Heart of Hearts

Of course all Israelis are not responsible for the actions of the state of Israel (a selectively applied concept, recently), but this piece from José Andrés is what happens when someone refuses to let reality intrude on their idealistic visions (including about themselves).

We know Israelis. Israelis, in their heart of hearts, know that food is not a weapon of war.

Israel is better than the way this war is being waged. It is better than blocking food and medicine to civilians. It is better than killing aid workers who had coordinated their movements with the Israel Defense Forces.

The Israeli government needs to open more land routes for food and medicine today. It needs to stop killing civilians and aid workers today. It needs to start the long journey to peace today.

In the worst conditions, after the worst terrorist attack in its history, it’s time for the best of Israel to show up. You cannot save the hostages by bombing every building in Gaza. You cannot win this war by starving an entire population.

...

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said of the Israeli killings of our team, “It happens in war.” It was a direct attack on clearly marked vehicles whose movements were known by the Israel Defense Forces.

We are here because large numbers of people in power - some cynically, many very genuinely - started from the position that Israel is Good, and does not do Bad.  

Here is where Andrés was back in October, doing the full Fetterman/Torres act:

In response to this:

This started with everyone playing the game that you couldn't criticize Israel for cutting off the power and water unless you condemned Hamas this way, then that way, then while hopping on one foot, then right NOW even though you did it 2 days ago, and none of that had anything to do with whether cutting off the power and water was a war crime that was happening right at that moment.  Say the magic words!!! Say them again, louder!!! Say them at the beginning of the paragraph!!! Say them at the end!!!

If, 3 days after 9/11, the US had launched a bunch of nukes (this comparison is exaggerated of course) at Afghanistan, all the people responding to criticism with "BUT DO YOU CONDEMN BIN LADEN" would have been ridiculous.  We did have a bunch of that kind of thing at the time, too. And then again with Hussein. 

My point is not to say that Andrés is a bad guy, it's that Israel's intention to enact collective punishment - and probably worse -  on the entire population of Gaza was obvious almost from day one, and it wasn't the people who noticed that who are partially responsible for the current state of affairs.