You wanna talk about energy, first try recognizing the needs of your neighbors…

It may seem inappropriate to you, Esra’a, to talk about energy when so many people are suffering in Gaza. And maybe you have a point there. But on the other hand, and there is always the other hand, it is precisely because of the suffering in Gaza, that we must begin talking about energy, and using good paying green jobs to grow the economy in Gaza, and give people there a chance at a better life.

I do believe that you care for the Palestinian people. But we owe it to them to translate that compassion into something real. Therefore, we have to separate what is realistic from what is not. Right or wrong, it is not realistic for Israel to absorb 8 years of some 4500 missiles and mortars without reacting. This is because in Israel’s mind, she cannot afford to lose the credibility of her military deterrance, and also because she cannot rule her citizenry if they come to believe that their security is not being protected by the state. And it is not possible to react without killing and hurting innocent people.

Therefore, if we want Palestinians to continue suffering, then we encourage them, as Hamas does, to continue firing the missiles. However, if we want to bring justice to Palestinians, in the form of good paying jobs, and the blessings that come from peace, prosperity, and freedom, then we begin to talk about energy, and how Israel could use its economic and technological prowess to help transform the lives of Palestinians, and thereby pave the path for a final peace deal.

There is a perfect storm or sorts emerging in the world today. Economies the world over are stagnant and declining. The environment is threatened. And extremism remains a viable threat. We have a choice, you and I. We can let these developments do us in. Or we can come up with a formula that takes these conditions into account, reconfigures them, and leaves us all in a win/win situation.

Invest in Palestine. Create good paying green technology jobs. Convince Fatah and Hamas that good paying jobs is a better way to consolidate political support than terror. Use Israel for what she’s worth with regard to economic and technological assistance. Convince countries like Saudi Arabia to invest in green as a way of diversifying and growing their economies, and using jobs to neutralize the hold of extremist thinking.

If we ignore, for the moment, who is right, and who is wrong, and begin thinking in terms of what will work to bring justice, then we may get somewhere.

Can you protect the environment if extremism prevents global cooperation?

Despite what you make of it, much of this extremism comes from Israel itself. I don’t see why or how people regionally should shift their focus to “energy” in Israel when there are hundreds of thousands of people left homeless and without any resources whatsoever due to Israel’s aggressive bombardments.

You wanna talk about energy, first try recognizing the needs of your neighbors, after what your government has made them suffer through.

However, unless we find a way to include Arab states as part of this partnership, none of the goals will likely be realized. Can you really grow your economy, especially a global economy, if major nations are left out of the picture? Can you protect the environment if extremism prevents global cooperation? Can you neutralize extremism if a great number of people remain poor and vulnerable to extremist thinking?

We face three kinds of threats in our time: threats to our economy, threats to our environment, and threats posed by ideological extremism. Because these threats are so inter-related, and inter-connected, several notions come to mind: You can’t really solve one without solving the other two. A solution may be found which solves all three in one shot. And a solution to all three may actually turbo-charge the solution to each one separately.

Therefore, the meetings that are taking place in Israel are a good start. But the U.S. and Israel should involve Arab nations in such meetings, so that a solution can be found which points to the possbility of peace, not just profits. Arab investment could play a key role in going green, and could help grow and diversify Arab economies. As such, good paying jobs can be used to grow the global economy, to protect the global environment, and to help neutralize the hold of extremist thinking.

We’re at a time and place when our problems are so great that an answer is needed which puts together all the pieces of a possible solution. This is not the time to be selfish and stupid by leaving some of the key players on the sidelines.