There’s an old story about judgement that Tevye quotes in “Fiddler on the Roof.”  A judgement was asked to be made of the rabbi in a complex case.  One contestant gives his case, and the rabbi agrees, “You’re right.”  Then the other presents his arguments, and the rabbi pronounces, “You are right.”  “But. Rabbi,”  says his assistant, “They can’t both be right!”  And the rabbi answers, “You’re right too.”  

To me this has always meant that despite absoluite truths, absolute justice doesn’t exist, and compromises must be achieved.  How?  Only through direct discussion.  In some disputes, no judge can say who is right or wrong.  It takes direct and open-minded dialogue between two leaders who are of open-heart and mind and wish to solve the problem.

That we don’t have.  

at least sixty years ago, a teacher of mine, R.J. Kaufman, leaned with his elbows on the table and clapped his hands hard.  “This,” he said, “is the definition of pain – two objects trying to occupy the same space.”

He paused, and clapped again “It is also the definition of love.”

actually, he twined his fingers together and twisted his hands.  it was incredibly moving.

So since I picked up a copy of Nathan Thrall’s book which won the Pulitzer yesterday, and I wasn’t in the mood to read, I found what seems to be a more important audible book by Nathan Thrall, The Only Language they Understand

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=The+Only+Language+They+Understand%3A+Forcing+Compromise+in+Israel+and+Palestine&crid=16R4PA0OSPWHS&sprefix=the+only+language+they+understand+forcing+compromise+in+israel+and+palestine+%2Caps%2C609&ref=nb_sb_noss