First, thank you for answers my questions in such depth. I feel honored, truly.
Everything you wrote is what I probably thought pre 10/7. Something snapped for me then. We cannot change the evils that others do. We can only restrain our own desire for revenge, which is an evil. More so, we must protect children where we can (whoever they are).
Trying to deal with my shock I have been revisiting my thinking--again, the stuff you wrote which I believed. Then I found parts of history that I didn't know, which I felt were obscured by Zionist propaganda. I learned (or believe) the IDF shot at Hamas trying to take hostages across the border--probably killing Israelis in the process. Anyway, I'm a mess.
This is deeply, deeply upsetting for me (and I know for you, all). The first thing I argued to anyone who listened after 10/7 is Netanyahu MUST be removed from power. Why? Why didn't Jews do whatever they could to stop the invasion--at least NOT under him. I won't go into my arguments about why Israel should have put off the invasion. I'll only point out the U.N. estimate is now at around 10,000 women and children. If true, and it grows, how can any Jew in the next 70 years excuse that? Jews will be like Germans, blamed for generations for a slaughter of innocents. I want to scream from the rooftop. This is happening...now. There will be no walking it back.
I understand little of that has much to do with the answer to my thoughts. I know you are as upset about this stuff as I am. But as you say, you were part of the birth of Israel. I believe it will take you longer to see through all this to that simple fact. Jews, accused through history of drinking the blood of babies, and killed them right out in the open. It does not matter if Hamas took the photo or the IDF dropped leaflets. Dead babies are dead babies. Even if it were a dozen it would be atrocious. I can't wrap my head around this.
Again, thanks for the answers. All the great stuff you've said about Israel I love. But I feel like I'm a Berliner hearing about Kristallnacht. I just can't process what's happening.
