I have a brilliant friend who answered a request for her views on the war between Israel and Hamas by noting that “the situation is nuanced.” While some might see this kind of response as being enigmatic, a “both sides” unwillingness to take a stand, or even a non answer, I understand the wisdom in her brief remark. Wars don’t tend to instantly begin. Instead they occur after years of disagreements between people, nations, ideologies. Study of the Middle East is a complex history dating so far back that it is often difficult to keep track of all of the issues that have plagued that part of the world. 

In truth the recent attack by Hamas was barbaric and sickening. It is impossible to see the images of bullet holes in baby carriages and bodies of innocents without feeling visceral anger. Since the attack Hamas officials have made it clear that the carnage was intentional. One of their leaders has appeared on Russian television boasting that Hamas has patiently and purposely lulled Israel into complasence with the goal of mounting this surprise attack. Little wonder that the people of Israel are more determined than ever to defend their nation, but the complexity of the situation is to be found in the reality of the history of the Gaza strip. Everyday Palestinians have suffered in crowded conditions, walled in on three sides and unable to leave without enduring a difficult and complex process of applying for the freedom to depart. The last election they had was in 2006, and since then they have in essence been human pawns in a geopolitical chess game in which they have had little voice but much misery. While there is no excuse for the bloodbath produced by Hamas terrorists, it is also true that innocents on both sides of the conflict will pay the horrific price of war.

Wars are political and more often than not produced by groups of individuals rather than the populace. In most cases ordinary men and women simply want to be left alone. They hope to live their lives in peace and harmony. Now both Israelis and Palestinians and are instead caught in the vortex of war, losing loved ones and any sense of security.

Evil lies in the ill conceived notion that might makes right and in the lust of power hungry strongmen who are unwilling to lose. Many such actors on the world stage are manipulating the current situation from afar. Hate and jealousy are the fuel for wars and those emotions have coursed throughout human history from the time that Cain murdered his brother Abel. 

I pray for the people of Israel and cannot imagine how they presently feel, but I also grieve for the horror that the innocent families living in the Gaza strip who have nowhere to go to escape the hell of war will no doubt endure. I admittedly feel naive in wishing that we might all just get along, because I have witnessed the dark side of humanity more often than I might wish. I have seen instances here in my own country that have made me weep. I find it difficult to understand why we have to fight with each other even as I admit that it happens all the time. 

History is filled with wars over borders, shifting alliances, human efforts to parcel peace one square foot at a time. As a modern world we believe that such disagreements should be brokered with reason rather than force, but there always seems to be some person or group or country that is unwilling to follow our rules of diplomacy. The dark side of human nature overcomes patience and willingness to compromise. So it is with the shocking nature of the attack on ordinary Israelis by the forces of Hamas.  

After the murder of George Floyd there were protests all across the United States. Most of them were peaceful but a few became violent and destructive. Emotions became unhinged. The result was loss of property and even loss of life. The eye for an eye response by only a handful of the protestors was not helpful. The message at times became lost in their acts of violence, resulting in an even greater rift rather than a solution for the very legitimate concerns of the vast majority of those who rallied to demonstrate their frustration. The trouble makers may have had very good reasons to be angry but they derailed a powerful movement that might have elicited needed changes had they not alienated much of the citizenry and opened themselves to being used for negative propaganda.

It always saddens me when we are unable to join in common efforts that cross borders, beliefs, and differences to peacefully broker solutions. Sometimes we manage to do so, but other times we seem to be mired in the concrete of our unwillingness to see, hear and understand other points of view. Right now our own country is broken by divisions and we would be wise to note that if we cannot begin to mend our own disagreements we might easily find ourselves in a chronic state of chaos. 

At a time when we should be coming together to defend freedoms everywhere we are hurling insults at each other and weakening the bonds that we should feel with our fellow citizens. We know full well that the “Cains” among us are fomenting hate and distrust. They are labeling each of us as though we are not unique. They are turning refugees into criminals and fomenting fears that only lead to unreasonable anger. If we learn anything from the situation in Israel it should be that our best pathway is the one of inclusion of the many voices that comprise our nation without the hatred that sometimes taints our willingness to get along. We can certainly root out evil doers. We know they exist, but we would do well to avoid the lazy temptation to see everyone as either a hero or a villain. We should understand that life is much more nuanced than that. 

I pray for peace in our world and in our nation. The times are tumultuous and may get worse before they get better. Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me. Pray for the innocents across the globe who are victims of war.