(1) CNN had some heartbreaking scenes from Gaza yesterday afternoon – once again. I don’t mind that. After all, that’s important. And it’s news. But it does get you thinking (or at least it gets me thinking): you can find the same scenes, even more widespread, today in Ukraine, in Yemen, and elsewhere. But you don’t find CNN, or anyone else, there showing similar things. Again, not that the situation in Gaza is unimportant, but it shows the degree to which it is the war most concentrated on by the western media, and it is clearly one of the reasons that Israel is targeted as so evil by so many.

I know I sometimes repeat things, but I looked up current wars and current war casualty figures today. Here is what I found regarding wars still going on:

Ethiopia: 300,000 to 500,000 dead

Kivu/Congo: 100,000 dead

Darfur: 300,000 dead

Mexican drug wars: 150,000+ dead

Nigeria/Boko Haram: 50,000 dead

Syria: 400,000 dead

Ukraine: 200,000+ dead

Yemen: 250,000 dead

All of these conflicts are recorded, but none of them (not even Ukraine/Russia) with the intensity that the Gaza conflict is.

(2) Before the war erupted in Gaza, we know there had been ongoing and enormous protests in Israel about the current government’s attempts to tamp down on the independence of the Israeli Supreme Court, and to bring about other changes to the government that would give the Knesset more power to make major changes. As you undoubtedly know, the current coalition, under Prime Minister Netanyahu, is comprised of very right wing elements of Israeli society. In Israel, right wing means people who want to lessen the more democratic elements of the government, and give more voice to those elements who want to annex the West Bank, populating it with more Jews and (truth be told) actively encouraging Arabs to leave, and those who want the Orthodox religious establishment to have even more say than they do, especially in domestic social aspects of Israeli life. Netanyahu, who would like to be PM for life, I am sure, is – like good old Donald J.T., under indictment for various crimes and wants to stave off any chance of punishment by remaining in control.

By increasing the divisions in Israeli society, the government weakened certain aspects of Israeli security. Had Israeli security been as strong as it professed to be, Hamas would never have been able to spend over a year planning the Oct 7 attack, and had government expansionism not stoked so many problems on the West Bank, the army on the Gaza boarder would have (or at least should or could have) been enough stronger that the border would never have been able to be breached the way it was on Oct 7.

But once the attack occurred, with so many deaths and casualties and so much destruction, all of traumatized Israel put aside their differences (more or less) and went to the defense of their country. And Netanyahu was able to tout that Israel was again united and strong, while criticism of the government (both in Israel and abroad) diminished.

But perhaps this isn’t the way things should be. There is a government that bears quite a bit of responsibility for the invasion’s success in power, and it is directing the Israeli Defense Forces in a massive invasion of Gaza, determining that the extermination of Hamas officials must be accomplished, even at the expense of Gaza civilians. That means that over half of the residents of Gaza have left their homes (and most will never see any of their possessions again) and those that remain are under constant bombardment, including the sick and very sick who are hospitalized, women and children who won’t or can’t leave their homes, health and safety providers, and so forth. Whether or not such intensity is required for Israel to accomplish the destruction of Hamas (or if such destruction is even possible) is hard to say, especially from afar. But I can’t imagine that their aren’t other ways (and I haven’t even mentioned the 200+ hostages Hamas still presumably holds).

Where am I going with this? Maybe it is a mistake for center and left Israel to show solidarity with Netanyahu and his coalition even at this time. Maybe within Israel, even during the war, there should continue to be the protests against the government, even to the extent of calling for new elections. It would be complicated, to be sure, but I am not sure it would be a mistake.

(3) The Wednesday rally on the National Mall will be big. I have read that the organizers have estimated that there will be 60,000 people. My read, based on what I have seen and what I have heard, is that it could be at least twice that big. And the rally does not have any “sponsors”, so that there is no one who can tell any group (Jewish or otherwise) that they cannot participate. And, so we don’t know who will show up. Except we know the participants will represent a wide array of positions.

But I think everyone will support return of the hostages, and fighting against antisemitism, here and everywhere. Probably virtual all will agree on more military aid for Israel, or at least sufficient military assistance. But there will be great disagreements as to how this war is being fought and how it should be fought. There promises to be a broad array of speakers on all of these topics. I would hope that each of the speakers will say things that I am 100% in agreement with. Sadly, I know that will not be the case, and I would guess that there will be some speakers who will make me cringe. We will have to see.

(4) Again, my plan this morning, was to write about some different topics. Including the film “Joan Baez: I am a Noise”, which we saw last night. But it will have to wait. Gaza wins out. Gaza uber Alles.