The Gaza Conflict: Beyond Blame and Hatred
Since October 7th, this platform has seen a surge of articles on the Gaza conflict and its aftermath. While many offer passionate viewpoints, few engage in objective analysis. Many articles heavily criticize Israel, using terms like “genocide” and “apartheid,” while others defend Israel’s right to self-defense against Hamas’ aggression and the Palestinian claim to the land between the “river and the sea”.
Some articles, on both sides, unfortunately veer into anti-Semitism and Islamophobia, violating civil discourse norms. What is the authors’ purpose? Surely, it’s not just hatred. Many express genuine pain over the bloodshed and suffering of innocent civilians. Palestinians, some displaced for generations, lament stolen land and homes, while Jews express love for their historical homeland and fear resurgent anti-Semitism.
Some, particularly those new to the conflict, believe their arguments will change the grim reality, resolving a 75-year-old issue. This optimism, however, risks ignoring the entrenched positions on both sides. Palestinians cling to a right of return, perpetuating refugee status for decades, while Israelis see no peace option and advocate continued control.
The only solution lies in mutual recognition: neither force nor external pressure will end the conflict. Both Israelis and Palestinians deserve their own states. This necessitates a compromise: Israelis must relinquish claims to certain ancestral lands, and Palestinians must abandon the right of return to pre-1948 villages. While most Israelis and hopefully many Palestinians support a two-state solution for peaceful coexistence, vocal opposition exists on both sides.
Those seeking peace, not just in the Middle East but globally, must empower Palestinians and Israelis who support this solution. This seemingly paradoxical approach involves each side focusing inwards: pro-Palestinian voices should explain Zionism to Palestinians, while pro-Israel voices should advocate for allowing Palestinians the freedom and self-determination of their own state.
In this article I proposed a direction for the kind of writing needed now: writing that fosters peace in the Middle East, not flames of hatred. Let us all join in this effort.
