We are living during auspicious times that will one day be recorded in history books. This past year and a half will leave a historic and indelible mark on our nation, the Middle East, and the world.
Since the outbreak of the war, the hostage-ceasefire deal has sparked controversy across all sectors of the Israeli nation and globally, from the religious to the secular, Right and Left, as ongoing discussions and disputes surrounding it continue.
Meanwhile, the government’s responses, choices, and failures have incited rage in many people, leading to growing disillusionment with its policies and the ability to protect its citizens.
Primarily, many have questioned the timing and terms of the deal. If it was the only moral and obvious solution, why wasn’t it mediated earlier? We have lost many lives, both soldiers and hostages – some who were on earlier release lists – who could still be alive today had it been agreed to earlier. For bereaved families, this is a hard pill to swallow, which understandably fuels further anger toward the government.
Now, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is on trial and the state inquiry continues its probes into the failures of October 7, these questions are finally being addressed. But as talks persist regarding the relocation of Gazans and appointing new leadership over the region, phase two of the deal has come to a standstill, pouring further fuel on the fire.
As freed hostages continue revealing signs of life from those still held in captivity, it is clear that they are in mortal danger, and the situation is more urgent than ever. There is no time to wait. Hamas’s cruelty knows no bounds.
And as Ramadan is marked – a religious period often exploited by radicals to incite violence – tensions are high. Of course, our anger should primarily be directed at Hamas terrorists and their barbaric accomplices.
BUT SINCE the October 7 massacre, there has been a sense of escalating apprehension in terms of the prospects of peace and of coexistence between Israelis and Palestinians actually occurring. The victims, survivors, and captives of the kibbutzim brutally attacked along the Gaza border on October 7 mainly consisted of liberal, secular Israelis, who believed in and fought for coexistence, some even belonging to inter-community and peace-building associations.
A shattered worldview
October 7 shattered their worldviews and their entire perception of coexistence in an instant. The very people they had trusted and lived alongside betrayed them, leaking information to terrorists, who massacred and kidnapped their loved ones.
Among those brutally kidnapped by the very people they fought to protect include freed hostage Gadi Moses and murdered 83-year-old peace activist Oded Lifshitz. Freed hostage Naama Levy even had friends in Palestine, while Roni Krivoy, who managed to escape his captors, was recaptured by Gazan civilians.
As Mia Schem boldly stated after being released in late November 2023: “There are no innocent civilians in Gaza – not one.” This was made strikingly clear as we saw thousands of so-called innocent Palestinian civilians celebrating the kidnapping of hostages, handing out sweets, and bringing their children to watch the grotesque propaganda ceremonies of those released.
How do we tell the victims of horrors that defy human comprehension, or any Israeli, that peace or coexistence is possible? How can Israelis return home or even trust their neighbors? And most importantly: how do we move forward, bridge divides, and foster effective dialogue?
Even Israelis from the North are scared to return to their homes. A year and a half after October 7, my cousins from Shlomi are among the thousands of civilians who fear further barrages from Hezbollah on the Lebanese border.
UNDOUBTEDLY, it will take a long time to rebuild trust between both sides. There is no quick-fix solution. The violence isn’t going to stop. While this is a cynical outlook, this is the nature of antisemitism codified or legitimized under the guise of anti-Zionism.
Certainly, our government and the IDF have a responsibility to reinforce security measures and to hold each other accountable for their failures, resigning when necessary, as many have done. Expressing guilt is not enough. Enacting change requires accountability and action. New leadership may re-instill confidence in our country’s ability to defend itself.
But we, too, have a responsibility as individuals to put aside our differences and divisive ideologies, religiously and politically. We have enough enemies; let’s not turn on each other.
There is no right answer or victory here. We already lost on October 7. Now, we must bite the bullet and pay the price – the lives of 24 hostages are at stake. We have long passed expecting an “ideal” reality.
So, instead of fighting fruitlessly among ourselves, let us collectively rejoice in the release of our loved ones and mourn the lives tragically taken. Let’s focus on healing and repairing our nation as it navigates the daily emotional turmoil it endures. And instead of being victims of further terror, let’s empower ourselves by improving our self-defense efforts, holding onto faith, and coming together. Only when we are united will we be able to consider the prospects of peace and constructive dialogue with those willing to listen.
For it is this unity, resilience, perseverance, and resolve to never lose hope that ensures our continued survival and triumph of good over evil. As many Holocaust survivors have said: “Living is the ultimate revenge.”
Our nation is hurting deeply. The road ahead is long, and we may never fully heal. But amid our collective trauma, one thing I know for certain is that our nation’s faith and spirit – although tested daily – will prevail once again. I sincerely pray that justice is served and that the monsters responsible for our suffering face the consequences of their heinous actions.
The writer is a copy editor at The Jerusalem Post. She is a native of London, now living in Jerusalem.