Israeli Lives Matter
And yes, they love their children too.
There is no monopoly on common sense
On either side of the political fence
We share the same biology, regardless of ideology
Believe me when I say to you
I hope the Russians love their children too
Lyrics: Sting.
Some of you might hate this column already, that title - a red rag to a bull. You might be thinking - seriously? Are you trying to antagonise people, looking for trouble?
Well, truth is I kind of like trouble. But no, that’s not why I chose that headline. It wasn’t to piss people off.
I chose it because it’s true, and yes, the similarity with that awful White Lives Matter denial of black lives did come to mind. I really hope it’s unnecessary to add that I sure as heck didn’t say it to in any way imply that Palestinian Lives don’t matter or should not be the major focus in the current conflict.
But I decided to say it, and I’ll say it again - Israeli Lives Matter - because they do. And if we get to the stage where we decide some lives matter and some don’t, then, well, we know what happens, we’ve seen it before, and we continue with more of the same.
Truth is, there have been times over the last year when I’ve thought - just shut up about the Israeli hostages already.
It seemed grotesque to put so much emphasis on them when so many more Palestinians were being slaughtered every day. By a barbaric regime operating beyond the realms of what the international community would stand for, pretty much anywhere else in the world.
But the lives of those hostages and the young people attending the music festival on that awful day nearly a year ago do matter.
If we go down the road of not seeing one side as being as deserving as human, even if they are from the nation of the oppressing army, then, well - that is how we get to where we are.
An eye for an eye never stops, even if it is ten eyes or a hundred eyes - the original single eye is equally blind, and nothing will change that. No amount of revenge will return that sight or these lives.
As you might recall, Sting wrote a song during the Cold War about the dehumanisation of the enemy in which he asked whether the Russians loved their children, too.
A rhetorical question, of course, and despite the representation of their government and nation as monstrous enemies, anyone who could see beyond that propaganda knew that the people were just the same as us. They had the same hopes and dreams for their children.
So it is with Israel. The Israeli government and military are guilty of horrific war crimes, and those involved should be severely punished. I’m not generally one for capital punishment, but such is the scale of his crimes and the blood on his hands, you could make a case for that with Netanyahu. At the very minimum, he should be locked up permanently.
But the people? The parents of the hostages or those so barbarically murdered on October 7th? We know their hearts scream in agony at the death of their children, just as those of the Palestinian parents holding the lifeless body of a child they have poured every ounce of love into.
“Grieving and angry Israelis surged into the streets after six more hostages were found dead in Gaza, chanting ‘Now! Now!’ as they demanded that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reach a cease-fire with Hamas to bring the remaining captives home” - 1 News.
Another reason that I’m writing this today is that I’m concerned by anti-semitism. Not the fake accusations of anti-semitism that come whenever someone criticises Israel’s actions in Gaza, but real hatred towards Jewish people. That didn’t go away, and let’s be honest, it has no doubt, to some, become more acceptable.
The Holocaust, the deliberate systematic extermination of the Jewish people, within living memory, cannot be used as an excuse for the Israeli state to commit similar crimes against another group. It must not mean getting out of jail free - the bearer of this card may undertake one genocide without repercussion.
But neither can we forget. That the dehumanisation of other people, be it done by the Nazis or the Israeli State, and the consequences that then embolden and enable, cannot be solved by also dehumanising that group. Yes, the ideology, yes the government and decision makers, but not the population. Many of whom are as opposed to those actions as anyone is.
“‘I’m crying the cry of humanity,” said one protester who gave his name as Amos as thousands, some of them weeping, gathered outside Netanyahu's office in Jerusalem” - 1 News.
On Sunday night, tens of thousands of Israelis took to the streets in protest, with a general strike called. In Tel Aviv, that beautiful modern city, as many as 100,000 people protested, demanding a ceasefire.
Enormous protests on any scale, and the most likely source of pressure, given the cowardice and complicity of the US and other nations, that may result in an end to the killing.
Tonight, NZ time, much of Israel will grind to a halt with government offices, schools, and some private businesses closing.
The problem is Netanyahu. Yes, no doubt some Israelis support his brutal campaign, but I’m sure most wish to live in peace and are protesting because it cannot be achieved by continuing with the current barbarity.
A fact that should have been clear all along, and there has been ample opportunity to avoid these latest deaths.
You cannot achieve peace through more killing. For every child taken another will take up the fight. Perpetual conflict might be convenient for politicians like Netanyahu but it is not what the people want.
I leave you with one awful thought. If these protests do not result in peace they will certainly do one thing, by their size and fierce opposition to Netanyahu, and that is they will encourage Hamas to kill more hostages.
The responsibility for that will rest with the one man who can choose to continue the killing or to stop it.
I’ve chosen to keep this entire article paywalled because I don’t want people reading part of it and getting the wrong idea from the opening paragraphs. If it’s liked a lot I’ll open it up to all, but I’d prefer people read it in full or not at all, if that makes sense.
Time for a song. Here Sting talks of playing this song for the first time in many years because it became relevant again with the conflict in Ukraine. It’s just as relevant in Israel and Gaza where we would do well to remember that they most certainly love their children too.
Such a brave and poignant post Nick. And thank you for the Sting song. The blood is on the hands of Netanyahu. Yep we can protest US's involvement and supply of weapons, we can yell Genocide, but in the end, Netanyahu and his war mongering generals are the ones who decide the bombing and the tactics which have killed more children and babies. I really hope the strike has an effect. It is for Israeli citizens to get rid of this right wing monster, as only they can. I share their grief.
Thanks Nick for reminding us that a large percentage of the Israeli population are decent and loving people who do not approve of Netanyahu's war on largely innocent Palestinians ( some of his sidekicks are infinitely more brutal than he is, demanding the annihilation of all Palestinians, even to the extent of nuking them ). The same can be said for the vast majority of Palestinians. Loving and peaceful people.
However I'm not sure about a statement near the end of todays piece where you say " will encourage Hamas to kill more hostages ". Do we know this to be true. I would wager that most hostages, whose bodies have been found, have been killed by the IDF rocket attacks that are so very devastating. Certainly that is what comes from Netanyahu and often even our media slant heavily toward Israel and against Hamas - we just don't know. We do know however that so many lies come from Netanyahu and his government that anything they say is likely fabricated propaganda.