Since the news of the horrific attack upon Israel broke, I have been at a loss for words. That loss has only been compounded by the global response and the unsettling realization that whatever happens next is going to be ugly. And that loss of life, devastation, and global collective toll upon all of us will be something that many of us are not prepared to bear witness to.
My loss of words has also been compounded by the fact that in the current climate, anything you say will almost certainly be misconstrued and potentially explosive. As a result, at this moment, I have felt that silence and just sitting with the sorrow and heaviness—and seeking guidance—is far better than rushing to my keyboard in an attempt to do something. Many are feeling helpless as we bear witness to the carnage and the senseless loss of life and are stunned that no matter what happens, there probably is no good way out of this.
I am by no means a geopolitical expert on Israeli-Palestinian affairs, but I know that there is a history and backstory that makes this current moment even more explosive and dangerous. I also know that our current media and social media climate make it easy for half-truths and misinformation to spread like wildfire. I know that the global Jewish diaspora is shattered and in deep pain and that the Palestinian community is facing a world of hurt because of the short-sighted actions of Hamas. By extension, because of the actions of Hamas, the global Muslim community will be attacked, much like in the aftermath of September 11. The attacks are already starting.
I am sitting with the sick feeling that after September 11, the world has learned nothing, Instead we still rush to demonize those we deem “other” based on the actions of a few. Retribution and leveling up on the violence that was inflicted upon Israel by Hamas, while seemingly justified by some, will not even the score or bring back the lives that were cut short by the actions of Hamas.
As a member of a marginalized group, I have always stood with those who are marginalized and who seek liberation from their oppressors. Yet in this instance, to make such a statement almost feels like a cliché.
What I will say is that if we are ever to break this cycle of violence that is very much a part of our global norms, I think rational and reasonable minds are needed. I think that as long as there remains a power and privilege imbalance—and as long as injustice and cruelty are accepted as a norm—we unintentionally create breeding grounds for extremists to be born and grow and inflict their pain upon all of us. At some point, the actions of past generations must be addressed, if there is ever to be a hope of forward momentum that can create something beyond the cycle of harm.
At this moment, I stand with the innocent Palestinian people who are most certainly going to be harmed and killed because of the actions of Hamas, and the retaliation of the Israeli government. I also stand with the people of Israel and the larger Jewish diaspora who suffered from loss of lives and the devastation to their community.
Some will say that this is a cowardly approach, a “both sides” approach, an “All Lives Matter” approach. I would disagree. As I get older, I have come to see that strict binary thinking does not always serve us well. Life is not always black-and-white; sometimes there are many shades of gray. Tensions are high all over. To say that support for the Palestinians is a fuck-you to the Jewish people makes no more sense than saying support for Jewish people is automatically a fuck-you to the Palestinians.
There are no winners in these situations, and unfortunately our global leaders are incapable of leading beyond simply employing violence—whether direct or indirect—and it seems we will never learn that violence generally begets more violence. As an individual, I seek to support my Jewish and Palestinian brethren and be in community with both—to build and strengthen relations and seek new ways of being that move us past old paradigms and the cycle of violence. To seek the dream of a shared humanity that affirms and honors all.
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Image by Josie Weiss via Unsplash
Thank you Shay. What a world we’re living in. Such pain and grief, and no simple answers. Sending gratitude for your continuing efforts to put all these complex feelings in the open. Thank you.