Sliding doors
The world had an opportunity.
It was far from the beginning, but it would, in fact be the end. The endless cycle of violence, of blame, of generational retribution and trauma that had caused instability in the region and untold misery to the people of the Middle East, was snuffed out, like a flame that had suddenly come in contact with water — in the aftermath of October 7 2023.
Before that hell scape of a day, much of the world, including many Israelis, believed that a two state solution was possible. Over 8,000 Gazans traveled daily to Israel for work, where they received better pay and working conditions than those available under Hamas or the Palestinian Authority. This fragile stability fostered hope—hope that a new future could be built in a region that had been plagued by violence for too long.
That black day in October changed everything. The world watched in shock and horror, as Hamas militants and Palestinian citizens broke through the Southern border of Israel and went on a maniacal, murderous spree.
Parents slaughtered in front of children, entire families burnt to death, elderly holocaust survivors gunned down in their homes. We watched it all in living colour, the drag marks down hallways, blood soaked children’s bedrooms and nursery’s, houses decimated from bullet holes and RPGs. We listened in disbelief to the recorded phone call of a proud Palestinian boy telling his mother the joyous news of how many Jews he had killed with his bare hands.
We listened. We watched. We cried.
Our legs went weak as the footage flooded in of Israeli youth, who had hours before been living their best lives at a peace concert, now being gunned down like dogs in an open field, hiding under the dead bodies of their friends who had been massacred in bomb shelters. Unarmed civilians abducted, then paraded like trophies in the streets of Gaza to jubilant shrieks and applause. A half naked woman, with contorted limbs, thrown into the back of a pick up truck like rubbish.
In the space of a few hours an event horizon had occurred that would forever change how the world defined good and evil. Evil was unleashed on that day, and the world’s eyes were opened.
Israel had spent 75 years offering land, concessions, aid, water, electricity and medical care to the Palestinians, all in the hope that one day they would choose peace with their neighbours — and this was their repayment. This was a crossroads.
Israels democratic allies, the United Nations, NGOs and women’s organisations rallied immediately, unequivocally condemning the barbaric acts of premeditated slaughter and unspeakable sexual abuse that was televised to the world through the perpetrators own Go Pro’s and smart phones.
The world mourned.
Muslim groups from Europe, the Middle and and the West released statements of solidarity with Israel, denouncing the extremist Islamic terror group of Hamas as well as those that funded them. Candlelit vigils spontaneously popped up on College campuses, with people uniting together, side by side, Muslims, Jews, Christians, it didn’t matter, all standing as one for a shared humanity. All condemning the barbaric acts that were done in the name of Islam.
Within hours of the October 7 pogrom, Hamas and the Palestinians complicit in the massacre had made an enemy of the world. The world for the first time in history, stood together. They stood for humanity. They stood for the light.
Within days forces from around the world unified and mobilised in a show of force on the Gaza border. The message was simple, the hostages must be released and Hamas must surrender. No negotiations. No concessions. The civilians of Gaza were given an ultimatum, work with the military to ‘out’ Hamas and you will be protected — continue with the violence and you will not.
The terrorists had no where to go. Even Qatar and Iran, under the heavy handed pressure of international solidarity cut ties with their Hamas henchman. They were on their own.
The hostages were returned.
The dismantling of Hamas took longer, but with the cooperation of the Palestinian people, who had the strength of the worlds best armies at their backs, the Jihadi Islamists groups were located and eliminated, one by one. The destruction of the terrorists tunnel network took longer, but the people of Gaza understood that temporary relocation was a small price to pay for the freedom from their oppressors, and a permanent path to peace
A new Palestine rose from the ashes of the old. A Palestine that no longer suffocated under the oppressive control of terrorists, megalomaniacs and thieves. The people had suffered enough — they chose life, family and peace. With financial and governmental assistance from the international community, new infrastructure was constructed, electrical grids, solar plants and desalination plants which created jobs and gave the people of Gaza self-reliance — and a rebirth of a new national pride.
The world had changed. People had seen the face of evil and they had refused to look away. What started as a tragedy had morphed into something bigger, something magnificent, a symbol of humanity, peace and global citizenship.
Out of tragedy emerged a new world. A better world.
Imagine if that had happened.
And now it’s the turn of the Christians of Syria, being raped and beheaded as we speak by guess who, oh the same murdering muslims. And yet the world remains silent. Why?
We Jews would call your essay a Purim Shpiel, sort of like an April Fool's essay, only not funny. Sad we don't live in a world such as depicted in your essay.