Protests erupt worldwide as calls grow for an end to the Israeli war against Hamas in Gaza
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After the horrendous attacks by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, global sympathy was with Israel, and the world called for the hammer of international law to be applied to those who were responsible for killing 1,200 Israeli citizens.
Then Israel began its brutal assault on Gaza and world opinion changed. Today, we watch in horror as the violence against civilians intensifies in the West Bank and expands to Lebanon.
Despite efforts to control public discourse in countries most closely allied with Israel, protestors continue to flood the streets to call for an end to Israel’s violent assaults. Ordinary people, including large numbers of Jews, risk their jobs and reputations to stand with those who suffer.
As Indian writer Arundhati Roy articulates, “Not all the power and money, not all the weapons and propaganda on earth can any longer hide the wound that is Palestine. The wound through which the whole world, including Israel, bleeds.”
There is a path forward, however. Almost all United Nations members acknowledge Israel’s right to exist. Jewish-American economist and diplomat Jeffrey Sachs points out that “The Arabs have been saying for 22 years, vividly, clearly, we want two states, peace, mutual security, normalization of relations.”
Isn’t that what would be best for Israel? Why does the fighting continue?
Israel also has many internal struggles. It has been speculated that its enemies see it as a proverbial frog in boiling water. If this is true, wouldn’t it be wise to turn off the heat?
Wars are costly, and as a result, Israel’s economy is in shambles. Its credit rating has been downgraded twice and continues to plummet. Tens of thousands of businesses have reportedly closed, and while verifiable statistics are difficult to find, it has been speculated that there has been significant emigration from Israel in the past year.
The fighting cannot last forever, and the killing of innocents, on both sides, will stop. Israel and its allies insist that the International Court of Justice will determine that the State of Israel is not guilty of genocide. Nonetheless, several Israeli government officials face charges in the International Criminal Court, which tries individuals. Of course, this does not impact them if they stay in Israel or the United States, but most other countries recognize the authority of the ICC.
In addition, over 1000 individual members of the Israeli military will face charges in the ICC. The soldiers filmed themselves committing war crimes and posted their videos on social media. Many of these soldiers have dual citizenship with Israel and countries that recognize the court, and for Israeli military personnel, this is likely only the tip of the iceberg.
Even those who escape justice cannot escape themselves. Substance abuse and suicide are common among former military personnel. In the United States, the rate of death by suicide among former servicemen and servicewomen is four times higher than the rate of those killed on active duty. Israel will thus face a significant mental health crisis if it does not have one already.
Israeli historian Ilan Pappé offers a grim forecast for his country, “The next 12 months are going to be a worse replica of the past year in terms of the genocidal policies of Israel, the escalation of the violence in the region and the continued support of governments, backed by their media, for this destructive trajectory…History tells us that this is how a horrific chapter in the chronology of a country ends.”
Hopefully, it is not too late to turn things around. For the sake of Israel, Israelis, Palestinians, Lebanese, and people in the entire region, it is time for a permanent ceasefire. There is no viable choice but to respect international law and establish peaceful coexistence in West Asia.
Gerry Chidiac specializes in languages and genocide studies and works with at-risk students. He received an award from the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre for excellence in teaching about the Holocaust.
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