Take Two, Three, Reconciling Identities – and Peoples

Take Two, or Three, and Reconciling Identities – and Peoples

At least between the lines, and maybe line by line, as I have written about the evil and the injustices of this war, I allude to an ultimate need to come to terms with Israel’s actions. The implications are alarming, for the collective identity of Israelis – in this case, particularly Jewish citizens of Israel and for the collective identity of Jews, if these collectives matter. Yet, these implications are only for the best if the collectives want a sustainable identity identified with values of life, freedom, and other things needed for fixing this world – the proverbial tikkun olam.

Yes, despite the monstrous and barbaric attacks to which Israel was subjected by Hamas, and Israel’s right to defense, and to bring home all hostages, there are reprehensible acts of war for which we cannot escape accountability – the accountability of the government of Israel. Accountability for things we know were done, and things we can be sure were hidden from the public eye.

On occasion, I salt and pepper my thoughts with concerns for the post-trauma awaiting our society. On occasion, I speckle my thoughts with hot peppered worry about soldiers in particular. Will they take pride and comfort in what they did to defend their country? Surely, many will be haunted by horror memories of explosions and lives of others ended in front of their eyes, while they face guilt syndromes that notoriously affect survivors. I guess mostly I wonder how many will ask questions in retrospect about the strata of justification, strategies, tactics, and especially policy. Society-at-large will not escape this either.

Last night, we watched the first of three episodes of a new Israeli television documentary, “Gaza Syndrome.” The ongoing cycle of violence and brutality in relations between Gazans and Israelis – each attacking the other – resonates. Moments of seeming reprieve are framed by various public figures over the years recognizing that in the best of moments the occupying force and its people are patronizing because that’s the inevitable truth of occupation, when that was the status of things.

One older Israeli in the documentary recalled his experiences in Gaza describing an incident, noting he thought – past tense – that Israel’s actions were justified, that a transfer of populations was appropriate under a given set of circumstances. Past tense foreshadowed his later realization, his analysis: Israel’s actions could not be justified.

The sadness of the realization, but realization. How many realize and how late? How painfully? I only know realization is essential. Then we can struggle with it. I presume it cannot be resolved. The inexcusable cannot be resolved, regardless of one’s personal role if we speak of collective identity. But if we speak of collective identity, only realization, recognition, will enable us heal, recover, enable us to truly expect our enemy to take responsibility for his actions. That must be the way to the reconciliation required to end all wars.

• Harriet Gimpel, February 9, 2025