We are at a time when prayers for peace may be the only imaginable response to the premeditated murder of innocent people in Israel.
The unprecedented attack that took place on Saturday, with rockets fired from the Gaza Strip and incursions into homes, music festivals and ordinary streets, is beyond human understanding.
So, what should people and governments do?
Individual behaviors matter
First, rather than go out and demonstrate, my advice is to go inside houses of worship to pray for the victims and their families. Most studies show how easily violence leads to more violence.
If you feel the need to stay something, say it clearly to friends and family. What we know from mass shootings is that it is important to talk about what has transpired.
What is appropriate to say?
In my view, that hostage-taking, hunting down and killing civilians is not acceptable, not justifiable, and not humane under any circumstances and that we grieve.
Period. Full stop. There should be no second clause in the sentence.
Those who say “I don’t support attacks on innocent civilians but…” need not finish the sentence nor continue the thought at this moment. The scale of the kidnapping and killing of the elderly, women and children defy religious text or international law.
Blood is red regardless of politics. One thing people can do, as they are doing in Israel, is to give blood.
Think twice before yelling
To see activists out in American cities with megaphones trying to rally support for a political cause at this moment can be disturbing. Quiet contemplation is in order.
There is time ahead to look back at root causes, intelligence failures, historic injustices and other settling of scores. In a time of political polarization, with too many guns on the streets, this is a time to show restraint — not to argue about missed signals. The U.S. secretary of State, Antony Blinken, is right to say that “there will be time to make determinations about what may have been missed.”
As for nations, they must be clear as well.
International governments will now be on record as to how they officially respond to terrorism and where they stood when this tragedy unfolded.
Extremists can take lives anywhere and everywhere. No nation is immune.
Most governments expressed condolences, as did all of Europe and many countries on many continents — including Ukraine, itself at war.
Even China, with which we have many political arguments, came out in a decent place on its statements about the attacks after some American pressure. “In an unusual move, Chinese President Xi Jinping strengthened China’s statement condemning the attacks in Israel and the Gaza Strip. … In an updated statement through a foreign ministry spokesperson, it condemned ‘all violence and attacks on civilians ‘and said ‘the most urgent task now is to reach a ceasefire and restore peace.’”
Compare that with Tehran.
Iran’s foreign ministry said the attacks on Israel Saturday “were an act of self-defense by Palestinians and called on Muslim countries to support their rights. ‘This operation … is the spontaneous movement of resistance groups and Palestine’s oppressed people in defense of their inalienable rights and their natural reaction to the Zionists’ warmongering and provocative policies,” Iranian state media quoted ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani as saying.’”
For those nations that are walking a fine line between inciting extremists at home and defending humanity overseas, neutral statements are the only course of action that is acceptable.
Jordan’s King Abdullah said on Sunday there was a need to intensify diplomatic efforts to prevent escalating Israel-Palestinian violence with “dangerous repercussions” for the region’s security.”
In comments made on state media, Abdullah said “contacts with regional and international parties were underway to discuss ‘urgent international action to avoid an escalation and prevent the region from the consequences of a new round of violence.’”
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi warned Saturday of a “vicious cycle” of violence. Reports say that “El-Sissi received a call from French President Emmanuel Macron … and the two discussed ‘coordinating efforts to stop the escalation in the Gaza Strip between the Palestinian and Israeli sides.’”
With all due respect for differing ideologies, religious divides, historic grievances and the endless blame game that defines conflict, this is a time for prayer and reflection, not rhetoric.
Tara D. Sonenshine is the Edward R. Murrow Professor of Practice in Public Diplomacy at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.