10 | DECEMBER 14 • 2023 J N guest column A Letter from the Front I write this from Gaza, where I proudly protect my homeland as a medic while fully understanding the pain of my Palestinian col- leagues. I lost a friend on the first day of the war, and my pain in this war is twofold: first, it’s about the thousands of Israeli families who have had their worlds shattered simply for being Jewish in acts of horror and deaths of Jews on a scale not seen since the Holocaust. Additionally, as someone who has been working for coex- istence for two decades, my heart breaks for the human stories of those uninvolved in the fighting and those hurt by it. All my Palestinian friends have cut ties with me, except one from Gaza, who updates me that everything is OK with her family. This letter explains why I believe in protecting my country and for coexistence, and it is for those open to a potentially new perspective. FACTUAL GAPS From a deep understanding of the conflict, the first issue is the significant factual gaps. One of my Palestinian friends, who was still in touch at the beginning of the fighting, told me we were lying about Hamas murdering babies and raping women before killing them. There are photos, and I’ve heard firsthand testimo- nies. Their bodies were found in positions that left no room for doubt. When I asked him what his claim was based on, he said that even President Joe Biden retracted his statement about the murder of babies. When I asked for a source, he directed me to a Palestinian site I wasn’t familiar with. He said no when I asked if he had seen any corroboration from any Western objective source. Even the BBC, one of Israel’s most prominent critics, didn’t report this. He agreed that it might be a mis- report, but what about the millions of Palestinians who haven’t spoken to an Israeli? They violently attacked the Israeli embassy in Jordan after another incorrect report of Israel bombing a hospital. What American progres- sives struggle to understand is that their narratives are based on at least disputable facts and on a culture that is unrelated to the Middle East. During a visit to Gaza, we passed by an elementary school where we found antisemitic textbooks that educate hatred against Jews from a young age, as seen in the pictures. Palestinian history fits bet- ter in the TikTok era. Hence, it wins. White versus black, strong versus weak, oppres- sors versus the oppressed, even when it has nothing to do with reality. Israel is indeed strong; it’s not true that it’s white (a significant part was expelled from Arab countries in 1948; my wife would have been Iraqi if she had been born a few decades earlier) and surveys have shown that Israelis have no interest in ruling over anyone, as long as their security is guaran- teed. In mighty America and peaceful Europe, it’s hard to understand that small Israel, surrounded by 22 Arab coun- tries, would be annihilated if it were weak. The factual gap creates the second issue, which is a lack of understanding of the dif- ference between a war against Hamas and a war against the Palestinian people. Hamas hasn’t been elected for 17 years, and my Palestinian friends in Gaza are more afraid of it than of the Israeli army, even if they won’t admit it. They can’t even admit they know me because they would be suspected of collaborating and normalizing relations with Israelis. In other words, the ruling culture, led by Hamas, isn’t even willing to acknowledge the existence of Jews in Israel. It has prov- en execution capabilities in killing Jews, and its leaders have stated and said they will continue to do so. Can you imagine your sister or daugh- ter being raped and murdered just because she’s Jewish? What would you do? The main reason mentioned globally to stop the fighting is that innocent civilians are killed, and this is the third important point. I’ve seen firsthand the efforts to avoid that; what would you do if someone was shooting at you from a hospital? Second — we can assume the data is inaccurate. It’s reported by an organization whose moral compass is raping women before murdering them and by another organization whose umbrella organization appointed — no joke — Iran as the head of the UN Human Rights Council. But even if you believe the data, it’s impossible to fight an organization hid- ing behind civilians without harming civilians. Every civilian harmed is terrible, but blaming Israel is based on either misunderstanding at best or supporting the armed Palestinian struggle under the guise of defending human rights. And the last argument is that none of this would have happened “if you weren’t occupying.” First of all, in 2005, and I was there as well, Israel completely left Gaza. The assumption that the Middle East would be peace- ful without the Israeli occupa- tion, as defined by Palestinian elements, is incorrect when looking at history. Even before Israel’s establishment, there were riots in which Jews were killed, and the Palestinians were offered a state numerous times and declined. But who cares about history in the TikTok age? It’s hard to understand this complex conflict deeply just from TikTok videos. My father and my grandfather had to fight and lose friends, and so did I. I hope that my chil- dren — and the children of my Palestinian friends — will have a different fate. Yair Nativ lives in Netanya, Israel, with his wife, Nava, and 2-year-old son. He was — as were 350,000 others — called up to serve in the reserves. PURELY COMMENTARY Yair Nativ During the holiday season, we need kindness, gentleness, and care in our lives. Krystyna’s European Spa will always welcome you to our warm self-care oasis. Whether it’s a luxurious pedicure, a relaxing massage, or a gift for a friend or loved one, our team is ready to help take care of mind and body. At the spa, you will revel in first-class service, with facilities featuring Murano pedicure chairs, elegant treatment rooms, and an incredible atmosphere to make your experience perfect. Celebrate those you care about this holiday season with the gift of spa. Wishing you and yours continued health, and a bright 2023 ahead.