War Without End: Is There A Better Way?
by Jonathan Kuttab
On Tuesday, Israel carried out an unprecedented attack on Lebanon consisting of simultaneous explosions in thousands of pagers across the country. This was followed on Wednesday by another wave of explosions involving mobile phones, two-way radios, and other electronics. Numerous civilian casualties are reported, including children. Israel followed with threats of additional attacks, and indeed on Thursday it carried out aerial attacks and seems to be planning a major ground invasion. Today, a major attack was carried out within a dense residential suburb of Beirut, targeting a Hezbollah commander but resulting in many civilian casualties. Israel said these and other measures will continue until it achieves its stated aim of “restoring peace to the northern front” and creates conditions that allow its population in northern towns and villages to return to their homes in safety and security.
Hezbollah, for its part, threatened retaliation, stating that a number of red lines had been crossed and that Israel had started an all out war on Lebanon. They also indicated that their supportive attacks in the North would continue until Israel ceases its attacks in Gaza, that military power will never achieve Israel’s stated goal of returning quiet and safety to the northern towns and villages. They promised revenge for the Israeli attacks.
The voices calling for violence, retaliation, and increasingly powerful military responses are being heard on all sides. Unrealistic goals are being offered as necessary aims to be pursued by military means at almost all costs. No one seems interested in “the things that make for peace” or in considering the possible outcome and the dangers of resorting to war, violence, and further escalation. Israelis, for their part, seem quite resigned to endless war, endless hostilities, and endless hatred.
Apart from the suspected calculations of Netanyahu–who apparently has a personal incentive to avoid ending the war and the possibility of being held accountable or even facing criminal prosecution–there also appears to be a widespread resignation in Israel to the current situation of never-ending hostility. The prevailing sentiment is that there is no alternative, that raw power and military might is the only path available for achieving Israel’s goals and that war must be pursued rigorously and thoroughly without restrictions, red lines, or hesitancy no matter what the cost.
In the past, Israel favored short yet massive campaigns that relied on its overwhelming military advantage to quickly achieve military victories, followed by periods of relative quiet such that life could resume “normally” until the next round of fighting. Israel’s economy, as well as the lifestyle of its population, necessitated that rounds of fighting be limited and as short as possible. There were some hopes that the Palestinians, or Arabs generally, would relinquish their demands and accept the dictates of Israel.
Many years ago, right-wing Zionist extremist Vladimir (Ze’ev) Jabotinsky and godfather of Israel’s ruling Likud party wrote in The Iron Wall (1923) that Arabs are unlikely to passively accept the Zionist project’s taking over their land and setting up a Jewish state. As such, he said that Zionists must erect conditions through the use of overwhelming military might in order to impose their will. Only when Arabs are convinced of Israel’s power and invincibility will peace be realized. It seems his thinking is now the dominant perspective in Israel among all the major Jewish parties. In this atmosphere, it is no surprise that the “peace groups” in Israel have shrunk in numbers and influence. The only arguments now are how best to apply military force. And, when military power fails to achieve the objectives set for it, Israelis double down and pursue even more massive and creative and powerful responses.
The sad thing is that this will only lead to further suffering, pain, destruction and hatred. As if the madness of the ongoing genocide in Gaza and the increasing outrages in the West Bank are not enough, we will be seeing further destruction and bloodshed in Lebanon and the North as well.
Those who care for Israel and Israelis need to tell them that violence is not the answer. They need to invest some of their brilliance, creativity and resources–of the type people are ascribing to the horrifying pager attack–in seeking other alternatives. As Christians, even those who are not pacifist and accept “just war” thinking, recognize: a) that war is at best a last resort and should only be used reluctantly after all other avenues have been tried and exhausted, and b) war must avoid civilian casualties and follow the laws of proportionality, etc., rather than automatically resort to a default position devoid of any restraints.
Apart from law and morality, logic must dictate that neither Palestinian Arabs nor Israeli Jews can eliminate the other party. 7 million Palestinian Arabs continue to live in historic Palestine, alongside 7 million Jewish Israelis. Without in any way implying any symmetry between the two parties or their respective claims and rights, we must think of solutions that address the needs of both sides, and we must reject any thinking that ignores the other side. Such thinking, however, requires a degree of empathy and rationality that may be in short supply amongst those immersed in the hostilities.
Interested outside parties like the United States, however, need to play an active role in promoting such alternative thinking. Supporters of Israel, as well as supporters of Palestine, need to become part of the solution rather than part of the problem. Those who call for more violence, resist calls for ceasefire, provide more weapons and guns, and disregard international law and accountability are not doing anyone any favors.
As followers of the Prince of Peace, we must be beacons of light who call for just peace to take root in the dark places of hatred, violence, bitterness and war.
This is the message sorely needed in the Middle East today.