People are capable of horrific acts, and of ignoring evidence of them, when they privilege their ideas about others above the factual existence of others.
With the rise of social media’s cultural influence, I was horrified to see that memes and tropes, the hallmarks of propaganda, were being normalised online. Translating the complexity of human beings into flat caricatures to make fun of them is an effective way to de-humanise them. A generation has been raised on a diet of sound bites and easy bigotry.
There’s no quick solution. Humans have been like this forever; technology is just an accelerant. The way to fight against it is by real world human interaction. Speaking with clarity and empathy to the facts of world events-as the administration does with its platforms and you with yours-is essential. But a single speech or essay is just one pebble in laying a path forward. We all need to bring our pebbles to make that path to a future better world.
To paraphrase Kurt Vonnegut from I believe Cat’s Cradle, “given the past 5 million years of man’s inhumanity to man what do we have to hope for? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.”
But Vonnegut, the ultimate cynic was cynical not because he believed this, but because he knew humanity could do better than it was doing! And should be better than it was doing.
In the face of barbarity and nihilism, anti-science and data mysticism, we must always have hope even in the darkest times. Otherwise, there is no point in living, no point in trying to make the world better. But having hope does not mean forgetting, nor does it mean we not demand justice...we must remember and we must have justice otherwise this cycle will never end.
Born in 1951, I've seen many global and American milestones. Yet, today's events have left me more emotionally stirred and concerned than ever before. While many seek my counsel and optimism, I too am grappling with recent happenings. It's comforting to know our president has weathered many historic moments. If our elected officials could unite with him, I believe in his capacity to lead. Our country deeply needs cohesion, not discord.
Imagine if Hakeem Jeffries became the Speaker of the House. That's where my hopes and wishes lie. Some may call it a pipe dream, but it's truly my heartfelt desire.
A defeat of Hamas will not be the beginning of the end . Trouble between Judaism and Islam has existed since Abraham. Both have claimed Jerusalem. The land has been invaded, ruled over the centuries by many from Romans, Turks, Egyptians until divided by Britain after WW II. That solved no problem. To make it a country for Israelis, the Zionist movement in 1948 ravaged the Palestinian population living there, 15,000 were killed with savagery the rule, including women, children and the elderly. The end of WW II brought about atrocities as bad or worse by those who had suffered and sought revenge. It continues to this day. There are conflicts all over Africa, Serbia v Kosovo, India v Pakistan, even Syrians against other Syrians. Even with Hamas gone, there remains Lebanon stationed Hezbollah, also backed by Iran, but much larger, better equipped, with experience fighting in conflicts throughout the Middle East and a bitter hatred of Israel and the the United States.
Everyone fighting for just a piece of land. Russia is the largest country in the world. Why does it need Ukraine? China is fourth. Does it really need Taiwan? There is evil in the world. How does one understand madness, insanity, cruelty that will cause a person or group to slaughter a child ,,,,,,,,, or torture a dog? How does a parent in Uvalde, Texas cope with their child so butchered that she can only be identified by her green sneaker with a heart on it? Does everybody with a good soul reach a tipping point where depraved behavior takes control? How does a Ronna McDonald, chairwoman of the RNC, publicly make the atrocious statement that this sadism in Israel is a great opportunity for her party to win the upcoming elections?
Sometimes, I wish I could live somewhere like the middle of Kansas, no radio, no TV, no neighbors. Just a nice little Sheltie for a friend, and a front porch with a swing.
You’re right that the defeat of Hamas will not be the end. Haven’t we seen the defeat of Al Quaida evolve into ISIS? A suppressed and hemmed in people like those in Gaza (and the Westbank, for that matter) dependent on their enemies for food and water and energy, is not going to quietly agree to live within parameters set by enemies, especially when these enemies drove them from their lands in living memory. How then to prevent such atrocities? As long as both sides see themselves as enemies of the other--as they have been ever since the founding of Israel--new terror groups will rise to eliminate the other. That is not rocket science. That one cannot, by brute force--war or otherwise--change people’s minds and feelings and beat them into submission, should be crystal clear by now as well. I am not clever enough to offer a political solution that has evaded the world for more than half a century, but I do know that this war will not fix anything and will bring only more misery and heartbreak to millions. What I also know is that a solution must be found in the hearts of both, the Palestinian and the Jewish people.
