The words of T.E. Lawrence—the famous “Lawrence of Arabia”—continue to resonate today, providing valuable insights as we examine the persistent Israeli-Palestinian conflict. His experiences during the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire in World War I, along with his philosophical reflections, offer valuable parallels to the ongoing complexities which have led to the current conflict.

The Power of Dreams:

Lawrence famously wrote, “All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake up in the day to find it was vanity, but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes to make it possible.” The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is, at its heart, a clash of dreams and aspirations. The Jews and Palestinians each have their own historical narratives, desires, and dreams of self-determination and sovereignty. While they dream differently, they share a dream of a peace. The challenge lies in translating these dreams into a reality that respects the dignity and rights of peace-loving participants; bloodthirsty Hamas terrorists and their supporters not included.

The Messy Nature of War:

Lawrence’s words, “To make war upon rebellion is messy and slow, like eating soup with a knife,” are particularly pertinent. Both the Israelis and Palestinians have experienced the messiness of protracted conflict. The long history of wars, uprisings, and negotiations has shown that the pursuit of military solutions often leads to suffering on both sides without lasting resolution. Lawrence’s insight serves as a reminder that peaceful, diplomatic efforts should take precedence over military actions. Unfortunately, Hamas, et al, refuse to allow a peace-seeking process. 

The Rational and the Irrational in Tactics:

Lawrence asserts that “Nine-tenths of tactics are certain, and taught in books: but the irrational tenth is like the kingfisher flashing across the pool.” This statement speaks to the unpredictable and emotional nature of conflicts, and the effectiveness of surprise and deception. In the Israeli-Palestinian context, rational approaches such as negotiations, diplomacy, and international law are often highjacked by emotional, historical, and cultural elements that shape the conflict. But the irrational terror of Hamas shapes the landscape in a way that prevents rational solutions.

The Role of External Powers:

Lawrence cautioned inclusion of external powers when he said, “Don’t try to do too much with your own hands. Better the Arabs do it tolerably than that you do it perfectly. It is their war, and you are to help them, not to win it for them.” The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has drawn in numerous international actors who have attempted to mediate and influence the course of events. However, external interventions can sometimes complicate matters further. The role of external powers should be constructive, supporting the parties involved in reaching an acceptable resolution, and not in supplying the terrorist elements with means of death and destruction.

The Puzzle of Identity:

In Lawrence’s reflection, “You wonder what I am doing? Well, so do I,” we find a hint of the puzzle that identity and self-determination represent. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not just about land and borders; it’s also about the intertwined identities, histories, and narratives of both peoples. Reconciling these identities is an essential step toward lasting peace.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains one of the world’s most protracted and complex challenges. T.E. Lawrence’s insights into war, tactics, and the human experience provide a thought-provoking lens through which to view this ongoing conflict. To move closer to a solution, the involved parties, along with the international community, should heed Lawrence’s wisdom and strive to transform the dreams of both Israelis and Palestinians into a reality where peace and prosperity replace conflict and suffering. 

Ultimately, it is through dialogue, compromise, and a recognition of each other’s dreams that a path to resolution can be found. But first, Hamas must be eliminated from the equation, along with all other terrorist and terrorist-supporting entities. Only then can real progress be made. 

In a statement in the aftermath of the beginning of the current Israeli-Hamas conflict, the Biden administration announced that they would “support Israel taking necessary and proportionate action to defend its country and protect its people,” according to an email sent to the media from Adrienne Watson, National Security Council spokesperson.

When things are in proportion, they are proportionate – their relative magnitudes are in balance and make sense the way they are. When the punishment fits the crime, it is proportionate. Which presents a dilemma, first to the Israeli’s, who must interpret the statement made by its biggest, best ally, and second, to the US, whose words force one into the corner of contemplating the decapitation of Palestinian infants.

Sleepy Joe and Co. have already taken back one false step forward in trying to presume a position of leadership in this conflict, from a global standpoint, when it got rid of its Office of Palestinian Affairs Twitter/X post initially calling for restraint: “We urge all sides to refrain from violence and retaliatory attacks.”

The administration claimed the statement was not “approved,” and did not reflect official US policy. This must mean that “proportionality” is official US policy.

One wonders what other restrictions the US has put on the Israeli response to decapitated babies, murdered, raped and defiled men, women, the infirm and children?

Perhaps Joseph Biden, in his personal phone calls with, Benjamin Netanyahu, has ordered the Israeli Prime Minister to take a pound of flesh from Hamas, no less and no more, as the Merchant of Venice’s Shylock was wont to do after demanding his price in court.

Shylock, a money lending Jew in the famous Shakespeare play, had a contract with a customer which required payment in human flesh – but only a pound – cut from a location of the loaner’s choice. What bargains have been made to accommodate unimaginable horror?

What depths of incompetence have been unleashed on the Israeli state by Joe Biden and his motley crew of wannabe statesmen and women? The bungled retreat from Afghanistan, and the $6 billion infusion to Iran glare blazingly in the face of the atrocities of savage terrorism by the minions of the Iranian mullahs.

What blunder will come next? What insensitive, incompetent, pejorative nonsense will come out of the black hole of idiocy that is the Biden White House? Even if they never opened their collective, out-of-touch-with-reality mouths again, enough damage has been done to last this whole dystopian horror show.

The Merchant of Venice ends with Shylock (remember, a stereotyped money lending Jew), standing in disbelief and anguish, as he is told by the ‘judge’ (really, an imposter) that it is forbidden for a Jew to draw the blood of Christian, so his debt is impossible to collect without himself committing a crime.

The Global War on Terror thus far has been a tragi-comedy of errors, missteps, and blunders, not unlike a Shakespeare play. But the blood is not fake, and the blows are real, and the actors unpaid, except with the indiscriminate savagery of terrorism.

Montgomery J. Granger is a three-times mobilized, retired US Army major, retired educator and author of “Saving Grace at Guantanamo Bay: A Memoir of a Citizen Warrior,” available on Amazon and wherever books are sold. Author web page: http://sbprabooks.com/montgomeryjgranger/ Follow him on Twitter/’X’, GAB, GETTR, TruthSocial, Bluesky @mjgranger1. Blog: http://www.savinggraceatguantanamobay.com You can find his military profile on http://www.RallyPoint.com