Speakable and Unspeakable

In April 2022, I wrote an article titled “The Unspeakable.” It was about sexual violence — mass rape, etc. I have written about it a lot over the years: when writing about Sudan, Burma, the DRC, and various other countries. In that April 2022 article, I was writing about Ukraine. Russian forces have committed mass rape, in addition to mass murder, mass deportation, etc.

Here is an article to note: “Israeli Women Fight to Break Global Silence on Hamas’ Sexual Violence.”

• Israel’s defense minister, Yoav Gallant, said, “When the war is over, there will be no terror organization called ‘Hamas.’” Good. May it be so.

• In my view, one should not dwell on horror — but one should be aware of it. Merely aware of it.

https://twitter.com/YosephHaddad/status/1722316575858913673?s=20

• Routinely, people denounce the Israelis as “occupiers.” Cornel West gave a stemwinder the other day. If you can, you might want to ask the denouncers, “What are the Israelis occupying?” The answers are apt to be interesting. In the main, the denouncers object to the existence of Israel, period.

A week or two ago, I wrote that Israel provoked its enemies merely by existing. That is how Ukraine provoked Putin: by existing. (No matter what his apologists tell you.) A critic of mine wrote, “The Israelis are occupying the West Bank! That’s provoking the Palestinians!” Oh? Until the Six Day War, Jordan occupied the West Bank. What provoked Israel’s enemies before then?

If people thought — if only they would consent to think — we could have better conversations.

Often, Israel’s enemies and critics speak of “Palestinian lands.” If you can, ask them what those “lands” are. You may find that, pretty quickly, you’re in “From the river to the sea!” territory.

Take it from an old, slightly weary hand: When people object to Israel, they are really not objecting to Israel’s size. Smaller, larger — it doesn’t make any difference. They are objecting to Israel.

• For many years, Hamas guerrillas have embedded themselves in hospitals and schools. Strange how seldom you hear, “That is wrong of them.” Hamas wins the propaganda war. Some of us are resigned to that by now. Let Israel win the war-war. It is of supreme importance.

• Don’t like the IDF fighting in hospitals? Neither do I. Hamas should get the hell out of hospitals.

• Have you thought recently about the Dresden defense? Hillel Neuer, the human-rights lawyer who is the executive director of U.N. Watch, will reacquaint you:

• “Teach your children well,” goes an old song.

• It’s good to know a few names and faces — so that the murdered, raped, or mutilated are not mere statistics:

• A brother and sister:

• I have a neighbor who has a tattoo on his arm. (It’s a number.) He uses a walker and moves slowly now — but with courage and determination. He walks his dog. He says hello, warmly, in a thick, lilting accent. Forgive a trite-seeming phrase: Never again. It ought to be meaningful.