Restless Beings

Nearly a year into the Gaza-Israel conflict, a nightmarish, heartbreaking reality none of us want to believe has materialised. More painfully, it seems Israel’s aggression and reach for conflict is widening at a rapid pace, with prospects of a ceasefire increasingly unlikely. 50,000 and more dead in Gaza, 100,000 and more displaced in South Lebanon, is this the price that this region must pay for Israel’s right to exist and security?

For its creation, and sustenance, Israel as a State, has disrupted and occupied parts of Syria, Lebanon and of course, Palestine. The very heart of the old world is being torn apart by violence, as three of the world’s most sanctified cities –Beirut, Damascus, and Jerusalem– face devastation. These holy sites, historic metropolises with cultural and religious significance that touch the hearts and minds of millions, face irredeemable loss and ruin at the hands of the Israeli military and its allies. This chaos with no end in sight begs a haunting question: Is this suffering an inescapable consequence wrought by Israel’s very existence in the region?

Hezbollah, Hamas and Israeli aggression of course did not start on October 7th - both Hezbollah and Hamas are resistance movements (violent, radical and political) to Israeli occupation.The timeline of this recent anguish, however, did begin on October 7th 2023, when Hezbollah declared its intent to retaliate against Israeli occupation and relentless aggression over Gaza. From that moment, a fierce and deadly exchange has erupted between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, with both sides launching continuous attacks against each other, fueling an escalating cycle of violence and retribution. This violence has engulfed the lives of tens of thousands caught in the crossfire across Israel, Palestine, Lebanon and Syria. With each passing week, the chaos deepens, painting a harrowing scene etched with despair and profound loss, where hope for peace seems but a dying ember.

Jerusalem and the West Bank have seen more violence and destruction than ever recorded before. Since October 7, more than 600 Palestinians in the West Bank have lost their lives, marking the deadliest year recorded by the United Nations since it began tracking in 2005.

Much like South Lebanon, Gaza and West Bank, the Golan Heights, originally Syrian territory, has been occupied by Israel for decades. Israel has attacked many sites in the Syrian capital, Damascus associated with Iranian and Hezbollah military units. Syria and Damascus itself has seen decade long violence in its own security war with ISIS, US and Russian interests. With a weakened Syria, a destroyed Damascus, the Golan Heights continue to be occupied without any real pushback.

And that leads us to Lebanon and Beirut, the last of the three great capitals in the region. As of today, unfathomable destruction has engulfed the streets of the capital city of Lebanon. This situation begs the question, what of the Lebanese right to national security?

Over the last week, Israel has unleashed an unprecedented wave of airstrikes across Lebanon, fuelling the conditions for a calamitous conflict across the region. As I write this, news has just broke out that a series of at least 10 massive Israeli air strikes have just hit southern Beirut. Videos are pouring out of the city, with vast and thick clouds of smoke seen rising from the site of the strikes, and residential buildings reduced to ruins. Israel has turned a deaf ear to global calls for a ceasefire with Hezbollah, pressing on with a relentless bombing campaign that has claimed over 700 lives in Lebanon since Monday (23 September 2024), including at least 25 innocent lives since this morning (Friday 27 September 2024) with many hundreds more feared dead by this afternoon's bombings.

The impact of recent attacks on Beirut, Damascus and Jerusalem are not just measured in immediate casualties, but extend to long-lasting repercussions to individuals, families, and communities, compounding human suffering in an already fragile region. These historic cities—once bustling with life and culture—now bear witness to unimaginable suffering inflicted in the name of the security of Israel.

Israel claims its military operations across the region are to target and extinguish armed opposition to Israeli national security. This extends to state enemy Hamas in Gaza, the Palestinian Authority government in the West Bank, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and most recently the Iranian state. It's clear that Israel is amassing a growing list of opposition, and instead of pursuing ceasefires and diplomatic discussions to ensure lasting national security, it has opted for violence, havoc, and perpetual insecurity. But does this neverending escalation not pose a greater threat to Israel's existence? Netanyahu’s administration stands as one of the most aggressive cabinets in the young state’s history. No price too high, no sacrifice too heavy, to his cabinet’s relentless pursuit of security ambitions in the Middle East.

If Israel genuinely seeks security and peace against state enemies, how can it possibly justify these attacks that disproportionately impact civilian populations? What about the innocent children whose lives are lost in the rubble? What of the 55,000 lives lost in Gaza? Or the hundreds of thousands displaced in Lebanon? How can these losses ever be rectified, by Israel as aggressor, or the West as accomplice?

At this moment, it is impossible to say whether the religious significance of these ancient cities is deliberate. Yet, what stands starkly evident is that the profound symbolic weight of these sacred sites, along with the unimaginable human suffering they are enduring, has not been enough to compel Israel to halt its attacks or genuinely pursue a ceasefire.

Isn’t it profoundly shocking that these beloved, redeemed cities are being sacrificed to ensure the safety of one nation? In Israel's relentless pursuit of security, it has left a trail of death and destruction that is suffocating the heart of the old world—and the cities that pulse humanity with culture, history and purpose.