Horrified by it all

I sat and cried this morning. I was scrolling through Facebook and saw a picture of buildings in Tel Aviv burning. People in the comments were gleeful about it.

Here's the thing.

Hamas, which has backing from Iran, did horrific things during the October 7th attacks. Terrible things, things. And they have hostages, after all this time with families who anxiously wonder if they'll see their loved ones again, hostages of different ages and backgrounds, innocent civilians who were going about their day like any of us would, several at a music festival.

Netanyahu and his government's reaction was brutal, and it was not aimed not at Hamas, but at the Palestinian people themselves, all in the name of seeking to root out those who planned the attack, but trying to displace as many as they can so they can take back as much territory as possible, in the belief that they are chosen by God and therefore deserve it  So many Palestinians have died because of this. Innocents uprooted.  So many who had been going about their everyday lives, seeking to raise families, work to make a better life, and better the world, just like most of us.  All lost, all turned to dust and blood.

Now they've turned to Iran's potential nuclear capability, which has hung over Israel and the Middle East for decades. I have no doubt that if Iran ever manages to build a bomb they will try to obliterate Israel, even though it will blowback on them and cause a greater conflict. There is a madness in the Middle East, and it's catching.  When I heard of the attack, all I could think is that Netanyahu will spark the last war we will ever see, the one that will end it all. Countries will condemn, then take sides, and millions will die, and all from one missile attack. I get the need and belief to be proactive, and the fear, but the fact of the matter is that he (and Ali Khamenei, the Iranian head of state) will have so much blood on their hands by the end of this all, as will the leaders of Hamas.

All of these are war criminals.  But to take glee in the death and suffering of the average Palestinian, Israeli, or Iranian--that is horrible to me, and that is the whole problem with how we get to this situation, by dehumanising the Other. We need to feel for others. To recognise that they're just like us, that they want a lot of the same, simple things: a safe place to raise their families, number one. Some are greedy bastards, true.  But overall, I believe most people are good. I'm not so sure about the people who liked what they saw in Tel Aviv. I'm sure there are others who felt the same about pictures of Iranian sites and Palestinian ones.  It's because they think in black and white, and that's not how the world works. It never has; it never will.

What do I hope to see? Peace. I hope this will end, that it will deesccalate before the world burns, or at least the region. One can hope. But I studied the Arab-Israeli conflict in school (the history of it, and let me tell you, it goes back to a lot of colonial bull crap and doesn't go back to ancient Biblical times, really), and I'm not sure it will ever come to an end. There's something called Jerusalem Syndrome where people who are otherwise rational go there and suddenly become zealots, regardless of whatever side they wind up being on. It's crazy. It's all crazy.

Bring the hostages home. Stop the campaign in Gaza and let people go home.  Stop the missile attacks. Sanction and cut off the supply of urananium. Stop it all. Try the aggressors for war crimes and stop the madness.  Please, just stop.

Interesting fact (and an opinion)

In Arabic, 'Hamas' means "zeal", "strength", or "bravery". In Hebrew, it means "violence".

The portion of the Torah for this week that is read in synagogues, from Noach (the Hebrew book named after Noah in the Jewish scriptures) contains the word Hamas.

My friend, who was watching services this morning, pointed it out to me. It's getting a lot of attention on the Internet given the current events in Israel.

I just think this whole thing is a tragedy. What happened with the attacks on Jews in Israel was horrible, and unforgivable. The response, attacking civilians who are already corralled in Gaza and who have nowhere to go, the history of supplanting Palestinians [who, incidentally, are a nationality, not a religious group, as there are both Muslims and Christians who are Palestinian], so there could be a Jewish state (regardless of it being their ancient homeland) has roots going back a century-and-a-half and breeds extreme emotions and violence on both sides. And that is tragic.

My friend's synagogue has members in Israel. They are thankfully safe, and I am so glad for this. His friends from the congregation in general were shocked and expressed extreme grief at the deaths. I also heard a young man asking a lady on the bus with whom he had class how she and her family were. She said they were relieved her brother was safe, as he'd been at the hospital which was bombed, thinking it would be safer like so many. I nearly cried at her words. I can't imagine how either side feels in terms of lack of safety (even here in America there is fear of attacks for both) and the fate of loved ones. I pray for those affected on both sides who are not the instigators themselves, the ones who viciously began this war.

It's just all so sad.

Some videos on some of the background behind the Israeli-Palestinian War

The Israeli-Palestinian war is already full of tragedy and death

This could make it something of epic proportions.

UN Chief Appeals for Israel to Avert a Humanitarian Catastrophe

Israel evacuation order: Tens of thousands flee northern Gaza - BBC News

I hate this

As much as I'm pro-Jewish, I am not a real supporter of Israel itself. I believe it has engaged in the equivalent of apartheid, and recent moves by the right-wing government have sparked a great deal of protest (Israel does not have a Constitution, and the Knesset, their parliament, recently took most of the power away from the Supreme Court of Israel. Thousands have been marching in the streets for months, with little coverage here in America). Neither am I a supporter of Palestine either, and Hamas has a lot to answer for, and a lot of money is funnelled in there from outside sources who do not want Israel to exist. The Arab-Israeli conflict is extremely complex with years of terror and retaliation. It hurts my heart to see death on either side. I wish we could just see peace in the Middle East. But there have been generations of hatred entrenched, and I think it might take a miracle to get the various groups to sit down and talk with one another and see their similarities amid their differences. Most people just want a better life, and one for their children. I don't understand the rest.

Hamas surprise attack out of Gaza stuns Israel and leaves hundreds dead in fighting, retaliation