No matter who they belong to, dead bodies do not equal victory. 

In the brutal and unforgiving mathematics of war dead whether combatants or innocent civilians, what does victory even mean? 

Killing is a despicable business, and at the moment, we are witnessing killing on an advanced industrial scale.  And such killing is enormously profitable as Wall St. indicated on October 30.  Simultaneously, it is an inhuman, counter-productive and entirely destructive exercise for all involved.

As in all corners of the world, the current round of violence in Gaza and Israel (the fifth since 2008) will inevitably lead to the multiplication of ‘war’ graveyards, shattered lives and families, brutalised communities, re-enforced and even more entrenched animosity, hatred, and polarisation. 

It will also fuel renewed rage and a resolute commitment to revenge whenever, wherever, however. In short, brutalisation.

Israel will never, can never, force the ‘Palestinian’ issue (and its people) to disappear, no matter how much militarism it employs. Hamas, for its part can never achieve its evil objective of the annihilation of Israel. Despite these truths, we use all the architecture, capacity, and hardware available to facilitate killing, to describe it in minute detail ‘in real time’, to dance around the myth of ‘even-handedness’ and, eventually to express ‘horror’ at its human inevitabilities.

The macabre dance of the hostages, the bombing of hospitals, rape and mutilation, random rocket attacks, the levelling of communities, the denial of water, basic power, medicine, and humanitarian aid.  And we do this even to entirely innocent and blameless infants and children and call it unfortunate but unavoidable ‘collateral damage’.

We allow and employ armies of apologists, commentators and media to contextualise, justify, dismiss, and disarm international agreements, international law and basic humanity and decency. 

And we announce it as the right to self-defence, democracy, national security, and proportionate response. What we get instead is the maximisation of danger for all, even greater impossibility of peace for anyone and intense global hostility (most especially outside the West) towards Israel (in reality, towards Israelis and Jewish people).

We certainly get nothing that approximates peace, justice, or security.

A new generation is being forced to learn to hate and demonise. A generation waiting for its chance to engage the ‘enemy’. This is one inevitable outcome of war.

Each day, the intonation that it is ‘not yet the time’ for a ceasefire, but maybe we can have a ‘pause’.  There are not enough dead yet. We must allow the business of killing for some time more, while decrying its outcomes and sanctifying ourselves with declarations that humanitarian aid must be facilitated. 

And lots and lots and lots of finger-pointing. ‘Their’ analysis, explanation, data, spokespeople, and projections are false and untrustworthy while ‘ours’ are dependable and accurate. ‘They’ are ‘animals’, fanatics, and inhuman killers while we are careful and focused, targeted, and proportionate yet resolute.

The overall agenda and actions of the Netanyahu government and its supporters are making this most difficult of problems far worse. So too the agenda and actions of Hamas, Hezbollah, and their supporters.  The visible pronouncements, agendas and actions of the US, the EU and the UK remain grossly unbalanced and continue to facilitate the killing.    

In this cauldron of killing and hate, we must make time and space to listen to those voices of experience and humanity that are currently struggling to be heard within Israel, Palestine, internationally. Those who continue to be dismissed as dangerous, naïve ‘peaceniks’, human rights NGOs, ‘failed’ former Prime Ministers or soldiers, bereaved parents, engaged rabbis and imams, pastors etc.

No matter what happens next, eventually we will have to turn away from the business of killing and, once again, approach the business of peace and peacebuilding.

It is blindingly obvious that a humanitarian-focused ceasefire is an urgently needed priority and still remains possible. But it will not happen unless the US, the EU and Britain specifically demand it. If they continue to prevaricate, block, or delay it, they and we will bear part responsibility for the outcome.

In this context, even writers and commentators in the Times of Malta (especially those advocating or celebrating the business of killing) need to reflect with great care on our responsibilities.