It is hard to understand how a war, started over the death of 1400 civilians, involving the deaths of over 30,000 other civilians should reach its crisis over the deaths of 7 aid-workers.
Public comment on the rights and wrongs of the Gazan war lead to further violent reactions, arguments, breakdowns of friendship, charges of racism. It is impossible to have any stated position that doesn’t seem to make matters worse. Which is why my only stated position can be to deplore war.
In a very immoral way, the markets disagreed. Yesterday’s escalation in tension caused an abrupt turnaround in global markets. The disruption to trade that might arise from a hardening in America and Europe’s position that the war should end, saw markets take fright. It seems that the routine slaughter of civilians is ok, but calls for a ceasefire – aren’t.
The market’s ability to normalise wars in Ukraine and the Middle East is in sharp contrast to the impact war has on society, it is anything but normal to live in a war-zone, but once such suffering becomes BAU , it is processed as a steady-state, the market reacts to news not routine suffering.
My colleague Steve Goddard bravely ends each session or the Pension PlayPen with a prayer for peace in the East and now the Middle East. It is a weekly reminder that war is not something that can be treated as BAU but to be held front of mind.
So , calls for a ceasefire by an American president send the market a signal of “rising geopolitical tension” that could engulf the middle east in more war. It seems that the market would prefer a continuation of the status quo, the slow destruction of a highly populated sleeve of territory with the extinction of hope for its citizens.
I have no proper response to this destruction other than to deplore war and to hope for a de-escalation of tension resulting from the human virtues of tolerance , compassion and love. Since these virtues are within the human spirit, to call upon their use, is to be bi-partisan and neutral in the apportionment of blame.
The positive prayer is a prayer for peace, not victory, for there can be no victory in Ukraine or in Gaza , if it is not founded in love.
War is not the answer, for only love can conquer hate
What’s going on?
