Dear Secretary of State, [Shared on Portal of State Dept.]
I would like to share these heartening reports and express my profound gratitude to you President Biden and the seasoned, purpose driven “Secret Cell” who shaped this landmark deal.
A. 1. https://youtu.be/Am2w_xLXkK8?si=yqKQPNKy_aF45o7s Factual account of the negotiations that President Biden conducted with Qataris and HAMAS.
2. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/21/us/politics/biden-hostage-talks-israel-hamas.html This report gives more details of the complex negotiations which involved seasoned Officials working with President Biden to achieve this major breakthrough..
3. https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog-november-22-2023/ US President Joe Biden speaks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to welcome the hostage deal that will include the release of 50 Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, a four-day lull in fighting in the Palestinian enclave, and the release of some 150 Palestinian prisoners
4. Hamas releases American child, other Israeli hostages - Los Angeles Times (latimes.com) Hamas releases 17 hostages including 4-year-old American whose parents were killed in Oct. 7 attack. The hostages ranged in age from 4 to 84 and included Abigail Edan, a 4-year-old dual citizen whose parents were killed in the Hamas attack that started the war on Oct. 7. “What she endured was unthinkable,” Biden said of the first American freed under the truce. He did not know her condition. He did not have updates on other American hostages and said his goal was to extend the cease-fire deal as long as possible. Family learns 8-year-old Israeli-Irish girl thought killed in Hamas attack is likely a hostage - CBS News : The little girl, Emily Hand who was born in Israel and has an Irish father, was at a sleepover at a friend's house in Kibbutz Be'eri, where they both live, when the terror attack took place, according to her father, Thomas Hand, who spoke with CNN in the days right after the attack.
B. 1. (37) Qatar releases statement on hostage deal and "humanitarian pause" (cnn.com)
2. https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/netanyahu-thanks-biden-for-efforts-to-secure-hostages-release-in-latest-call/ Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani the Emir of Qatar has been working continuously with President Biden and the HAMAS to formulate the complex components of what appears to be workable Plan approved by a Vote of the Israeli Cabinet and is expected to begin to be implemented on Friday on 11 23 23.
3. https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2023/nov/25/israel-hamas-war-live-hamas-set-to-release-fresh-wave-of-hostages-reports-say-as-ceasefire-continues. The UN said 61 trucks carrying medical supplies, food and water had delivered their payloads in the northern Gaza Strip as the pause in fighting allows aid to enter the territory. Another 200 trucks had been dispatched to Gaza from Nitzana in Israel, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said on Saturday,
Reflections and meditations on these landmark and momentous, profoundly life changing and humanitarian cascading rush of events that were kick started and sustained by President Biden and his team.
These vital processes are shaking us all up and keeping us very tensed up because fo staccato cadence of the events with and fits starts and sudden inexplicable distressing stops.
Is this healing gesture a harbinger of a humanitarian pivot from maleficence and beneficence and working for the common good? Let us strike the Iran when it is hot and strive to forge a two-nation restructuring the historic lands of Judea and Samaria. Next we will need to heed the benediction of Martyred 16th President he bestowed on a nation that was on its knees divided and depleted on March 6, 1865. "With malice toward none with charity for all with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right let us strive on to finish the work we are in to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan ~ to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations." It seems to me that President vision of reconciliation and healing of the bitter enemies who fought to establish that the United States remains one nation that is committed to Justice and Liberty for all. He was not considering harsh treatment of those who took up arms against the Union. But instead, he wanted to pivot from maleficence and bitter conflict to beneficence and joining hands between erstwhile sworn enemies and work for the Common Good in the United States and work towards a lasting peace among all nations.
This audio recording provides former PM of Israel Ehud Barak perspectives in an interview about the Two State solution. had advocated for a two State Solution for 16 years. EHUD BARAK; A 2-STATE SOLUTION IS THE ONLY HOPE – The Savage Nation (michaelsavage.com)> This renowned Military General and 10th PM of Israel has spoken about his perspectives on the Two State Solution in his book, “My Country my life: Fighting for israel, Searching for Peace.” In the summer of 2000, the most decorated soldier in the history of Israel set out on a quest as challenging and daunting as any he ever faced on the Battlefields to secure a final peace with Palestinians. Mr Ehud Barak was Military Chief, IDF Chief, Defence Minister and PM of Israel. He explains his perspective in this Audio recording. In his book he has a Chapter Hate V Hope. All the people in the region must reconcile themselves to One Irrevocable fact that Israelis and Palestinians are going to stand their ground in Galilee, Judea and Samaria are not going anywhere to live. Neither people are going to disappear.[This is echoed by Ambassador Dennis Ross during an interview of NPR I have provided. This land is their home for both the Palestinians and Israelis thus only the Two State solutions offers the promise of a more peaceful and prosperous future for both Nations. The last sentence of Mr. Barak’s book is Theodore Herzl’s assertion: If you will it, it is no dream.
The transcript of this interview 23 years ago, Israelis and Palestinians were talking about a two-state solution : NPR gives insights on how close president Clinton came to persuading PM Ehud Brak and Yasser Arafat the head of the PLO to finding the path to lasting solution 23 years ago. Ambassador Ross who participated in the process offered this assessment.” But, you know, I'm looking at what's going on now, and I'm focused on, how can we come out of this so there's a day after? Because there needs to be a day after. We have to understand - Israelis aren't going anyplace, and Palestinians aren't going anyplace. Somehow, given that, we have to find a way towards coexistence, and obviously, we're not there now.
I welcome your responses. Please feel free to share.
Respectfully submitted,
Velandy Manohar, MD
Distinguished Life Fellow, Am. Psychiatric Association,[APA]
Associate Member- Harvard Medical Alumni Association
Member of Steering Committee and Founding member of the Psychotherapy Caucus of the APA.,
President Asian American Caucus of APA,
Founding member NE Chapter of Indian American Psychiatric association and
President of Indian Am Psychiatric Association
Aetna: Member National Quality Assurance Committee.
Founding Member Community Resilience Collaborative of Mx County, CT. [Focus on long term consequences of Childhood Trauma]
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CT. Psychiatric Society: Member – Legislative Committee.
CT State Med Society: Member of Ethics, Quality of Care and Disaster Preparedness Committees.
Founding member, Chair of Board of Trustees CT. Valley Hindu Temple Society and past part Priest of Sree Satyanarayana Temple, Middletown, CT.
American Health Council–Best in Medicine- 2018
Chair, Community Engagement and Outreach Standing Committee, Comm. Advisory Council, Office of Health Strategy, CT