With regards to the conflict in Gaza, of course, any one can see that people, innocent people (men, women, children) and guilty people (leaders, soldiers) are being killed and continue to be killed on both sides – Israel and Palestine.

Rockets were launched from one side and bombs were hurled from the other side. Both sides have suffered casualties – deaths and injuries. Both sides have had buildings smashed to smithereens. Violence 1 begets violence 2; and violence 2 begets violence 3; and violence 3 begets violence 4, and so on and so forth.

There will be no end to this senseless violence until and unless reason prevails over emotion. Cool heads must prevail; otherwise hot heads will rain rockets and bombs. He that says that either only Israelis or Palestinians were killed or maimed is bigoted; he must see both sides of the coin. Both sides have lost lives.

To sympathise one side and condemn the other side shows clearly that he will not reason and thus he is a bigot. To sympathise with one side and condemn the other side shows clearly that he cannot reason.

Both sides must declare that they want real peace and both sides must allow their citizens to live normal lives and let men and women work and trade on either side without raising eyebrows and harbouring suspicion; and let children go to school and get educated.

People-to-people relationships must be established to bring about peace and later prosperity. But how could peace be attained if one side has vowed to rub off the map the other, aided and abetted by some outside forces who are up to some mischief?

Israel dismantled the settlements on the Gaza Strip so as to achieve peace. Is this sufficient or insufficient? If it is insufficient, what is sufficient? Lay all the cards on the table. Obviously, no side can have everything. Be reasonable; be sensible. Everybody needs to live and everybody needs a roof over his head .

Everybody needs to earn a living. Everybody needs to have peace of mind to move about and do his thing. Are these simple needs not the wishes of every one in the world? Anywhere in the world? So why can't people on both the sides work towards these simple wishes? If one side wants to be a hero by launching rockets, then he will get zero. The other side will not sit idly by while being bombarded with missiles.

There is one fallacy that should be dismissed outright. There is one school of thought that says if one side uses catapults, the other side should also use catapults. These people should talk to small children who play with marbles. In war as in love, there are no rules. The best man wins. You can use any weapon; use any weapon.

Another school of thought will have us believe that there is ‘disproportionate killing’. One side kills one; the other side also must kill one, not more. ‘How can you kill so many of us? Not fair.’

This is thinking in simplistic terms. The world is very complex. How ‘nice’ it will be if everybody thinks alike and does the same thing and works along the same tram-lines.

Yet another school of thought promoted out of frustration is to boycott all things American – American dollars and American products. Earlier it was ‘boycott Australian goods ‘ and practically the whole cabinet echoed ‘boycott Australian goods’. Later it was ‘ buy British goods last’ and the same chorus was echoed by the cabinet.

Are we aware or refuse to be aware that several American companies here employ thousands, if not millions, of Malaysians workers? Are we aware or refuse to be aware that a majority of the workers are Muslims? If we tell them to quit their jobs are we willing to employ them? Do we have factories, fast-food restaurants and cafes to employ our workers? Tell them that they can be absorbed? Show the way, please. Talk is cheap.

Now, if we use our heads to reason we know that the worst recession has hit many big companies throughout the world and millions upon millions are thrown out of work. General Motors, Chrysler and Ford are crying for immediate aid to tide over the rough ride in this worst economic tsunami , nay tornado, of any century.

Let us not be bigots and have one-track minds without looking at both sides of the coin. These are frightening times; and we must not turn them to fighting times. This is not the time to play marbles. This is not the time to play political football to score cheap political points at the expense of millions of workers. These are dangerous times.

We need leaders with cool heads. People throughout the world must fight for peace, not fight for war. Demonstrations will not solve problems. Burning flags will not solve problems. Launching rockets will not solve problems. Throwing bombs will not solve problems.

Engaging in conferences and seeking solutions to lasting peace will lead to harmony, prosperity, happiness and security. Do we all want harmony, prosperity, happiness, security? Or do we all want disharmony, poverty, sorrow, insecurity?