Stop bombing children in Gaza
The world is shocked and dismayed by the latest developments in Israel and Palestine.
In the words of French President Emmanuel Macron, “Israel must stop killing babies and women in Gaza” because there is "no justification" for such actions.
After a month of Israeli bombardment and nearly two weeks after Israel launched a major ground offensive into the Gaza territory, 11 000 people had been killed, while 1.5 million had fled their homes. Furthermore, in its desire for revenge, Israel is engaging in the mass killing of innocent civilians, primarily children.
Israel claims it is not targeting civilians. But what does such a claim mean when Israel is conducting such a fierce bombing campaign in an urban area as dense as Gaza?
This hardly constitutes a justification for Israel’s mass killing of innocents. Likewise, the vast difference in military power between Israel and Palestine makes it highly unlikely for Hamas or Palestinians to pose an existential threat to Israel.
To put it slightly differently, the situation we are seeing in Gaza is no longer a humanitarian catastrophe – it is a collective death sentence.
'House of death'
For example, at Al-Shifa Hospital (the Arabic word Al-Shifa means 'house of healing') – the largest medical complex in Gaza – there’s far too much death caused by military operations.
Foetuses pulled from the wombs of dying mothers, children with crushed lungs struggling to breathe and medical doctors, nurses and emergency medical technicians being transported to the hospital mortuary in body bags. In short, the house of life and healing has become a house of death.
Expressed differently, there is no justification for acts of war at healthcare facilities, leaving sick people without oxygen, ventilators, electricity, food and water – shooting at patients and civilians trying to flee. This is unconscionable and reprehensible and must stop because such military actions amount to a death sentence. And civilians are dying of completely treatable causes.
Respect life
Therefore, I submit the following action: Implement a permanent ceasefire, save lives and build inclusive peace based on a two-state solution as the framework for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian war. At this moment in Palestine and Israel, we are facing the moment of truth to act out the fundamental human values: of life, humanity and peace.
Let me explicate.
Life has equal importance and dignity for all human beings – profound respect is the foundation of human civilisation. The existence of law enforcement systems and legal armed forces is to protect life – all lives – not destroy it.
The Geneva Conventions in Articles 13 and 32 affirm that “civilians are to be protected from murder, torture or brutality, and from discrimination on the basis of race, nationality, religion or political opinion.”
In other words, have respect for all life, and you shall not kill.
As expressed by Hans Küng in the book 'Towards a Global Ethic': “All people have a right to life, safety and the free development of personality insofar as they do not injure the rights of others. No one has the right, physically or psychically, to torture, injure, much less kill any other human being. And no people, no state, no race, no religion has the right to hate, to discriminate against, to 'cleanse', and to exile."
In short, our humanity is rooted in the fundamental value of life, which allows it to flourish, and without life, it risks death, war, or genocide.
Ubuntu
The second fundamental human value is humanity, or that every human being must be treated humanely. In African contexts, we use the word Ubuntu, which broadens our understanding of being a human being with the basic form of humanity, namely: “I am as Thou art, and Thou art as I am” or “A person is a person through other persons."
In other words, my humanity is caught up, is inextricably bound up, in yours. A person with Ubuntu is open and available to others and to empower them or provide humanitarian or health services, affirming others as God’s children, and does not see the other as an enemy but as a brother, a sister, a comrade or being an integral part of co-humanity in the house of harmony, comradeship and friendliness.
As aptly expressed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Article 1, “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They should act towards one another in a spirit of brother/sisterhood.”
The third fundamental human value is peace. Peace is grounded in social trust, just laws and regulated international relations. Peace is the path to stability, security and sustainable development. Violence and terror cannot generate anything other than further conflicts and suffering.
Thus, the purpose of the United Nations, as stated in its Charter, Article 1, is “to maintain international peace and security, and to that end: to take effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to the peace, and for the suppression of acts of aggression or other breaches of the peace, and to bring about by peaceful means, and in conformity with the principles of justice and international law, the adjustment or settlement of international disputes or situations that might lead to a breach of the peace.”
A fragile world
These three fundamental values of life, humanity and peace are dangerously challenged by the current war in the Middle East and other open conflicts. They lead to unbearable losses and suffering, growing instability and global fragility. Therefore, we have to renew our international commitments to life, affirm Ubuntu, and act out the principles of peaceful coexistence.
Today, we are mourning and crying our indignation in solidarity with the families of all victims and those who are terrorised by the war and its possible consequences on their lives and their beloved ones. However, we cannot despair as we continue to be committed to our core values of life, humanity and peace.
The time now is for courageous engagement and responsible leadership. In a global world, we can all be complicit in this situation. We shall all take steps in the case of Palestine and Israel to uncompromisingly say that now is the time for a permanent ceasefire and not 'pauses'; that now is the time to save lives; and that now is the time to build inclusive peace based on a two-state solution between Palestine and Israel.
Finally, such fundamental human values are much needed for the post-war healing and reconciliation process, leading in the long term to replacing hatred and fear with mutual trust and common engagement. Therefore, start today to stop wars, save lives and build inclusive peace based on the three fundamental human values.
- Prof. Paul John Isaak is a retired professor of religion, philosophy and social ethics from the University of Namibia and the Paulinum Theology Seminary in Namibia.
