No matter how much we see, we are never satisfied. No matter how much we hear, we are not content.
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The weight of the sky doesn’t stop the hands from turning, nor does it change our path. We only move forward, even to our doom.
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We consider harming others wrong because we subjectively experience certain conscious states as inherently undesirable, motivating us to avoid replicating such states in other minds we recognize as having subjective experience. The less we appreciate subjective experience itself, the more likely we are to disregard the ethical injunction against harmfully impacting other genuine subjects of experience.
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Discussing the conflict in Israel with clarity is challenging. But a logical ordering of factors must be acknowledged. While multiple truths can coexist, when it comes to terrorist groups responding to the imperialistic or expansionary actions of oppressive states, judgments should be prioritized as follows:
(a) Occupying nations and depriving them of autonomy and basic rights invariably leads to terroristic blowback.
(b) When such blowback occurs, the terrorists are culpable and must face justice. However, laying the blame solely on them doesn't address the root issue.
(c) Attempts to solve the problem through invasion or collective punishment often result in civilian casualties. These attempts fail to address the core issue and provide terrorist groups with the desperation they need to recruit and thrive.
We can see how this framework applies to numerous historical contexts. Take, for instance, France's colonial rule over Algeria, culminating in the Algerian War from 1954-1962. The National Liberation Front (FLN) engaged in terrorist attacks, including bombings targeting civilians. France responded with torture and extrajudicial killings, causing tens of thousands of civilian deaths but failing to stop the nationalist movement. Similarly, in the 1980s, U.S.-backed Contras in Nicaragua committed terrorism against civilians to overthrow the Sandinista government. Despite evidence of human rights abuses, the U.S. continued support, resulting in an estimated 30,000 deaths, mostly civilians, without achieving the Contras' aims. Finally, during the Sri Lankan Civil War from 1983-2009, the Tamil Tigers used suicide bombings in response to government oppression. The Sri Lankan military retaliated with indiscriminate shelling and aerial bombardments, killing tens of thousands of civilians without addressing core grievances. In each case, a state's oppressive actions created desperation and chaos that allowed terrorists to thrive by recruiting people made susceptible to extremist ideologies. The subsequent retaliation not only led to more civilian deaths but also compounded the underlying issues rather than resolving them.
And there's no reason why Israel's occupation should be analyzed differently. In the vast majority of cases, judgments should be made based on the following prioritized set of basic facts:
(a) Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories and deprivation of Palestinian autonomy and basic rights lead to violent backlash.
(b) When such backlash occurs, the terrorists are culpable and must face justice. However, attributing the blame solely to them overlooks the profound desperation engendered by the occupation and systemic deprivation of autonomy afflicting the Palestinian people.
(c) Israel's attempts to solve the problem through military incursions into Gaza and collective punishment often result in more civilian casualties than the terrorist acts they are retaliating against. These attempts fail to address the core issue and provide groups like Hamas with the desperation they need to recruit and thrive.
Not supporting the Israeli government's military agenda doesn't equate to condoning the murder of innocent Israeli civilians. Similarly, advocating for more autonomy for Palestinians shouldn't be misconstrued as support for Hamas's terrorist actions. The acts of terrorism committed by Hamas are unequivocally condemnable. However, the Israeli government's response—specifically, the cutting off of essential services like food, electricity, and water, followed by brutal collective punishment—serves as yet another example of the Israeli military's brutal and ineffective treatment of Palestinians. This strategy not only punishes innocent civilians but also perpetuates the cycle of conflict. It thereby fuels a cycle of desperation and violence that ultimately provides extremist groups like Hamas with more political leverage.
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