Exactly six months ago, Hamas began the most devastating attack in its history. Thousands of heavily armed terrorists stormed communities in southern Israel, killing, raping, and kidnapping. Destroying lives and entire communities in its wake. Six months later, the world is no longer the same. Or, at least, our world is no longer the same.
Today we reflect on a day that marked a before and after in the region, triggering a series of events that still resonate in the heart of our society. That day, barbarism was present in its crudest form, not only as an attack on our security but also on the very foundations of our values: culture, freedom, and life itself in Israel.
The demand for the right to self-defense is undeniable and fundamental. In an ideal world, peace would be the norm and not the exception. However, faced with acts of incomprehensible monstrosity, the dilemma arises as to how to respond proportionally to such acts of violence that seem to seek nothing less than annihilation. Is there any proportionality to so much barbarity? The answer, we said, is an indisputable right, a fundamental principle in any society that aspires to preserve the peace and security of its citizens.
In this context, Golda Meir's words take on timeless relevance: "When peace comes, perhaps in time we will be able to forgive the Arabs for killing our children, but it will be harder for us to forgive them for forcing us to kill their children."
This phrase encapsulates the torment of a conflict where the losses are deeply personal and the hope of reconciliation is a distant but indispensable horizon. A conflict where mistakes are sometimes as painful as they are inevitable.
However, this war has more than one battlefield. One is there, thousands of kilometers from Uruguay, in the Gaza Strip. But in the digital age, the consequences of this war are being felt even on other continents. We feel them in the antisemitic comments that abound in forums and social networks, in the distorted information and manipulated images that go viral in a matter of seconds, minutes, or hours. And also in mobilizations, with their banners and slogans. By shouting “from the river to the sea,” they are encouraged to equalize the defense of the State of Israel with the Nazi regime. Such will be the paradox that its own song is the best analogy of the Nazi genocide. A single Palestinian state, from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea. The total annihilation of the State of Israel. This narrative with its antisemitic charge and its implicit call for the elimination of a people and a state, is nothing more than a painful reminder of the darkest days of humanity, resonating with a pain that transcends words and generations.
Our call today is not to lose sight of the ethical and moral values that make up the fabric of our Western societies. In the midst of the storm, we must strive to keep alive the flame of humanity, respect for life, and the unwavering desire for peace. Only then can we glimpse a future where reconciliation is possible, and the memory of the dark days of the past serves as a reminder of what we must never allow to be repeated.
This anniversary is not only a time to remember pain and loss but also to reaffirm our commitment to life, liberty, and the tireless pursuit of peace. History teaches us that even in the darkest hours, the light of hope is never completely extinguished. It is our duty, as members of a global community, to work tirelessly towards a tomorrow where dialogue, mutual respect, and understanding are the cornerstones of our coexistence.
This editorial was originally published in Spanish in El Observador.
