Goodfellas on the Gaza Strip (Part Two)

I said earlier that respect is a problem and it must be faced head-on by all concerned if there is going to be any sort of change that brings lasting peace. Any president of the United Nations General Assembly is looked upon as some sort of animated lawn jockey by certain elements in that cabal, and all of the parties involved in the conflicts feel as though they can act with impunity. What is needed is an organisation that will not only establish the peace but also mete out punishments to those who do not feel the need to obey the rules; a group that would allow people to feel safe in their own neighbourhoods.

Ladies and gentlemen, we need the Mafia in the Middle East. It is well-known that neighbourhoods occupied by members of this institution are some of the safest places to live. They do not bring their problems home, so to speak. Any kind of dispute between one family and another clan is handled one-on-one, not with a barrage of missiles on an unsuspected community.

Family would be the most important factor in maintaining any form of rule. Anyone familiar with the plot of any of The Godfather films or almost any episode of  The Sopranos understands that without family ties there can be no stability, no order. Henchmen swear an oath of allegiance to the head of a family; they then agree to certain rules and responsibilities once they accept the duties necessary in becoming a part of that family (even without the bonds of blood). And those responsibilities would not include self-immolation, decapitation (at least on video), and the destruction of private homes.