Attempts were made in the 1990s during the Clinton administration. He got Israeli Rabin & PLO Arafat to shake hands. But negotiated agreements did not hold, so violence continued. Sometimes, there is no answer.
I wonder how many of these "liberals" bothered to read the Covenant of Hamas and if they did and still support this act of sheer barbarism. Do they realize they would be included in the reign of terror by Hamas because they are "liberal"? Recognizing the inhumane policies of the conflict is one thing but celebrating this fulfilling of the Covenant is really beyond the pale
I have answers for a lot. Not this. When terrorists / pathological humans hell-bent on death and destruction ... tell you who they are . . . And the fact that they have moments of relative peace -- don't be deluded into thinking it's anything other than a strategy to get its targets to become complacent, distracted. And when Cong manufactures a reason to weaponize itself against America, and one of the most successful media outlets is a 24/7 vehicle for attacking the integrity and functioning of the US, how can average people stem the onslaught of terror, fascism, barbarism, and all the things people have fought so long, and so hard, to protect against. Between 'climate" (natural forces) and human psyche (malevolent human behavior) change, it seems to be time for a new American Revolution, or at least, an American re-birth. "When in the course of human events . . . " as they say. And just to add, hostile, anti-American value interpretations of the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights, add to the crumbling of the fragile (despite long-standing) American compact. . . . Was it Heidi Schreck who wrote 'what the constitution means to me?' Maybe she should syndicate her great play, and put it into an App, and broadcast it from the rooftops, to the mountain tops, and from sea to shining sea.
It seems to me that Hamas is calling for the elimination of Jews and Israel on religious grounds, eg. "the establishment of a theocratic state based on Islamic law (Sharia)" and "consecrated for future Moslem generations until Judgement Day" from above. The worst conflicts are religious ones. Both sides think they're right, and claim their gods agree. There is little hope for a middle ground. The solution must eliminate religion if it has any hope of success.
I think the establishment of a sharia state--the religious reason--is secondary to their goal. What if all Jews suddenly agreed to convert to Islam, would that satisfy their demands? I think not. The land is the issue, religion is an excuse. Jews and Muslims CAN live together peacefully, but not when the groups are mutually disrespectful and have unequal outside support.
How can hatred run this deep? The lack of will to act peacefully, resulting in hatred mixed with violence. How has civilization failed us? By hatred that has resulted in revenge. How different would the world be if our efforts were focused on negotiation? Maybe with civics classes we should strive for negotiation skills.
hatred is taught....but over generations becomes part of the identity of a people. Witness the brutal murder of a teacher in Northern France by a Chechen student just in the last 24 hours. There will be more acts of this brutal barbarism over the coming weeks because Hamas has called for a global jihad
Oct 13, 2023·edited Oct 13, 2023Liked by Steven Beschloss
One of the first things I did when news of the attack broke was look up Hamas and discovered its actual stated program/agenda. There is no question that it and they are horrific. One question is why it took so long for them to mount this attack. The blockade of Gaza has been going on for 17 years but most of the action has been of the "tit for tat" variety--either side responding to some act of the other, with the Palestinian people usually coming out of with more casualties. Iran money is obviously one reason, but why is it suddenly NOW?
I can't help but wonder whether the ever growing disarray of the US government had anything to do with the choice of the timing. If Palestinian refugees are even allowed out of Gaza, what bets our government would be able to take any of them? A HUGE part of the US doesn't want refugees from anywhere, any more that Egypt or other Arab states do.
I do think that it is an exaggeration to say that "liberals" are supporting Hamas. Some idiots are. There are idiots of every political stripe. I will say that the ones most often cited in the news are young. And I will say that I have read Rep. Tlaib's statements and can find NO support for Hamas in it.
What I cannot ABIDE is people who assume that if one ventures to question any of the actions of Israel over the past umpty years, one MUST be "Pro-Hamas." There are in fact both sides to the overall conflict, though that is NOT the same thing as saying that there is any equivalence between Hamas and the Israeli people or any excuse for using terrorism as a weapon to advance one's aims. It scares me that so many people are overgeneralizing based on sheer emotion--but that's been a growing problem here for years and years.
