Failure of collective will

 

We are facing existential crises that needs collective global response. Technology has made it possible for global collective actions the kind never seen in human history. The possibilities this offer is tremendous. But there is a failure of intent. There is a failure of collective will. It’s a colossal failure of humanity. Consequences are dire. There is urgent collective action needed to prevent climate breakdown -indications are pointing to growing fracture, how fast this will cascade into runaway climate is to be seen. With this the collapse of biodiversity and resilience of habitats and all that we care.

This failure of collective will to tackle crisis is now apparent in middle east conflict. There is a crime against humanity unfolding in Gaza. It’s a failure of multilateral organizations like UN as also other powerful entities that control narration. Israel, like any other country, has right to defend itself particularly when barbarians intrude and assault conscience of humanity. It has all the right to pursue the terrorists, destroy and decimate the terror infrastructure. It is incumbent on international community to extend unconditional support. Collateral casualties could be contained by precision targeting and intelligence gathering. This is the sanest path. It avoids the sinister trap laid by terrorists for war of accretion and mayhem, as also breakdown of rule of law within the civilized society and collective conscience. When you kill innocent people part of you also dies. When society becomes avenging blood thirsty jingoistic nation democracy and civilized norms gets sidelined. This works for devious people and authoritarian leaders.  

If Bush hadn’t taken the megalomaniacal path of retribution world would be a better place. What was needed was precision targeting terrorist hideouts and infrastructure with intelligent input. Carpet bombing Iraq as a personal vengeance against Saddam Hussain and all the mass killing and mayhem led to an unsafe world. Netanyahu is playing the same text book of incompetent leader trying to redeem himself using crisis as an opportunity to consolidate. He is unhinged. His bravado has serious consequence. What Israel needs is a new leader who doesn’t take this as a personal failure but a collective failure and works this crisis as an occasion for transformation. Enough of bombing Gaza, message is communicated that such barbarianism against state has dire consequences. But this really cannot go on. It has well past the retributive intent. It is now a crime against humanity. Those supporting this military action by Israel in Gaza need to pull the plug. This will have to stop.

Meanwhile supporters of terrorist groups must face full extent of rule of law. What also need to be understood is that when we support Palestine against, what is now essentially a crime against humanity, assault by Israel we are not morphing this as trap of Islamic brotherhood nonsense and the vicious narrations that it spreads, nor supporting Israel earlier has to do with zionism or stand against antisemitism. Suffering humans anywhere is a concern for all and we extend our support. Some suffering, it seems, has more traction than others among opportunists because it has more number of herds. Religion should have no place in identifying what suffering to associate to. These kinds of easy narrations are dangerous and meant to segregate and dehumanize, and undermine complexities and essential human condition as also devious forces at play. Democratic countries should have space for protest against massacre unleased by Israel but if it is calling for annihilation of Israel -very much orchestrated by islamic radicals as some kind of medieval war against jews, then we have to be very cautious and weed these out. The call for ‘free palestine’ seems to be couched in euphemism for annihilation of Israel. People must really make it clear what this means, or is it like what they are shouting in Britain; to ‘remove’ jews. One would avoid using words like antisemitism or islamophobia since these are trigger words for wider narration and counter narration of grievances that has absolutely no relevance in contemporary, indeed it complicates and vitiates. Beware of those who use these terms. It is a criminal lack of context and complexities of contemporary and an attempt at easy narration of control. Left movement, which was expected to provide vibrant viable option against wanton market capitalism and cronyism with assertions of socialist values that strengthens democracy, is seen with suspicion for associating with worst of humans as victims hence playing into revivalist regressive right. You cannot use common people as fodder. Collective will need intent of sincerity and concern.   

What is urgently needed is to defuse the situation  in middle east. Israel must cease its military actions. Hostages must be released. Outside forces must stop its meddling and let civil society meet and work it out. Negotiate without falling into the semantics and pitfalls of the past. This is not about history. This is not about religion. It is about human beings. It is about the contemporary reality we live in, and only this awareness can help find some meaningful attempt at peace.