The Simplest Way to Stop an Unnecessary Never-Ending War
Imagine a slaughterhouse that operates full-time. Animals are killed 24/7. Living creatures are turned into canned meat. Blood is spilled like ketchup in McDonalds. What is the best way to close the business? Obviously, to stop delivering animals to the premises. Without supply – even the best machinery is unable to function. So simple.
Gaza is currently the largest slaughterhouse in the world. Palestinians are killed at a pace of dozens per day. So far, over sixty-three-thousand people died, of whom over three-hundred-fifty starved to death. Over one-hundred-sixty-thousand were injured. More than ninety percent of the buildings in the Gaza strip have been damaged to some extent, mostly beyond repair. The majority of the population has been displaced and live in refugee tents. Food is in scarce. Water is sold in tiny nylon bags because of the shortage. Israel loudly proclaims that there is no humanitarian crisis in Gaza and says that the figures published by the Palestinians constitute a gross over estimation, but issues no contradicting numbers, or evidence why the Palestinian numbers are grossly over-estimated, or explanation why destroying houses of over two million people is a reasonable act in order to find few criminals who once revolted.
Many Israelis, quite likely even the majority, are in peace with the situation, which is an unfortunate fact, however, not everyone. Thousands upon thousands are demonstrating weekly against the war. Flags are held; highways are blocked with bonfires; cars are burned. This protest is very impressive but also completely ineffective. The demonstrators lack the finishing leg, which is weird at first glance, since a much simpler and far more effective way of resisting the war is not joining in. One need not even officially refuse. It is enough to ask to see a doctor or a psychiatrist, when you get a draft notice or a reserve call-up order. Even tough commanders won’t take soldiers with zero motivation and negative intentions. Again, so simple.
The entrenched belief among the vast majority of Israelis that we must fight when we are called to do so by the government, a modern variation of the biblical “We shall listen and do”, becomes a deadly trap when the government conceives war an inherent part of life. Hypothetical threats are pumped way and beyond to nurture fear and discipline. I am not saying here that Hamas are in fact a bunch of saints, but this does not mean that we should dedicate our life, fortune, and blood to a limitless vendetta.
I will probably not convince those who think that a never ending war with astronomical cost in money (over 300 million shekels so far – nearly half of the government’s annual budget) and human life is the right thing to do to change their mind, but I do hope that those who think otherwise will lose the fear at some point and stop participating in the vicious carnival orchestrated by Netanyahu. The sooner – the better, since an authoritarian government is unlikely to take anything that does not directly affect its capability to send people to die in an unnecessary battle into consideration. No flotilla, or demonstration, or even international sanction is as effective as IDF soldiers who say that they are too sick to fight.
