Peace in the Middle East
Reflections on Requisite Elements Not Currently Characterizing Any Extant Peace Initiative

There exists a near endless stream of efforts both past and present pursuing peace in the Middle East. Surely each has its place and value, and all to a greater or lesser extent have contributed to mitigate the horrors that have tortured the innocent and well-meaning families in the region.
Here are thoughts positing a distinct ground for the pursuit of Middle East Peace. These basic laws and principles are required for any organization or institution, which sets itself to the task. Absent these conflict will continue unabated.

There are two fronts for this signature, one grounded in the fact that all human phenomena have a spiritual dimension, the second is expressed philosophically.

Spiritual Reality
The key to peace lies with God, and with righting the God-Human relationship. Additionally world affairs are reflected in and related to spiritual reality. The accomplishment of peace is a spiritual undertaking before it is political, social, and scientific. As such religious leaders and believers bear a foundational role and responsibility for this initiative.

The Philosophy of Peace
1. Peace is the establishment of a permanent condition of prosperity, joy, equality of opportunity, and respect for every person and every family in the region. It is predicated upon the complete extirpation of enmity and historical resentment. It is not a project of compromise, but a destiny for mutual embrace, common life, and social care and support for all.
2. Religious leaders and believers are responsible to repent of all past wrongdoing, sectarianism, conflict, aggression, and oppression. Likewise religious leaders and believers are responsible to forgive, embrace, support, and unite with people from other traditions who seek to improve and collaborate to build a future of right relationships and shared happiness.
3. Political and social leaders have a responsibility to collaborate with enlightened religious and spiritual leaders and believers who have reconciled, removed enmity, and achieved oneness through difficult and rigorous, spiritual practices.
4. All sides have problems for which they must repent, and change. Analysis, which has bias toward only one party, can never contribute to the ideal and establishment of enduring peace and happy life for all. The idea of reconciliation and the practice of divine and sacrificial love is greater than the demand for justice.
5. Violence can never result in peace, or liberation.
6. Harmony is achieved through reconciliation by spiritual practice, and only secondarily through the application of scientific analysis and expertise.
7. True peace is measured by the health of family life, and the extent to which social conditions are conducive to promoting the spiritual and material aspirations of all family members from all generations.

Frank Kaufmann
December 7, 2003