Terrorism is not defeated with more terrorism

Terrorism is not defeated with more terrorism. This principle does not deny the right for self-defense after an act of aggression, but does deny any self-righteous response of vengeance inflicting cruelty on the aggressor. The goal of a just world is to restore right human relations in a spirit of goodwill, not to further aggravate conflicts.

To this end, nations must take decisive steps to work together to identify and confront global terrorist threats before they spiral out of control. International cooperation must be carried out with transparency, respect for human rights, and an understanding that only one culture is superior to all others: the culture of nonviolence over violence, including structural violence.

Roger Cohen, the NYT-Paris bureau chief, has dedicated an impressive 33 years to The Times, contributing as a foreign correspondent, editor, and Opinion columnist. His assessment of the current Hamas-Israel War does not justify the deplorable, premeditated terrorist attack of Hamas against defenseless civilian population in southern Israel, but puts it in historical perspective.

In summary, Cohen describes how the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has escalated, resulting in a significant invasion of Israeli territory by Hamas forces – the most extensive in decades. This situation has delivered a severe psychological shock to Israel, prompting questions about its army, intelligence services, government, and its ability to manage the Palestinian population within its borders. The war, initiated by a Hamas assault that has claimed up to 700 Israeli lives, is not perceived as a fight for the state’s survival like the wars in 1948 and 1973, but has nonetheless provoked deep-seated fear. Israelis are reportedly shaken, expressing outrage at both Hamas and their own political and military leadership for allowing this situation to unfold. Critics argue that a country as powerful as Israel should have been able to prevent such events, particularly 75 years after its creation. The government is accused of failing in its primary duty: protecting its citizens’ lives.

According to Danny Yatom, a former head of Mossad, the Israeli intelligence agency, the longer-term test for Israel lies in its ability to manage its relationship with the Palestinians. He argues that Israel’s security cannot be solely military; it must also address the political and humanitarian aspects of the Palestinian issue. He suggests that until there is a political solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Israel will continue to face challenges like the recent attack by Hama.

Diana Buttu, a Palestinian lawyer living in Haifa, asserts that the failure lies in Israel’s inability to recognize the rights of Palestinians. She highlights that Israel’s focus on maintaining control and suppressing Palestinian resistance, instead of addressing the root causes of the conflict, is a fundamental issue. Buttu suggests that until Israel acknowledges the rights and demands of Palestinians, peace will remain elusive.

The only way to build lasting peace is for all sides to come together at the negotiating table with open minds, ready to compromise and move forward in a spirit of understanding and mutual respect, unlike what the corrupt Abraham Accords pretend to accomplish disrespecting the Palestinian plight. Only then can we put an end to this cycle of violence and create a more just world for all. However, the veto-infested Security Council of the United Nations has failed to provide such negotiating table and to enforce international law. Therefore, an arms race has ensued to impose by military force what reasonable compromises could solve.

Israel’s control over more than 2.6 million Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and its grip on Gaza, where another estimated 2.1 million Palestinians live, could be described as institutionalized bloodshed. In August, Israeli forces launched a three-day offensive on the occupied Gaza Strip, during which, according to Amnesty International, war crimes were allegedly committed.

Despite the initial unlawful occupation of Palestine by Zionist forces, a mistake of the United Nations called out by the planetary spiritual Hierarchy,

a two-state partition is the only nonviolent option remaining on the negotiating table for a permanent solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The United States must relinquish its role as an advocate of Zionism and join — on equal footing — an international initiative to address the conflict in a balanced way, with justice for all sides. And no, a complete siege of Gaza is not a solution to the conflict. Such a short-sighted response would probably escalate the violence, creating a humanitarian crisis of genocidal proportions. Indeed, terrorism is not defeated with more terrorism.

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