October 7th, 2023 is being called Israel's 9/11. Hamas launched a massive surprise terrorist attack killing over 1,400 Israelis, both military and civilians. The world now holds its breath as Israel is sure to launch a massive response. Will this derail normalization efforts between Israel and her neighbors, most importantly, Saudi Arabia? Will this lead to a wider regional war? And how bad will it be for all the people caught in the crossfire? Only time can answer these questions. There are people who have dedicated their entire lives to studying this region, seeking just resolutions to the many facets of this seemingly intractable conflict. I know a little about it but not near enough. However, as a conflict resolution professional I would like to share some thoughts with you. I'm sure there will be something here to offend almost everyone but that is not my intention. My intent is just to think out loud and generate some thoughts and conversations.
First, I think it may be helpful to get rid of the idea of good guys and bad guys. Yes, the terrorist attack was an act of evil. But in any war atrocities will be committed on all sides. There is no way to know how many people who had nothing to do with the attack and are just going about their lives will be killed in what will likely be a very heavy-handed Israeli response. In perpetrating this attack, Hamas will lose a lot of the sympathy around the plight of the Palestinians. The knee jerk reaction here in the West and I think Israel itself will be to “bomb them into the Stone Age.” If Israel chooses this path then she will lose much sympathy in the West and around the world. Whatever goals Hamas had in perpetrating this attack will likely go unrealized. Once conflict and wars are started, they take on a life of their own and will move in unpredictable and uncontrollable directions. The weak terms “good” and “bad” are basically useless in this context.
Second, let's dispense with the idea of sides. “Sides” implies only two groups. Yes, we are talking about Israel and Hamas but there are many more groups involved. There are factions within the Israeli government. There are a multitude of political groups among the Palestinians and the other nations of the Middle East. The notion of sides is another way of slipping into the good guy versus bad guy fallacy. It is impossible to know how all these groups we'll interact as time goes by. Think of the fog of war but on a much larger scale. We would do well to remember that the group that suffers the most in war are the poor. Poor Palestinians with little hope and no place to go will pay the highest price for Hamas’s decision to attack Israel. I'm sure there are poor Israelis. There are certainly Israelis who had nothing to do with the poor treatment of the Palestinians who have been and will be killed in this war. So if you have to pick a “side” go with the poor and innocents who will lose their lives, be injured and forever have their lives altered by this insane act.
Third, the fallout from this conflict will likely last decades into the future. It seems to me this is a continuation in a seemingly never-ending cycle of violence in and around Israel. We, in the rest of the world, should not just accept this as normal. Yes, Israel has been fighting much of the time since her inception in 1948. Many say the conflict goes much longer. True, but that does not absolve us of our responsibility to seek a lasting and just peace. Whatever nations can play a role in bringing this about cannot say or accept this is just normal. I cannot accept that there are no solutions other than continued acts of terrorism followed by a massive military response that always fails to bring about a lasting peace. We must try to do better.
I believe Israel has the right to exist. I also believe Palestinians have the right to exist as well. We must figure out a way they can coexist peacefully. The best proposal I know of is the two-state solution but again, I'm not an expert in this area. These problems need to be solved by those affected directly in a cooperative and just manner. The rest of the world cannot impose a solution or solutions. A lasting and just peace will require a lot of work from those directly affected.
One more thing, be careful of what you read in the age of unverified news. Any story that seems too crazy, too evil or just plain nuts needs to be checked several times from different sources. There are many out there who are more interested in outrage and fear than doing actual reporting. Sure, terrible things will happen just double and triple check what you are reading. Also, consider your sources. Please do not rely on just one or two. Keep in mind we are only at the beginning of this new cycle of violence. The outcomes are unpredictable. Be leery of anyone who claims to know what the outcome will be.
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