At the Center for Policing Equity, and across the globe, we’ve seen the same images of the horror taking place in the Middle East over the course of the last week. We’ve cried, been repulsed, and disgusted by the acts of brutality disconnected from any sense of humanity. We must condemn them, and we do. We condemn the kidnapping, the terrorism, and the mass murder of Israelis and people of other nations by Hamas. We condemn the waves of antisemitism that were rising even before these tragic events, and continue to rise in the aftermath. It is also impossible to understand this suffering without considering the historical context shaping what we’re seeing, though that context neither justifies nor condones this violence. These events are unfolding in a region of the world with a long history of oppression, the reality of living under the near-constant threat of violence, and one that has repeatedly seen people murdered in acts of unspeakable terror. And while the ghastly images will be seared into the collective consciousness, those visuals will never compare to the unimaginable reality of those who are left with shattered lives.
Our hearts break for everyone mourning their dead, the Israeli and other families grieving after the attacks by Hamas—who do not represent the Palestinian people—and the Palestinian families subject to violence by the Israeli government. We see the disinformation spewed across media outlets and know that worse bigotry and violence is coming—a six-year-old boy stabbed to death in Chicago for being Muslim, Holocaust survivors and babies held hostage, and bombs killing hundreds in places that should be safe in Gaza. And we are clear that too many will be paying the cost of decisions other people made for them. As we hope, pray, and work for peace and justice, some portion of that work is to create a world in which people directly impacted by violence are the deciders of their fate, not just survivors of political calculation that did not include them. While it is hard to see the road out of this escalating situation, our search for vision must include our collective humanity and a commitment that all of those who pay the price are centered in our work and our prayers.