When Peace is the Enemy
Reflections on the multiple tragedies of the Israel-Hamas War and the suffering of Palestinian civilians
Although my father’s side of the family is from the Middle East (grandfather from Aden, Yemen; grandmother from Hebron, West Bank of Palestine; father from Jerusalem) I am not a specialist on the area so I don’t write about it much.
Yet this awful conflict engages larger issues of the toll of amoral autocratic behavior, geopolitical alliances that revolve around terrorism, the enforcement of international human rights and justice norms, the plight of refugees, and techniques of mass repression. All of it must be addressed and called out.
For the moment, here are a few excerpts from my Nov. 1, 2023 essay, “When Peace is the Biggest Enemy,” on the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel and their aftermaths. It can be read in its entirety here. Some of its central observations remain all too accurate.
“Strongman history suggests that an unforced resignation by Netanyahu is highly unlikely, and that the lower his ratings fall, the more he will be motivated to triumph militarily at any cost.”
“Warmongers, terrorists, fundamentalists and autocrats are all dedicated to chaos, repression, and hatred: these overlapping categories of people cause and benefit from spirals of violence. Rather than coexistence and solidarity…they encourage lawlessness and vengefulness that prolong conflict.”
“What they fear most is not war, but peace and understanding. Action based on the mindset of an eye for an eye blinds everyone, and that is how they like it.”
Perfect title!
Spot on