It was cathartic to read Sharone Lifschitz’s opinions and know that there are others in my position in terms of mentality towards what is happening (Two years after 7 October and the kidnap of my parents, hate is in fashion. For all our sakes, we need compassion, 7 October). I offer my condolences to her and her family.

There is no denying the genocide in Gaza, the inhumane treatment of Palestinians by the Israeli government, and the disgusting lack of Israeli empathy (I was horrified watching the recent video of one of your reporters interviewing people in Tel Aviv). Yet this bizarre tribalism on either side astonishes me. I am horrified by the suffering in Gaza and by the suffering of 7 October – am I not allowed to feel for all civilians, for every life taken? Am I not allowed to mourn for children shot in Gaza and mourn for children shot by Hamas? You would think not, from the sort of vitriol I come across daily in comments on TikTok videos.

I relate, too, to Sharone’s descriptions of those who have become so staunchly against Israel that they support Hamas. To align yourself with an organisation that slaughters civilians, while asking for peace in Gaza and deploring the violence of the Israel Defense Forces, is insane. Using Israel’s past violence is not justification for the slaughter of civilians, just as Hamas’s actions are not justification for the genocide in Gaza. It is categorically wrong to align the actions of a government with the value of its civilians’ lives.

I don’t see anyone offering the same vitriol as they do for Israel to, say, Russia or China, where monstrosities have occurred against Ukrainians and Uyghurs. The rising antisemitism is bleak, the masses apparently unable to separate Jews and Israelis. I saw a TikTok video of two girls eating matzo for Passover earlier this year, with no mention of Israel at all (and why would there be?). The comment thread was flooded with hate, as if they had done something wrong by simply being Jewish. One, simple in its hatred, just said “demons”.

It is very sad that we live in a world with so much hate and violence. I can only hope that Sharone’s mother is correct, and that there is a brighter future on the horizon for all.
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