When I read this, I wanted to cry.

It's hard to have hope for either Israel or Palestine when you read things like this.

But even compassionate mothers here have their limits when it comes to accepting that their side just might be as much to blame for violence as the other's side.

"Who is responsible?" said El Jarusha. "The Jews are responsible. They are the ones who launch shells and rockets on the Palestinian people. Hamas is not responsible."

Leibovitch is equally convinced that her side is victimized more than the other. "They call people that killed people, innocent people, 'innocents,' " she said, her voice rising. "They call them 'martyrs,' which is not the meaning. The meaning is 'killer,' the meaning is 'terrorists.' The meaning is 'shameful.' "

These two women both had their innocent children killed by militants on either side of the conflict. The article quotes the two mothers expressing feelings of empathy towards each other for the loss they have felt. And then the two women both are reduced to hateful invective when asked which side is responsible for the terrible situation their region is in.

It's depressing, and decidedly unplucky of me, but the Palestinian/Israeli situation really confirms my Atheism for me.

Both of these groups think God is on their side. They both seem wrong to me.

*Added* I wanted to clarify that I don't think religion is the cause of the Palestinian/Israeli conflict. It seems to be a conflict over power, which I pointed out in a previous post. It's just that each side uses God as both an excuse and rallying cry, which is depressing to me.