There are people in the Israeli government whose position is that the Palestinians should be destroyed as a people, driven out of the area. They presumably have supporters but, as with politics in the US, probably not a majority and even amongst the supporters not full agreement about the "drive them into the sea" narrative.
What worries me obviously is the teetering into vengeance rather than defense that current Israeli response is in danger of. "Warning" the civilians to leave when there is no place to go--and as someone has pointed out, cutting of electricity so that many of those warned may never find OUT about the warning. Bombing ambulances--5 paramedics dead already, the Palestinian version of the Red Cross having its building bombed. Threat to bomb anyone coming with humanitarian aid via the only non-Israeli land crossing. No assurances that such aid can come by sea. Cutting off food and water and fuel and electricity to ALL Gazans no matter what their political views might be or even if they have none. (Anyone who wants to go on about "well they voted for Hamas" needs to go look up the actual results of that election and should note that nearly half the current Palestinians were not even born at the time of the vote).
The leaders of Hamas aren't even IN Palestine--they are apparently in "exile" in Qatar.
I support the Israeli people--except those who share the genocidal ideology of the far right. I support the Palestinian people--except those who are actively involved in Hamas and not just "human shields." "Human shields" are just as much hostages as those taken in the raids. Neither deserves to die over the ideologies of their governments--and Hamas is the government only by violence after the 2006 elections and hasn't allowed had an election since
Perhaps the disarray within the Israeli government; the far right government formed by Netanyahu to stay in power & its repeated assertions that all land belongs to Israel including (announced in December) planning for annexation of the West Bank to be followed by allowing Jewish settlements there, played into this. All right about the time there is movement toward normalizing relations between the Saudis and Israel.
Israeli news has reported for some time that many Israelis have been dissatisfied with the policies of Netanyahu toward his remake of the Israeli government, actions toward the West Bank and Gaza. The includes the practice of “mowing the grass” every 2-3 years after allowing Hamas to build up power and weaponry while playing the West Bank a Gaza off against one another.
I can only add the inability of so many to hold more than one thought, see more than one perspective at a time is not helpful.
The thing that scares me now is that the Israeli government may be doing exactly what Hamas wants. Hamas had to have known what the response would be, if not its full extent, so it is clearly not all that concerned with the welfare of the Palestinian people. Its cause is ideological, not national, as far as one can see and it doesn't seem beyond possibility that instead of using the civilians as human shields they are using them as human sacrifices, to weaken Israel in the eyes of the world by its responsive brutality.
Yes, Hamas like those aligned with them are more interested in power and their agenda than governing. They are perfectly willing to sacrifice Palestinian civilians. Iran and the others who fund them do so to the detriment of people in their own countries who live in poverty and suffer.
Hamas also wants to leverage the threat of a wider war or perhaps counted on a quick burst of support from regional allies. According to Reuters: —Baraka, the Hamas official, said the ultimate aim of the Oct. 7 attack on Israel was to win the release of all 5,000 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails, halt Israeli raids on Al Aqsa mosque, the third-holiest site in Islam, and lift a 16-year-old blockade of Gaza.
Thank you, Steven, for this thoughtful and heartfelt analysis of this terrible event. I agree with you completely. It is never right to minimize the horror experienced by their victims and their families by "what about ....." comparisons to other horrors. Or to justify such evil by holding up the injustices to the Palestine people. Killing innocent civilians is never heroic, it is wrong and evil. I think President Biden was right to completely condemn Hamas, to support Israel and also to ask Israel to avoid similar attacks on innocent Palestinian civilians in their rightful efforts to prevent Hamas from being able to repeat its horrific actions. I think that your articles this week were 100% right and a good moral guide to how to react to a horrible situation. Thank you, once again.
Human beings are often barbarous and murderous. Hamas, Hezbollah, ISIS, Taliban etc use religion to say their actions are ok in the eyes of their god. I do not like the way Israel has treated the Palestinians - it is not done with any other thought in mind than to rid Israel of them. However, there is enough land for everyone. This is the perpetuation of ancient tribal differences that did not need to be carried forward into modern times. There are no winners here - the death on both sides will just perpetuate the justification for the violence. The Israeli government has been pushed to the right by the Jewish version of the Muslim hard-liners. The Chasidim believe they are above the law and answer only to God - where have you heard that before? They don’t serve in the military yet they keep trying to take more territory outside of agreed-upon borders. They think they can create their version of a theocracy in Israel but theocracies are a very bad idea and no way to run a country.
