06/25/2024: Thought Mail No. 42 – “War always begins in the minds”
Dear Colleagues,
If this statement is true, then the rapidly increasing militarization, as is happening worldwide, most recently at the Munich Security Conference, is certainly not the path to a peaceful future. Only jointly negotiated peace in all conflicts can establish true peace and thus security. How can this pacifism finally find its way into our thinking?
A thought experiment: Let’s just imagine that the Gaza war, with its boundless destruction and the unbearable loss of tens of thousands of human lives, is forever the last war between Israel and the Palestinians!
With international support, both peoples learn together to overcome the deep hatred (in projects such as Combatants for Peace, Rabbis for Human Rights, dialogue project Transaidancy), thereby perceiving the other, above all, in their pain as a human being. The traumatic experiences of Shoah and Nakba can become a bridge for each other.
“If you feel pain, you are alive. If you feel the pain of the other, you are human.”
(by Osama Ellewat, Combatants for Peace).
Because – according to Jeremy Milgram, Rabbis for Human Rights – “the only way to secure peace is to share it with others.” Perhaps it is now truly a radical act, after October 7, for Jews and Palestinians to approach each other, shake hands, and embark on the path to a peaceful future by beginning an extremely arduous reconciliation process.
At the same time, justice, human rights, and international law must become the fundamental principle: An upgraded UN as a protective body for all of humanity would stand for this strength of law (instead of the violence of the stronger).
Radical thinking? In any case, a challenging, courageous task.
However, a peace agenda of this kind probably requires an MSC with new content and different participants!
What do you think?
In solidarity
Christoph Steinbrink
Guest author for MSKv
07/06/2023: Denkmail No. 39 on the subject of the Peace Report 2023
“Whether it still makes sense to discuss the FGA of 2023 (pessimistic title “Still no peace in sight”) at the next MSC seems questionable, because the basic tenor of the report is essentially similar to the official security policy of the government.” Quote: Erwin Schelbert (founding member MSKv)
Link: Denkmail No. 39 Website
Thought Mail No. 32
In our Thought Mail No. 32, Gudrun Haas addresses the article by Russian President V. Putin.
Here you can find our older Denkmails
Denk-Mail No. 32 from 01.09.2021
(Author: Gudrun Haas)
Interrupting the cycle of confrontation and rethinking security
PDF document [600.5 KB]
Denk-Mail No. 31 from 13.06.2021
(Author: Erwin Schelbert)
The Peace Report 2021 “Europe can do more” and the Munich Security Conference
PDF document [608.8 KB]
Denk-Mail No. 30 from 12.10.2020
(Author: Ralf Becker)
Shaping realpolitik – providing orientation.
Successful dialogue event with the MSC
PDF document [468.0 KB]
Denk-Mail No. 29 from 17.07.2020
(Author: Thomas Rödl)
Bomb atmosphere – Cold War – New arms race:
A memorandum
PDF document [464.6 KB]
Denk-Mail No. 28 from 11.05.2020
(Author: Erwin Schelbert)
Security – not only in Corona times
PDF document [585.5 KB]
Denk-Mail No. 27 from 20.12.2019
(Author: Mechthild Schreiber)
NATO brain dead or brainless?
PDF document [306.9 KB]
Denk-Mail No. 26 from 26.07.2019
(Author: Wolfram Rohde-Liebenau)
Trump’s security policy threatens world peace
PDF document [210.2 KB]
Denk-Mail No. 25 from 01.07.2019
(Author: Erwin Schelbert)
The new Peace Report 2019: “Forward into the past? Peace needs partners”
PDF document [356.4 KB]
Denk-Mail No. 24 from 27.11.2018
(Author: Erwin Schelbert)
“World in Danger”, the book by Wolfgang Ischinger
PDF document [209.5 KB]
Denk-Mail No. 23 from 18.10.2018
(Author: Ralf Becker)
“Rethinking security – from military to civilian security policy”
PDF document [236.1 KB]
Denk-Mail No. 22 from 10.07.2018
(Author: Erwin Schelbert)
“Wars without end. More diplomacy – less arms exports: The new Peace Report 2018″
PDF document [221.9 KB]
Denk-Mail No. 21 from 19.03.2018
(Author: Anja Ufermann)
“Nuclear Armament”
PDF document [206.8 KB]
Denk-Mail No. 20 from 22.01.2018
(Author: Erwin Schelbert)
“Armament or logic of peace”
PDF document [222.7 KB]
Denk-Mail No. 19 from 16.11.2017
(Author: Erwin Schelbert)
“Nuclear Weapons Ban”
PDF document [221.8 KB]
Denk-Mail No. 18 from 01.09.2017
(Author: Thomas Mohr)
“Financing of the MSC by the Foreign Office!”
PDF document [209.6 KB]
Denk-Mail No. 17 from 01.06.2017
(Author: Erwin Schelbert)
“Further armament in Germany and worldwide?”
PDF document [299.2 KB]
Denk-Mail No. 16 from 09.01.2017
(Author: Anja Ufermann)
“Nonviolent Communication as a side event at the
Munich Security Conference: New perspectives for conflict resolution”
Denk-Mail No. 15 from 11.09.2016
(Author: Gudrun Haas)
“Economic cooperation in Eurasia instead of a course of confrontation”
Denk-Mail No. 14 from 16.06.2016
(Author: Erwin Schelbert)
“Discuss peace report at the Security Conference”
Denkmail+13_Webseite
Denkmail+13_Webseite.pdf
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