God bless and protect the people of Israel; God bless and protect the people of Palestine.
God damn antisemitism; God damn Islamophobia.
Israelis are children of God; Palestinians are children of God.
Jews are children of Abraham; Muslims are children of Abraham.
Israelis have a right to a homeland and a state; Palestinians have a right to a homeland and a state.
Israeli civilians should not be targeted; Palestinian civilians should not be targeted.
Israeli children are precious; Palestinian children are precious.
Hamas should not hide in hospitals; Israel should not attack hospitals.
Israelis have a right to live in peace and freedom; Palestinians have a right to live in peace and freedom.
Hamas soldiers who attack Israeli civilians are terrorists; Israeli settlers who attack Palestinian civilians are terrorists.
Palestine cannot be “from the river to the sea”; Israel cannot be “from the river to the sea.”
Israelis need better leadership; Palestinians need better leadership.
Guns and bullets do not foster peace; food and water do not foster war.
Let the aid in; keep the weapons out.
Iran must stop arming Hamas and Hezbollah; the U.S. must stop arming Israel.
No more bombs; lots more bread.
War brings famine; peace brings prosperity.
Israel and Palestine must live together, or they will die together.
Cease-fire now; release the hostages now.
(Scott Sommerdorf | The Salt Lake Tribune) Religion News Service columnist Thomas Reese speaks in Salt Lake City in 2015.
(The views expressed in this opinion piece do not necessarily reflect those of Religion News Service.)