It is truly disheartening to have to witness the abolishment, however temporarily, of the two state solution in this region. My hopes for a lasting Peace have been dashed.
There is a refusal amongst many to refuse to Love. I cannot imagine civility surviving without it.
Love of God, Love of neighbor, Love of self…
To cope with “hardened” hearts has consequences we are now seeing on a grand scale. Maybe not for the first time for some, but, I imagine for many. Why the continual hatred? Not believing one is Loved. This is a Giving Love, not a taking. The greatest being the giving of one’s very life. Not many are willing to do just that. And, not just in this part of the world. How much suffering will one endure before conversion from such hatred? A complete lack of Grace is on display for all to witness now. How do we respond indeed?
In a nutshell, for those who do not know: There was a time when Jews and Palestinians lived together in quasi harmony. That was long before WW2, many came around 1492 following the expulsion of Jews from Spain. Palestine was never a state, it was a British mandate in 1920, the name Palestine was assigned to the piece of land mandated by the British, so in 1948 Britain allowed the Jews to settle there and the state of Israel was established. The Arabs who lived there at the time could have stayed and lived peacefully with the Jews but no, calling themselves Palestinians, they ran out instead and let the surrounding Arab nations to wage war against the Jews. They started a war they could not win and lost. Hamas was founded around that time and eventually established itself in Gaza beginning its terrorizing mission with suicide bombings and infanticide killings…
There will be no peace for the Jews as long as Hamas has not been eliminated because they are determined to finish Hitler’s mission, totally eliminate the Jewish world. Hamas is evil!
People are capable of horrific acts, and of ignoring evidence of them, when they privilege their ideas about others above the factual existence of others.
With the rise of social media’s cultural influence, I was horrified to see that memes and tropes, the hallmarks of propaganda, were being normalised online. Translating the complexity of human beings into flat caricatures to make fun of them is an effective way to de-humanise them. A generation has been raised on a diet of sound bites and easy bigotry.
There’s no quick solution. Humans have been like this forever; technology is just an accelerant. The way to fight against it is by real world human interaction. Speaking with clarity and empathy to the facts of world events-as the administration does with its platforms and you with yours-is essential. But a single speech or essay is just one pebble in laying a path forward. We all need to bring our pebbles to make that path to a future better world.
To paraphrase Kurt Vonnegut from I believe Cat’s Cradle, “given the past 5 million years of man’s inhumanity to man what do we have to hope for? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.”
But Vonnegut, the ultimate cynic was cynical not because he believed this, but because he knew humanity could do better than it was doing! And should be better than it was doing.
In the face of barbarity and nihilism, anti-science and data mysticism, we must always have hope even in the darkest times. Otherwise, there is no point in living, no point in trying to make the world better. But having hope does not mean forgetting, nor does it mean we not demand justice...we must remember and we must have justice otherwise this cycle will never end.
Born in 1951, I've seen many global and American milestones. Yet, today's events have left me more emotionally stirred and concerned than ever before. While many seek my counsel and optimism, I too am grappling with recent happenings. It's comforting to know our president has weathered many historic moments. If our elected officials could unite with him, I believe in his capacity to lead. Our country deeply needs cohesion, not discord.
Imagine if Hakeem Jeffries became the Speaker of the House. That's where my hopes and wishes lie. Some may call it a pipe dream, but it's truly my heartfelt desire.
After all, can't a woman hope?
A defeat of Hamas will not be the beginning of the end . Trouble between Judaism and Islam has existed since Abraham. Both have claimed Jerusalem. The land has been invaded, ruled over the centuries by many from Romans, Turks, Egyptians until divided by Britain after WW II. That solved no problem. To make it a country for Israelis, the Zionist movement in 1948 ravaged the Palestinian population living there, 15,000 were killed with savagery the rule, including women, children and the elderly. The end of WW II brought about atrocities as bad or worse by those who had suffered and sought revenge. It continues to this day. There are conflicts all over Africa, Serbia v Kosovo, India v Pakistan, even Syrians against other Syrians. Even with Hamas gone, there remains Lebanon stationed Hezbollah, also backed by Iran, but much larger, better equipped, with experience fighting in conflicts throughout the Middle East and a bitter hatred of Israel and the the United States.
