Two Holocausts will be on thinkable; especially to a world that is laying claim to any level of civilization. Human life is human life, none is superior; whether Israelis or Palestinian; Arab or Jew, French or Nigerien, White or black..
Ali Elias
What really were the Hamas thinking when they went to attack Israel, killing and kidnapping both civilians and their military men? That Israel would fold their arms and begin to beg them? It seems that Hamas did not properly think through what they were going to do.
Much as the conditions and position of the Palestinians are understandable, they should have x-rayed in depth the Temper of the Israelis vis-a-vis their strength
Israel is not Nigeria where we have the luxury of a large geographic space and time. As such we keep living under the mistaken illusion that whatever happens or whatever we do Nigeria will continue to exist. This is why we can pay ransom, at different levels of governance, to terrorists; bargain with bandits who are no less terrorists; trivialize and reward criminality under the guise of rehabilitating those who have committed heinous attack on our nationhood; pay deaf attention to those clamoring for self-determination. And so the blues continues -an unwieldy country with all sorts of distortions.
Not so with Israel. Absolutely.
Israel is a nation that has learnt from their past history, again unlike Nigeria, and is determined to do whatever is possible to defend their presents and ensure that their future is assured.
Some years ago a friend was visited by armed robbers in his home. They ordered him to back the wall with a gun pointing at his face. He realized at that moment that it was a game of life and death; so he had the wisdom not to interfere with their wishes. After they left me, unharmed, he became very edgy, afraid even more than when the robbers were facing him.
The event traumatized him, that for weeks and months even till today, he does not leave the least of his security concern to chance.
The state of Israel, one could say from their past and present, is like a traumatized individual. As a nation, edgy. They, like the boys scout, are ever ready to swing into action in defence of their nation against any act, trivial or otherwise. Their national survival instinct is at the peak. Which country wouldn’t be except those which do not value their nationhood?
Israel is surrounded by Islamic countries. The threat of bullying, intimidation, jihad, is real, beyond mere act of imagination. They can only ignore this reality to their own peril. So according it any percentage of chance is out of Israel’s national State psychology.
Couple the foregoing with the issues surrounding their settlement in the area they now call the land of Israel, it is not lost on them that the Palestinians and other Arab neighbours still consider them as an usurper and could try anything anytime to regain their land.
Then the big one, the Holocaust of WW2, in which more than 2 million Jews were exterminated in the gas chamber. It was, so to say, meant to wipe out the entire Jewish nation. But today they have survived and regrouped as a nation. If you are in their shoe, would you wipe away that sort of history in your memory and lay bare yourself to the world?
No!
Again, in my secondary school days we read a little literature book, Eze goes to school. In the book was mentioned a place with the name, “Kobonka Naka”. It’s been decades now so I don’t know if I got the spelling right. We were told that the name of the town means a place where everyone holds himself in a state of readiness.
Israel is a contemporary reality of kabonka naka, the nation that is permanently under a state of readiness to face any challenge. This is the survival instinct drilled into Itscitizens’ individual consciousness.
Further, it is not a hidden secret that Israel has the backing of the advanced Western countries, partly as a way of ensuring the growing and survival of democracy in that part of the world, and partly out of the bid to make sure that nothing like the Holocaust against the Jewish people would ever happen again. So Hamas should have had the wisdom of restraint over their action, even if in consideration of the consequences Israeli retaliation and action would occasion on their own people, the Palestinians.
Hamas should have given these a second thought before carrying out that orchestrated terrorist act of October 8 in Israel against military and the hapless civilian population. This, on the face of it, is quite condemnable.
The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has seriously in defence of their actions in the current war on Gaza, said “the faith of our state is on the line”, he sees the war as “a do or die”, while maintaining that the war would change many things in the region, “the fate of Israel is on the line”. In effect, the war will irrevocably underscore Israel’s right to existence in the region.
This position was restated by the Isreali Ambassador to Pakistan, Eli Vered Hazan, “this fight is about the existence of Israel. I call it personally, our second independence war and we must win”
Israel’s resolve is clear. Their message is clear. And their strength is clear.
Perhaps the most common thing for Hamas to do is to back down on this war, which is tilting heavily against its own People. The casualty, destruction, and suffering, are too much on the side of the Palestine people. One cannot imagine how they would fare after the war even at this stage, considering the fact that they were dependent on aids for survival even before this war carnage.
Israel also should understand that it would be glorious for them to run away at this point with their victory, before it turns pyrrhic. The retaliation has been resounding and their point made once more.
They, Israel, should understand that just as they have the right to exist so do the Palestinians. Only a person who has suffered a pain can understand what it means to be afflicted with such. Israel (Jews) has suffered a Holocaust, which till today is standing as a sore thumb against the civilized world. They should understand the pain and trauma on other people and pull of their war tanks, for the sake of humanity and common brotherhood.
All sides should call for restraint so that a peaceful resolution could be reached. For me a two-state solution is apt.
It is understood from some trending videos on social media, that this solution has been proffered before and was accepted Israeli on many occasions but Hamas rejected it the many times it was presented. Now that it is clear that the two sides must exist, and side by side, the Palestinians have to reconsider their stand on the issue; just as the Israelis have to reconsider their avowed march of anger.
Two Holocausts will be on thinkable; especially to a world that is laying claim to any level of civilization. Human life is human life, none is superior; whether Israelis or Palestinian; Arab or Jew, French or Nigerien, White or black….
Written by Ali Elias.