SAD MAD WORLD

It's only the first week of a new year and already there's so much to grieve. While many of us were fortunate enough to greet 2009 with family and friends in merriment and safety, so many were being butchered and maimed, especially in Gaza. The irony is that now Israel has announced that it will have a three-hour ceasefire everyday to allow for aid to be given to the victims. And there will be some kind of corridor to enable this help to be made possible. I don't know whether to laugh or cry. Or how to feel anymore. This corridor or ceasefire would not be needed in the first place if the killings were to stop immediately. Some say Hamas was stupid to bring it all on the Palestinians. Why provoke the Israelis? Now who is suffering the most? Certainly not all Hamas leaders only. Some say all this is because Israel, backed by its powerful financiers, are still adamant to stay in a country they robbed from the Palestinians. Whatever the politics, is it justified that so many innocent lives are being sacrificed? Why can't so many clever world leaders with their wonderful rhetorics and promises fail to be able to say to each other, let's stop the killings? Surely there must be more peaceful ways to solve problems? In the face of all the carnage, many can still declare on television that the killings will go on because of this reason or another. Surely dear God, there cannot be ANY reason for this cruelties? We are human beings. People of the Book. Can't we look for alternatives to settle our differences? Has life become so cheap? Why have our leaders failed us? What are they waiting for? A global apocalypse? Dear Allah, save our souls. Let the leaders come to their senses!