Everyone fighting for just a piece of land. Russia is the largest country in the world. Why does it need Ukraine? China is fourth. Does it really need Taiwan? There is evil in the world. How does one understand madness, insanity, cruelty that will cause a person or group to slaughter a child ,,,,,,,,, or torture a dog? How does a parent in Uvalde, Texas cope with their child so butchered that she can only be identified by her green sneaker with a heart on it? Does everybody with a good soul reach a tipping point where depraved behavior takes control? How does a Ronna McDonald, chairwoman of the RNC, publicly make the atrocious statement that this sadism in Israel is a great opportunity for her party to win the upcoming elections?
Sometimes, I wish I could live somewhere like the middle of Kansas, no radio, no TV, no neighbors. Just a nice little Sheltie for a friend, and a front porch with a swing.
You’re right that the defeat of Hamas will not be the end. Haven’t we seen the defeat of Al Quaida evolve into ISIS? A suppressed and hemmed in people like those in Gaza (and the Westbank, for that matter) dependent on their enemies for food and water and energy, is not going to quietly agree to live within parameters set by enemies, especially when these enemies drove them from their lands in living memory. How then to prevent such atrocities? As long as both sides see themselves as enemies of the other--as they have been ever since the founding of Israel--new terror groups will rise to eliminate the other. That is not rocket science. That one cannot, by brute force--war or otherwise--change people’s minds and feelings and beat them into submission, should be crystal clear by now as well. I am not clever enough to offer a political solution that has evaded the world for more than half a century, but I do know that this war will not fix anything and will bring only more misery and heartbreak to millions. What I also know is that a solution must be found in the hearts of both, the Palestinian and the Jewish people.
Attempts were made in the 1990s during the Clinton administration. He got Israeli Rabin & PLO Arafat to shake hands. But negotiated agreements did not hold, so violence continued. Sometimes, there is no answer.
I wonder how many of these "liberals" bothered to read the Covenant of Hamas and if they did and still support this act of sheer barbarism. Do they realize they would be included in the reign of terror by Hamas because they are "liberal"? Recognizing the inhumane policies of the conflict is one thing but celebrating this fulfilling of the Covenant is really beyond the pale
Another war in the name of religion!!! Why??? Why?
Another group of people deciding how others should be and how they should live!!!
“Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion, too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace... “
I have answers for a lot. Not this. When terrorists / pathological humans hell-bent on death and destruction ... tell you who they are . . . And the fact that they have moments of relative peace -- don't be deluded into thinking it's anything other than a strategy to get its targets to become complacent, distracted. And when Cong manufactures a reason to weaponize itself against America, and one of the most successful media outlets is a 24/7 vehicle for attacking the integrity and functioning of the US, how can average people stem the onslaught of terror, fascism, barbarism, and all the things people have fought so long, and so hard, to protect against. Between 'climate" (natural forces) and human psyche (malevolent human behavior) change, it seems to be time for a new American Revolution, or at least, an American re-birth. "When in the course of human events . . . " as they say. And just to add, hostile, anti-American value interpretations of the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights, add to the crumbling of the fragile (despite long-standing) American compact. . . . Was it Heidi Schreck who wrote 'what the constitution means to me?' Maybe she should syndicate her great play, and put it into an App, and broadcast it from the rooftops, to the mountain tops, and from sea to shining sea.
It seems to me that Hamas is calling for the elimination of Jews and Israel on religious grounds, eg. "the establishment of a theocratic state based on Islamic law (Sharia)" and "consecrated for future Moslem generations until Judgement Day" from above. The worst conflicts are religious ones. Both sides think they're right, and claim their gods agree. There is little hope for a middle ground. The solution must eliminate religion if it has any hope of success.
I think the establishment of a sharia state--the religious reason--is secondary to their goal. What if all Jews suddenly agreed to convert to Islam, would that satisfy their demands? I think not. The land is the issue, religion is an excuse. Jews and Muslims CAN live together peacefully, but not when the groups are mutually disrespectful and have unequal outside support.
