A little good news, after much bad.

Click on the link above to read an early synopsis of the Security Council resolution passed a few hours ago. Passed with 14 (out of 15) in favor, with the United States abstaining (no surprise, I guess.)

Good News: The resolution "stresses the urgency of, and calls for, an immediate, durable, and fully respected cease-fire which will lead to the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza."

Bad News: Israel has warned repeatedly that if the U.N. was to pass a resolution that it didn't agree with it, then Israel would not necessarily comply. Like wise, a senior Hamas advisor, Hamid, vowed a few hours ago (as he was being hustled by Egyptian security officers) that Hamas would not give up.

This is all a very frustrating and all-to-familiar mess. I sometimes feel like I'm watching two very angry adolescents--each with their share of legitimate grievances, but with their own assortments of destructive emotional and personal energies as well. It's come to blows too many times before, and both sides are using whatever materials they can get their hands on to try and knock the other one senseless. And, unfortunately for the people of these two nations, both of these individuals have been able to get their hands on some pretty powerful weapons these days.

Where does it end?

I think...when both of them decide that peace is more important than winning--more important than being right, more important than having the last word, than getting exactly what you want.

When both of them decide that compromise is an option, at least. When both of them decide that the bloodshed needs to be stopped, regardless of the personal losses.

No one can end this but Palestine and Israel.

But kudos to Sarkozy and the Security Council for giving it a shot.