The Politics Of Suffering, And A Reason To Hope
It is in our nature to fight over land, resources and identity, human populations also have the capacity to cooperate, forgive, and live in peace.
by Ben Cohen
Strongman leaders and terror groups do not emerge in stable times. When there is economic uncertainty, political turmoil or violent conflict, extremist characters emerge and promise to ail the grievances of their people. They feed off of fear and use suffering as political capital.
When it comes to the current crisis in Israel and Gaza, it is crucial to understand the currency of suffering, and why extremists use it to create never ending cycles of violence.
The creation of monsters
After decades of failed peace negotiations, occupation, and violence, the terror group Hamas emerged in the Palestinian territories. The militant Islamic political movement promised Palestinians it would provide basic services, fight their occupiers, and most importantly restore their dignity.
Hamas was elected into power in the Palestinian territories through democratic elections in January 2006. In June 2007, following internal Palestinian clashes and tensions, Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip, while Fatah retained control of the West Bank. Relations between Hamas and Israel have steadily deteriorated, with the latest eruption of violence severing any chance of a working partnership.
Hamas’s savage attack on Israeli civilians near the border with Gaza was meticulously planned on a number of levels. Firstly, the assault was logistically brilliant and took advantage of glaring holes in Israel’s intelligence and security services. Secondly, the gruesomeness of the killings was carefully considered and broadcast to the world for maximum exposure. Hamas wanted Israel and the rest of the world to understand that they have no interest in negotiating and no interest in peace. The cold blooded massacring of families including women, children, and babies was designed to increase Israeli suffering. They knew it would provoke a monstrous response from the Israeli government and thus unimaginable brutality for Palestinians. As the historian Timothy Synder writes:
In evaluating what Hamas has done, it is important to remember that the atrocious crimes are not (or are not only) ends in themselves. They are utterly horrible and deserving of every condemnation, but they are not mindless. Unlike Israelis, who are shocked and feel they must urgently act, Hamas has been working out this scenario for years. The people carrying out the bestial crimes follow a plan that anticipates an Israeli reaction.
Classically, a terrorist provokes a state in order to generate so much suffering among his own people that they will take the terrorist’s side indefinitely.
This dynamic plays itself out in Israeli politics too.
An opportunistic leader
While Benjamin Netanyahu is not a sadistic religious extremist, he shares many hallmarks of a strongman leader. Netanyahu is extremely intelligent, shameless, and utterly ruthless. He has ruled Israel by continually exacerbating tensions with the Palestinians and Israel’s neighboring countries. He has presided over massive settlement expansions in internationally recognized Palestinian territory and refused to negotiate with the Palestinians in good faith. President Obama for saw Netanyahu as being “in his own category” of disappointment when it came to making progress on a sensible peace settlement. Even Donald Trump recognized Netanyahu was not interested in ending the bloodshed. "I don't think Bibi ever wanted to make peace," told Barak Ravid.
Netanyahu has always been acutely aware that his popularity and power was dependent of the suffering of Israeli people. As long as Hamas fired rockets and committed acts of terror, he would remain relevant. So Netanyahu made sure there was no hope for Palestinians, creating the perfect conditions for Hamas to thrive. The more powerful Hamas became, the more powerful Netanyahu and the hardliners in his government became too.
Ending the cycle
This vicious cycle has remained undisturbed for too long. There have been no real efforts to make peace between Israel and the Palestinians since 2014, and the world is now watching the tragic ramifications of this neglect.
It has now become clear that the status quo is unsustainable. Hamas cannot rule Gaza, and Netanyahu and his government of proud neo fascists cannot rule Israel. And for that reason, even in the midsts of all of this tragedy, there is still reason to hope.
It is unlikely Hamas will survive the impending Israeli invasion of Gaza. The war will be long, brutal, and unimaginably costly in terms of both Israeli and Palestinian lives. Hamas is now dealing with one of the most advanced military forces on earth with an unshakable desire to destroy them. The leaders of Hamas appear to understand this and will no doubt be preparing to cause maximum damage on the way out. Their time is limited though, and this means an opportunity for Palestinians to have new leadership that does not use their suffering for currency.
After the war is fought, it is unlikely Netanyahu or the hardline right will survive in Israel either. There has been too much corruption and too much bloodshed. Israelis are furious with their government and may even demand change before the conflict in Gaza is over. New leadership brings in a new prospect for peace. The international community will also have a powerful incentive to create a just settlement because of how easily it would be to get drawn into another conflict — most diplomatic efforts right now are aimed at preventing the war from spreading, not preventing the war itself.
Never again
Israelis also must come to terms with what their government has done to the Palestinian people, that subjecting them to a brutal occupation isn’t just wrong, but catastrophic for their own chances of survival. As terrible as the Hamas attack was, it is not a license to commit grievous crimes against Palestinian civilians. Because more bloodshed done to Palestinians means more bloodshed done to Israelis.
While it is in our nature to fight over land, resources and identity, human populations also have the capacity to cooperate, forgive, and live in peace. It is hard to see how that might happen in the midst of war — particularly one this savage.
Only 80 years ago European nations went to war and slaughtered millions of people over ideology, land and resources. In the wake of that unimaginable cataclysm, a new Europe emerged that still exists today. There are still conflicts, but there is a shared understanding that the horrors seen in the 1940’s can never happen again. European governments are mostly stable, mostly moderate, and mostly wealthy. European societies are not immune to populist opportunists, but their pathways to power are not easy. If you visit France or Germany today, it is almost impossible to imagine how much blood was spilled on their land only two generations ago.
Perhaps one day visitors to Israel and Palestine might think the same.
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This is by far the best editorial I've seen on the conflict thus far, on any media platform. Most of the coverage seems too skewed to support one side or the other exclusively (the same way American politics is covered). In turn, I'm noticing what appears to be orchestrated social media campaigns aimed at stoking division on these shores -- where friends and family react in anguish to horrible comments other "people" made, such as those applauding the beheading of babies, that may or may not be from real social media accounts (actual human beings). Troll meme sharing ushers in the "comment commando" mentality where your contacts clutch their pearls and cast shame if you haven't shared the exact same memes they have -- "silence is violence!" I try not to fall for any of it. I know Bibi isn't holding back on military decisions until he knows my take on the issue. Complex problems need complex, well-thought solutions, not a deluge of memes and clickbait media coverage. Thank you for adding valuable information to the conversation.
“As terrible as the Hamas attack was, it is not a license to commit grievous crimes against Palestinian civilians. Because more bloodshed done to Palestinians means more bloodshed done to Israelis.”
And because, y’know, it’s *wrong*.
The practical cause/effect of more Palestinian bloodshed means more Israeli bloodshed should indeed give leaders pause. (Although it doesn’t figure appropriately high in their calculations. The desire for vengeance and power outweighs their desire for self-preservation.)
Unfortunately when passions run hot, and the flames are fanned by their power-hungry leaders, the practical cause/effect of targeting civilians means loss of the moral high ground and loss of international support also tends to be overlooked. Not just overlooked. Recognizing inhumanity becomes an observation many, too many, actively attack.