How can hatred run this deep? The lack of will to act peacefully, resulting in hatred mixed with violence. How has civilization failed us? By hatred that has resulted in revenge. How different would the world be if our efforts were focused on negotiation? Maybe with civics classes we should strive for negotiation skills.
hatred is taught....but over generations becomes part of the identity of a people. Witness the brutal murder of a teacher in Northern France by a Chechen student just in the last 24 hours. There will be more acts of this brutal barbarism over the coming weeks because Hamas has called for a global jihad
Yes, I know, it is taught. But nobody is breaking the cycle :-(
Golda Meir said, “You cannot negotiate with someone who wants to kill you.”
One of the first things I did when news of the attack broke was look up Hamas and discovered its actual stated program/agenda. There is no question that it and they are horrific. One question is why it took so long for them to mount this attack. The blockade of Gaza has been going on for 17 years but most of the action has been of the "tit for tat" variety--either side responding to some act of the other, with the Palestinian people usually coming out of with more casualties. Iran money is obviously one reason, but why is it suddenly NOW?
I can't help but wonder whether the ever growing disarray of the US government had anything to do with the choice of the timing. If Palestinian refugees are even allowed out of Gaza, what bets our government would be able to take any of them? A HUGE part of the US doesn't want refugees from anywhere, any more that Egypt or other Arab states do.
I do think that it is an exaggeration to say that "liberals" are supporting Hamas. Some idiots are. There are idiots of every political stripe. I will say that the ones most often cited in the news are young. And I will say that I have read Rep. Tlaib's statements and can find NO support for Hamas in it.
What I cannot ABIDE is people who assume that if one ventures to question any of the actions of Israel over the past umpty years, one MUST be "Pro-Hamas." There are in fact both sides to the overall conflict, though that is NOT the same thing as saying that there is any equivalence between Hamas and the Israeli people or any excuse for using terrorism as a weapon to advance one's aims. It scares me that so many people are overgeneralizing based on sheer emotion--but that's been a growing problem here for years and years.
There are people in the Israeli government whose position is that the Palestinians should be destroyed as a people, driven out of the area. They presumably have supporters but, as with politics in the US, probably not a majority and even amongst the supporters not full agreement about the "drive them into the sea" narrative.
What worries me obviously is the teetering into vengeance rather than defense that current Israeli response is in danger of. "Warning" the civilians to leave when there is no place to go--and as someone has pointed out, cutting of electricity so that many of those warned may never find OUT about the warning. Bombing ambulances--5 paramedics dead already, the Palestinian version of the Red Cross having its building bombed. Threat to bomb anyone coming with humanitarian aid via the only non-Israeli land crossing. No assurances that such aid can come by sea. Cutting off food and water and fuel and electricity to ALL Gazans no matter what their political views might be or even if they have none. (Anyone who wants to go on about "well they voted for Hamas" needs to go look up the actual results of that election and should note that nearly half the current Palestinians were not even born at the time of the vote).
The leaders of Hamas aren't even IN Palestine--they are apparently in "exile" in Qatar.
I support the Israeli people--except those who share the genocidal ideology of the far right. I support the Palestinian people--except those who are actively involved in Hamas and not just "human shields." "Human shields" are just as much hostages as those taken in the raids. Neither deserves to die over the ideologies of their governments--and Hamas is the government only by violence after the 2006 elections and hasn't allowed had an election since
You have expressed important points.
Perhaps the disarray within the Israeli government; the far right government formed by Netanyahu to stay in power & its repeated assertions that all land belongs to Israel including (announced in December) planning for annexation of the West Bank to be followed by allowing Jewish settlements there, played into this. All right about the time there is movement toward normalizing relations between the Saudis and Israel.
Israeli news has reported for some time that many Israelis have been dissatisfied with the policies of Netanyahu toward his remake of the Israeli government, actions toward the West Bank and Gaza. The includes the practice of “mowing the grass” every 2-3 years after allowing Hamas to build up power and weaponry while playing the West Bank a Gaza off against one another.
I can only add the inability of so many to hold more than one thought, see more than one perspective at a time is not helpful.
