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.”
I am taking a break from reading your book Strongmen, which just arrived at my local bookstore here in Germany this morning. I ordered it yesterday afternoon, so am very pleased that I can start reading it. It is very compelling. I was telling friends who read English that since you wrote it while Trump was still president we will have to wait and she how he falls. Still, having helped my daughter prepare for a test on Nazis and resistance to Nazis in her first year in University in Germany, I am very aware of many of the details of the Rise and Fall of the Nazis and Hitler their strongman leader, but will be interested to hear your take on him. Each person has a different slant, that I feel helps to deepen my understanding.
Everything you have to say is very interesting to me. I really wish it were translated into German so that I could share it with people that I think would find it interesting. Is there any chance of your book being translated into other languages? I am a member of Democrats Abroad Germany, which is part of the larger umbrella group Democrats Abroad, and the even larger group Voters Abroad which exist to help people figure out how to best vote when they do not live in the states.
Democrats Abroad will have delegates at the Convention in Chicago, my other home, and have a specific agenda too. I am so pleased to have recently discovered your Substack Lucid. Because your weekend sessions with speakers are so late, I tried to get back up at 2 am, but was too tired and turned off my alarm. I am looking forward to the recording. I will also try again to stay up next time. Thanks for your work. Peace!!
"Action based on the mindset of an eye for an eye blinds everyone, and that is how they like it.”
Spot on Ruth. Very well said.