On Friday evening, Israel turned off all communications between Gaza and the outside world (digital darkness) and then attacked, savagely. The fog of war is even worse now— and more chaotic— not just because Israel is likely disabling Hamas command and control systems and spreading misinformation through their ranks but because it’s spreading terror through an already terrorized civilian population which has been bombed indiscriminately night after night. The left is assigning complicity to Biden, while the right demands even more American support for Israel.
Yesterday, Reid Epstein and Anjali Huynh wrote that Democratic unity behind Biden is eroding “over his steadfast support of Israel in its escalating war with the Palestinians, with a left-leaning coalition of young voters and people of color showing more discontent toward him than at any point since he was elected. From Capitol Hill to Hollywood, in labor unions and liberal activist groups, and on college campuses and in high school cafeterias, a raw emotional divide over the conflict is convulsing liberal America… As of Thursday, all 18 House members who had signed onto a resolution calling for an ‘immediate de-escalation and cease-fire in Israel and occupied Palestine’ were people of color. ‘We process pain, deprivation and cruelty personally, having either encountered it in our current lives or having had historical connections to it with our ancestors,’ said Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman of New Jersey, one of the cease-fire resolution’s co-sponsors. ‘So we understand that cruelty and war and violence do not have positive outcomes.’ For Democrats in Congress and in liberal groups in Washington, pressure to oppose Biden’s Israel policy is bubbling up from younger, more progressive staff members who have grown up in an environment more doubtful about Israel… Many on the left, however, acknowledge that Biden remains preferable to a Republican alternative in 2024. Executive Director Rahna Epting said MoveOn could ‘support President Biden and apply pressure to him at the same time.’”
I’d like you to read a heart-wrenching e-mail from Aram Ayalon, an Israeli American Jew, who wrote to friends and colleagues that he thinks he might have something to contribute to the discussion about the Gaza’s latest crisis.
As many of you know, I am originally from Israel and still have family and friends in Israel. On Saturday morning, October 7, Hamas members invaded our best friend’s daughter’s home in Kibbutz Beeri. The mother, our best friend’s oldest daughter, was killed as well as her 15-year-old son– both bled to death from kalachnikov shots. The 13-year-old daughter, Hadar, was a hero. She called various entities such as police and army for help as well as family (to no avail). For 10 hours she tried to help her dying brother and father (who survived) by making tourniquets out of a shirt and a belt. Her father is in the hospital recovering and one of his legs was amputated. Hadar had 5 bullets in her leg and removed some of them by hand– she has by now been released from the hospital and joined the remaining survivors of the massacre in a hotel in the Dead Sea. Another kibbutz that was almost completely demolished, Nir Oz, was the kibbutz I lived in back in the 70s. Many of the kibbutz members, whom I know, were abducted, or killed. These are some of the many similar stories that happened on that Saturday– a day, that is almost exactly 50 years ago, Israel was surprised when attached on Yom Kippur by Egypt and Syria (I was a soldier at that time).
People ask me why this has happened. Many try to paint Hamas as an ISIS-like organization that simply wants to eliminate Israel and Jews.
As an Israeli American Jew who has been an advocate for years for peace and reconciliation and who opposed the Israeli occupation of the territories including Gaza, I have never been in such as difficult position. As I am mourning my friends and acquaintances, I am also dreading the attack on Gaza that is on the brink of potential genocide. Let’s remember that Gaza has been the largest prison in the world in the past 20 years or so, and many of the new generation of Hamas members have never seen Israelis who are not soldiers, war plane pilots and essentially prison guards– they have become to view Israelis as non-human but the enemy.
My hope is that out of this calamity a new sense of urgency to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict will arise. Attacking and killing thousands of civilians in Gaza will not bring back the 1300 dead Israelis nor will it bring back the 300 hijacked Israelis. The continuous cycle of violence between Gaza and Israel has not resolved anything but produced many widows and immense hatred on both sides.
The words “shalom” and “salaam” (peace in Hebrew and Arabic) are more important now than ever before. Let’s remember that we Jews and Arabs are brothers and sisters, NOT enemies.
If there was any way to find peace in this part of the world wouldn’t the holy books of the area have mentioned how to do it? Oh wasn’t is Isaiah who said “They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.” And then Jesus came along and said “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God,”which sounds justas definitive. What about the Quran? “And if they incline towards peace, then incline towards it and trust in Allah; for He is the Hearing, the Knowing.” All 3 books encourage peace, love, brotherhood and understanding. Too bad many of the loudest and most aggressive proponents lack those attributes.
Isaiah also condemned the kings of Israel and Judah for their pride and arrogance, and for leading their people into war: “Woe to you who decree iniquitous decrees, and who write unjust decisions, to defraud the poor of their rights, to crush the needy of my people, to make widows their spoil, and to plunder the orphans.” Jesus also condemned the leaders of his day for their hypocrisy and for leading their people astray: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness.” Similarly, the Quran teaches teaches that Muslims should be willing to forgive their enemies, even if they have been wronged: “And let not the hatred of a people prevent you from being just. Be just; that is nearer to piety.”
Israel was not spreading "misinformation." And you using Jesus to somehow vilify Jews is disgusting. Your excuses for Hamas are equally despicable. Israel going dark was necessary to go after the barbarians who raped, beheaded, burned alive, butchered, over 1,200 people in hours. There is no equivalence to those who were tortured by these sadistic lunatics and those who died in a war the sadistic lunatics started.
I am personally against all organized Religion. More wars are fought in the name of religion throughout history. God/Spirit/Higher power can be found in one’s own heart on this small planet if allowed. You don’t need a go between.. Be in Nature , be in the world, observe and develope compassion for-all living creatures. We are all connected.
Putting aside the minor fact of the ongoing carnage in Gaza, the linked NYT piece about the potential political perils that Biden faces as he securely rests in Bibi's left pocket (w/ Schumer in Bibi's right pocket) is instructive:
The Sunrise Movement, a coalition of young, progressive climate activists that mobilized on behalf of Mr. Biden’s campaign in 2020, is one such group that has called for a cease-fire. Some in the organization have been “raising questions” about whether they and other young people will mobilize for Mr. Biden again, said Michele Weindling, the group’s political director.
“If the Democratic Party and President Biden continue to send weapons and military support to Israel, it threatens to lose our generation, and…
"Let’s remember that we Jews and Arabs are brothers and sisters, NOT enemies."
Not true. The respective religions, as practiced by human beings for whom hate is a limbic urge that supersedes any rational thought, demand they be enemies.
For every scripture quoted here about peace and forgiveness, there are more passages demanding fidelity to the "one true god" and the hate of all who do not so worship. I am led to believe that the koran also says it's just fine to kill "infidels" just because they don't so worship.
And the bible is lousy with daddy god committing genocides erasing entire peoples who do not so worship... as well as other amorphous "crimes".
You forget that these gods…