Vivian Silver, ”a 74-year-old Canadian Israeli peace activist, had vanished from her duplex in Kibbutz Beeri” on Oct 7 and is now one of the 242 hostages held by Hamas following their savage assault on Israel that killed 1,400 men women and children. “Israel war peace activist sons”
Israelis were and are divided over how Israel should respond to this attack. As of this writing (Nov 8) Israel’s bombing and ground attacks have killed over 10,000 Palestinians over half of them women and children. This ratio of Palestinians killed to Israelis killed (10 to 1.4) is about the same as the average over the last 50 years.
Israel’s savage attack on the people of Gaza was, in the words of Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu, “revenge”. “Defending Israel” But at a meeting in Jerusalem of hostage families, including Vivian’s two sons, Eli Cohen, the country’s foreign minister claimed that “Military pressure… would give Israel leverage in a hostage negotiation.”
Yonatan Zeigen, one of Vivian’s two sons, “believed that a ground invasion was not just bad strategy — it was immoral. It was a line Vivian might have said.”
Some days later while visiting the ruined remains of his mother’s home a solder leading a military tour of the ruins asked Yonatan: “’What do you think needs to be done about the hostages?’ And maybe it was because of where they stood, a few feet from his mother’s bedroom. Or because he was tired of trying to veil his opinions. This time, he made the moral argument.
“‘A cease-fire to save them,’ Yonatan replied.
“’Because the fighting puts them at risk?’ the soldier asked.
“’Yes, and I don’t think it’s the right thing to do.’
“’You don’t think it’s right to kill the terrorists?’
“’I think first we need to focus on the kidnapped people, and then make a major shift, and that will not come from war but from peace.’”
All of the above quotes are from the Washington Post article linked above. I recommend that you read it. I quote it at length to emphasize that every war casualty is an actual person with families and loved one impacted by their tragedy and that Israeli public opinion is very divided.
Hamas’ attack on Oct 7 was vicious and must be thoroughly condemned. Anger is a natural and understandable reaction, but it is not wise to determine how Israel can best protect itself from such atrocities in the future out of anger. Revenge is for foolish children. “Israel’s war in Gaza and Genocide” “Palestinian citizens Gaza war enemies”
Why did Hamas do what they did? Asking that question and seeking honest answers is not to forgive their atrocities but is necessary input to the development of a reaction that serves Israel best long run interest (which is living peacefully with its neighbors). We need to know and face up to Israel’s history of brutal treatment of the Palestinians they drove off their land to create Israel and those that continue to live in the so called West Bank and Gaza Strip. “Palestine Israel in perspective”
The brutal treatment of the Jews over their long history is well known and must not be forgotten either.
During one of my first visits to Israel to help implement the Oslo Accords provision for a Palestine Monetary Authority, I was driven by a very lovely estate in East Jerusalem by one of my Palestinian counterparts. She said: “that was my home and the home of my ancestors until the Jews drove us out. But I have given up demanding my ‘right of return’.” In 1948, Israeli forces drove an estimated 750,000 Palestinians out of their homes during the creation of Israel. In 1948, Israeli forces drove 750,000 Palestinians out in the Nakba – The Washington Post The illegal Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank aim to complete the job. “Amid the mourning Israel’s settlement enterprise celebrates a great victory”
Israel will not enjoy, and flourish in, peace until it establishes just relations with its Palestinian neighbors. But the necessary two state solution outlined in the Oslo Accords is hampered by an incompetent Palestine Authority. I don’t generally favor excessive American interference in other countries affairs, but we must stop allowing Israel’s illegal settlements and their mistreatment of Palestinians and must more actively promote an effective and honest Palestinian government. We have the financial and other leverage to do so.
Dominique De Villepin, former Prime Minister of France, makes similar points that are well worth reading: “Dominique de Villepin-on-the-conflict-in-Palestine”
Warren's space 
If the Palestinians and surrounding Arab countries had been willing to accept and work within the UN partition resolution of 1947, most if not all that has happened since 1948 need not have happened.
Whatever brutality and unethical conduct by the Israelis since 1948 and especially since 1967, the fact remains that the Palestinians have been much more dogmatic and intransigent in working out a two-state solution. That the Israeli settlements in the West Bank has made such a solution more difficult, does not change the longer-run factors on the Palestinian side that have created the historical situation.
The unanswered question remains: what should Israel have done after October 7th? Hamas has as its foundation principle the destruction and elimination of Israel. A few pin-prick targeting responses would have left Hamas in place, its forces and infrastructure intact, to plan another attack at some point.
I do not defend the massive loss of life in Gaza. But if not the current Israeli response, then what, as a realistic course of action? And one that might eliminate the Hamas threat and move closer to a sustainable peace.
Exterminating the 2.1 million residence of Gaza (no food, water or power and thousands of bombs) will not eliminate Hamas. Efforts at “final solutions” have never worked. Real lasting solutions are possible but take more wisdom and patience.
I just finished reading a piece in “The New Yorker” online about the abuse, brutality, threats and violence Palestinians on the West Bank and Israelis who question the military and political actions in Gaza are suffering.
Outrageous, indefensible, unjust, and threats to preservation of any type of open society in Israel, and cruelly counter-productive to any long-term solution to the entire situation with the Palestinians.
But, I still ask, what should have been Israel’s reaction to the events of October 7th? What would have been an appropriate “ proportional response” that would not have left Hamas in a situation to do it again? What would or could have been a way of “teaching a lesson” to Hamas?
I am asking this as a serious question.
My own answer to your very important and difficult question would be in the short term for Israel to negotiate with Hamas via Qatar over the release of the hostages, pursue Hamas leadership as they would any other terrorist group and negotiate a serious two state agreement with the PA and make it work (e.g., remove all settlements, etc.)
Warren, I am glad to see some very rational and moderate views in this pod. Certainly encouraging. And from my three trips with Barney to Israel and Gaza, I did meet an incredible universe of peoples and heard their views. They just want to prosper and grow in peace with their Arab neighbors.
Under Bibi Netanyahu, the dream of colocating two countries (to cousins) one next to the other will not be a reality. He drives on this discontent to be reelected by the conservatives jews and expand into Gaza. As time passes by, and as Israeli military scales the attacks on Hamas, the hope to get any and all hostages unscathed decreases. Sad moment.
I feel sad for the hostages – specially the youngsters. I am sad for the Palestinians, and I am sad for half of the Israeli people who do not want Israel military entering Gaza.
As a US citizen who was born in Colombian and has seen warfare for decades, I never understood when President Santos sat to negotiate peace with two of the hard core rebel cells in Colombia and forgave them. The peace treaty far rom being the end of all problems has certainly brought peace of mind and growth in Colombia. Not without criticism. In 2016, Her majesty, Queen Elisabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh (RIP) offered Santos a banquet in which she alluded about being brave to forgive the trespasses of a few in order to reunite the countries. Just like she had to do when her cousin was assassinated by the IRA.
Unfortunately, the US is in the middle of this crisis as well. And it makes it more difficult and complex as we do have many regimes that dislike our system.
I pray, but have no hope for this situation.
Thanks for the example of Columbia. Every rebel/terrorist group has reasons for their rebellion. They might be good or bad but it is not wise not to know them. The net benefit of a few compromises can be large.
Indeed. Some peace talks take 2000 years. Others 600 years. But there is no short road.
A friendly reminder the name is NOT Col”u”mbia; you should know better after 50 years working at the IMF. If you forgot, the name is Col”o”mbia.