The times of war

2023-10-25 This post is about opinion

The world is seeing another war, this time between Israel and Palestine. Hamas is the organisation which governs a part of Palestine called Gaza strip. Other parts of Palestine are under the occupation of Israel.

This is not the first time that Israel and Palestine are at war. Infact, the very creation of Isreal started with war on the land which was earlier Palestine.

In times of war, we often see people choosing one side or the other. Sometimes it is driven by nationality, sometimes ethicnicity, and sometimes economic interest.

During times of war, neutrality is looked as bad. The following are some famous quotes which puts light on this notion:

Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim.

- Elie Weisal

The darkest places in hell are reserved for those who maintain their neutrality in times of moral crisis.

- Dante Alighieri

If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.

- Desmond Tutu

समर शेष है, नहीं पाप का भागी केवल व्याघ्र, जो तटस्थ हैं, समय लिखेगा उनका भी अपराध ।

- दिनकर

(War is still incomplete, only killers are not to be blamed for the sin. History will put the onus on bystander too).

But the problem with this notion is that it reduces the options to choosing either of the side, when infact there are more options such as “condemn the act of war itself”. It is a false dichotomy that we must chose sides in war.

The war is a peculiar situation where people in conflicting nations are always at loss. The economy of both nations are negatively impacted, the development receds by few years at least, the childhood of children are lost, and the freedoms of people are greatly curtailed. It is only the arms industries who stand to gain in war.

Supporting any of the sides means supporting the act of war despite knowing it consequences. Humanity can call itself evolved only when are are no wars.