In the words of French President Emmanuel Macron, “Israel must stop killing babies and women in Gaza” because there is "no justification" for such actions.
After a month of Israeli bombardment and nearly two weeks after Israel launched a major ground offensive into the Gaza territory, 11 000 people had been killed, while 1.5 million had fled their homes. Furthermore, in its desire for revenge, Israel is engaging in the mass killing of innocent civilians, primarily children.
Israel claims it is not targeting civilians. But what does such a claim mean when Israel is conducting such a fierce bombing campaign in an urban area as dense as Gaza?
This hardly constitutes a justification for Israel’s mass killing of innocents. Likewise, the vast difference in military power between Israel and Palestine makes it highly unlikely for Hamas or Palestinians to pose an existential threat to Israel.
To put it slightly differently, the situation we are seeing in Gaza is no longer a humanitarian catastrophe – it is a collective death sentence.
'House of death'
For example, at Al-Shifa Hospital (the Arabic word Al-Shifa means 'house of healing') – the largest medical complex in Gaza – there’s far too much death caused by military operations.
Foetuses pulled from the wombs of dying mothers, children with crushed lungs struggling to breathe and medical doctors, nurses and emergency medical technicians being transported to the hospital mortuary in body bags. In short, the house of life and healing has become a house of death.
Expressed differently, there is no justification for acts of war at healthcare facilities, leaving sick people without oxygen, ventilators, electricity, food and water – shooting at patients and civilians trying to flee. This is unconscionable and reprehensible and must stop because such military actions amount to a death sentence. And civilians are dying of completely treatable causes.
Respect life
Therefore, I submit the following action: Implement a permanent ceasefire, save lives and build inclusive peace based on a two-state solution as the framework for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian war. At this moment in Palestine and Israel, we are facing the moment of truth to act out the fundamental human values: of life, humanity and peace.
Let me explicate.
Life has equal importance and dignity for all human beings – profound respect is the foundation of human civilisation. The existence of law enforcement systems and legal armed forces is to protect life – all lives – not destroy it.
The Geneva Conventions in Articles 13 and 32 affirm that “civilians are to be protected from murder, torture or brutality, and from discrimination on the basis of race, nationality, religion or political opinion.”
In other words, have respect for all life, and you shall not kill.
As expressed by Hans Küng in the book 'Towards a Global Ethic': “All people have a right to life, safety and the free development of personality insofar as they do not injure the rights of others. No one has the right, physically or psychically, to torture, injure, much less kill any other human being. And no people, no state, no race, no religion has the right to hate, to discriminate against, to 'cleanse', and to exile."
In short, our humanity is rooted in the fundamental value of life, which allows it to flourish, and without life, it risks death, war, or genocide.
Ubuntu
The second fundamental human value is humanity, or that every human being must be treated humanely. In African contexts, we use the word Ubuntu, which broadens our understanding of being a human being with the basic form of humanity, namely: “I am as Thou art, and Thou art as I am” or “A person is a person through other persons."
In other words, my humanity is caught up, is inextricably bound up, in yours. A person with Ubuntu is open and available to others and to empower them or provide humanitarian or health services, affirming others as God’s children, and does not see the other as an enemy but as a brother, a sister, a comrade or being an integral part of co-humanity in the house of harmony, comradeship and friendliness.
As aptly expressed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Article 1, “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They should act towards one another in a spirit of brother/sisterhood.”
The third fundamental human value is peace. Peace is grounded in social trust, just laws and regulated international relations. Peace is the path to stability, security and sustainable development. Violence and terror cannot generate anything other than further conflicts and suffering.
Thus, the purpose of the United Nations, as stated in its Charter, Article 1, is “to maintain international peace and security, and to that end: to take effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to the peace, and for the suppression of acts of aggression or other breaches of the peace, and to bring about by peaceful means, and in conformity with the principles of justice and international law, the adjustment or settlement of international disputes or situations that might lead to a breach of the peace.”
A fragile world
These three fundamental values of life, humanity and peace are dangerously challenged by the current war in the Middle East and other open conflicts. They lead to unbearable losses and suffering, growing instability and global fragility. Therefore, we have to renew our international commitments to life, affirm Ubuntu, and act out the principles of peaceful coexistence.
Today, we are mourning and crying our indignation in solidarity with the families of all victims and those who are terrorised by the war and its possible consequences on their lives and their beloved ones. However, we cannot despair as we continue to be committed to our core values of life, humanity and peace.
The time now is for courageous engagement and responsible leadership. In a global world, we can all be complicit in this situation. We shall all take steps in the case of Palestine and Israel to uncompromisingly say that now is the time for a permanent ceasefire and not 'pauses'; that now is the time to save lives; and that now is the time to build inclusive peace based on a two-state solution between Palestine and Israel.
Finally, such fundamental human values are much needed for the post-war healing and reconciliation process, leading in the long term to replacing hatred and fear with mutual trust and common engagement. Therefore, start today to stop wars, save lives and build inclusive peace based on the three fundamental human values.
- Prof. Paul John Isaak is a retired professor of religion, philosophy and social ethics from the University of Namibia and the Paulinum Theology Seminary in Namibia.
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