Some of this is summarized here:
https://www.vox.com/23910085/netanyahu-israel-right-hamas-gaza-war-history
The thing that scares me now is that the Israeli government may be doing exactly what Hamas wants. Hamas had to have known what the response would be, if not its full extent, so it is clearly not all that concerned with the welfare of the Palestinian people. Its cause is ideological, not national, as far as one can see and it doesn't seem beyond possibility that instead of using the civilians as human shields they are using them as human sacrifices, to weaken Israel in the eyes of the world by its responsive brutality.
Yes, Hamas like those aligned with them are more interested in power and their agenda than governing. They are perfectly willing to sacrifice Palestinian civilians. Iran and the others who fund them do so to the detriment of people in their own countries who live in poverty and suffer.
Hamas also wants to leverage the threat of a wider war or perhaps counted on a quick burst of support from regional allies. According to Reuters: —Baraka, the Hamas official, said the ultimate aim of the Oct. 7 attack on Israel was to win the release of all 5,000 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails, halt Israeli raids on Al Aqsa mosque, the third-holiest site in Islam, and lift a 16-year-old blockade of Gaza.
He warned that if Israel's ground offensive went ahead, blessed by the U.S. and Britain, the war wouldn't be confined to Gaza but could spill over into a regional conflict.— https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/how-hamas-secretly-built-mini-army-fight-israel-2023-10-13/
Yike, it just hit me. How many Twitter posters are going to start claiming that Obama is Hamas because, you know, the name.....
Thank you, Steven, for this thoughtful and heartfelt analysis of this terrible event. I agree with you completely. It is never right to minimize the horror experienced by their victims and their families by "what about ....." comparisons to other horrors. Or to justify such evil by holding up the injustices to the Palestine people. Killing innocent civilians is never heroic, it is wrong and evil. I think President Biden was right to completely condemn Hamas, to support Israel and also to ask Israel to avoid similar attacks on innocent Palestinian civilians in their rightful efforts to prevent Hamas from being able to repeat its horrific actions. I think that your articles this week were 100% right and a good moral guide to how to react to a horrible situation. Thank you, once again.
Human beings are often barbarous and murderous. Hamas, Hezbollah, ISIS, Taliban etc use religion to say their actions are ok in the eyes of their god. I do not like the way Israel has treated the Palestinians - it is not done with any other thought in mind than to rid Israel of them. However, there is enough land for everyone. This is the perpetuation of ancient tribal differences that did not need to be carried forward into modern times. There are no winners here - the death on both sides will just perpetuate the justification for the violence. The Israeli government has been pushed to the right by the Jewish version of the Muslim hard-liners. The Chasidim believe they are above the law and answer only to God - where have you heard that before? They don’t serve in the military yet they keep trying to take more territory outside of agreed-upon borders. They think they can create their version of a theocracy in Israel but theocracies are a very bad idea and no way to run a country.
It is truly disheartening to have to witness the abolishment, however temporarily, of the two state solution in this region. My hopes for a lasting Peace have been dashed.
There is a refusal amongst many to refuse to Love. I cannot imagine civility surviving without it.
Love of God, Love of neighbor, Love of self…
To cope with “hardened” hearts has consequences we are now seeing on a grand scale. Maybe not for the first time for some, but, I imagine for many. Why the continual hatred? Not believing one is Loved. This is a Giving Love, not a taking. The greatest being the giving of one’s very life. Not many are willing to do just that. And, not just in this part of the world. How much suffering will one endure before conversion from such hatred? A complete lack of Grace is on display for all to witness now. How do we respond indeed?
In a nutshell, for those who do not know: There was a time when Jews and Palestinians lived together in quasi harmony. That was long before WW2, many came around 1492 following the expulsion of Jews from Spain. Palestine was never a state, it was a British mandate in 1920, the name Palestine was assigned to the piece of land mandated by the British, so in 1948 Britain allowed the Jews to settle there and the state of Israel was established. The Arabs who lived there at the time could have stayed and lived peacefully with the Jews but no, calling themselves Palestinians, they ran out instead and let the surrounding Arab nations to wage war against the Jews. They started a war they could not win and lost. Hamas was founded around that time and eventually established itself in Gaza beginning its terrorizing mission with suicide bombings and infanticide killings…
There will be no peace for the Jews as long as Hamas has not been eliminated because they are determined to finish Hitler’s mission, totally eliminate the Jewish world. Hamas is evil!