Explosion in Beirut
Explosion in BeirutREUTERS/Mohamed Azakir

Imagine that out of the horror in Beirut today some good can possibly happen.

My dream is that the leaders of Lebanon allow Israel to send in a dozen helicopters within a few hours filled with doctors, nurses and medical supplies to save lives and help the injured from the terrible disaster.

The clock is ticking and every minute is important now. Israel is the closest and most capable country when it comes to saving lives and has made the offer to help.

A dream? In the face of tragedy this could be the catalyst which could change the existing conflict.

People are people and even though many in Lebanon have spent their lives believing that Israel is their enemy now is the opportunity to change facts on the ground showing that peace is attainable, that life is more important than death and that countries can live and work together.

So will the leaders of Lebanon care enough about their injured citizens and their families to take up the offer of help from Israel, or will hate still prevail?

Leonie Ben-Simon is a freelance journalist with an MBA from Monash University, Victoria Australia.