Vicious Circle

Whether in the West Bank, Northern Ireland or the Balkans, the ceaseless vicious circle of violent revenge simply must stop. The fact that somebody's ancestor insulted somebody else's ancestor several generations ago has absolutely no relevance to today's conflict. An ethnic group does not earn the right to kill just because they were the most recent victims, and thus it's their turn.

No matter how they have been victimized, the most recently aggrieved ethnic group must have the courage, maturity and humanity to say, "Although you have just wronged me, and I have the traditional right of revenge, I will refrain. The violence ends right here, right now."

But the most primal human response is to simply strike back, which is why the violence never really ends.