Special Edition: The Hamas-Israel War on DCUM

Since the first news of the Hamas attack on Israel Saturday morning, I have had to devote myself almost around the clock to moderating discussions of the conflict. I have seen supporters of Israel, especially those who are Jewish, suffer shock, horror, and then anger. This anger was first directed toward Hamas specifically and, occasionally, Palestinians more generally. But later the anger turned toward fellow Americans who, instead of joining in solidarity with Israelis and American Jews, demonstrated support for Palestinians. In some cases these groups simply opposed the expected Israeli retaliation that would most certainly result in the wide-scale killing of civilians in Gaza. In other cases, they went further and actually blamed Israel for the violence. Many could not even bring themselves to condemn the senseless attacks on Israeli civilians. I then saw another emotion come to the surface in many of the Jewish posters. That emotion was fear. Fear because Hamas had undertaken what was probably the single biggest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust and people who might have been seen as allies were not only not there to provide support, but in some cases actively engaged in opposition. Not only were Jews not safe in Israel, but in America demonstrators took to the streets not to support the victims, but rather in favor of the perpetrators. Fear and anger were amplified by a sense of abandonment.

Among Palestinian-Americans and their supporters, the exact same emotions were present. Fear and anger. Fear for the lives of the over 2 million Palestinians trapped in one of the most densely populated places on earth. Anger that for decades the Israeli government routinely killed and subjugated Palestinians while the world looked away. I can't criticize those who had these concerns. I had them myself. But seeing the emotions being expressed on DCUM, I understood that there must be a balance between anger about history, concern for the future, and the present that was being experienced by many Jews. Support for Gazans could not eclipse empathy for those mourning the deaths in Israel. Yet, in many cases that is exactly what happened. The result was a gulf between those who were reeling from the brutality of Hamas and, in many cases feeling abandoned and alone in America, and those who feared a similar brutality on behalf of the Israeli armed forces directed at Gazans.

To my despair, I have seen this gulf widen day-by-day since the initial attack. The fears of Gaza's supporters are coming true. Nearly 500 children have already been killed in Gaza and, by all accounts, the worst is still to come. But, how can Jews be expected to care about this when so many show no concern about what is likely a similar number of Israeli children lying dead in the Negev? There is a lack of empathy on both sides. Of course, this is not universally true. There are some whose humanity is sufficient to bridge the gap. But, as is often the case, their voices are drowned out. At a time when what we need most is the ability to understand others and share their emotions, positions are instead hardening. Instead of understanding, we get accusations.

I don't really expect anyone to listen to me or care what I think, but nevertheless I have something to say. First, if you claim to support the people of Gaza because of your belief in human rights, but can't bring yourself to unequivocally condemn the murders perpetrated by Hamas, you don't really believe in human rights. In that case, your motives for supporting Palestinians can rightly be questioned. Second, if you claim to be concerned about the safety of Palestinian civilians, but support Israel's right to attack Gaza, you don't really care about the safety of Palestinian civilians. To the contrary, you support the killing of Palestinian civilians, but simply have the decency to feel bad about it. Certainly the Hamas leadership and fighters who are guilty of the killing in Israel deserve to be punished. No, I don't know how to do that without killing large numbers of Palestinians, including civilians and children. But, I guarantee there are smarter people then me in this world. Someone has to have an idea. Importantly, this problem does not have to be solved tomorrow, next week, or even next month. There is time for everyone to take a breath and think this through. Lives are literally at stake.

As for DCUM, I really wish posters would be less ready to accuse and more willing to understand. We don't have to agree, but neither do we have to hate each other. Both Israelis and Palestinians love their children and want to live their lives in peace and security. That might not be a lot to have in common, but it is a foundation on which perhaps all of us can build. Let's try to understand each other. Let's recognize each other's fears and do what we can to alleviate them. We will all be better off, I assure you.