read the rest of his article here