Isaac Herzog's guest essay is a valuable look at how Israel's leadership views the war.
Our goal in Opinion is to publish a wide range of ideas, arguments and commentary that help readers see an issue or a debate in a new light, challenge their assumptions and grapple with the hardest problems societies face. |
Nothing is harder right now for many readers — for many of us — than grappling with the horrific terrorist attack on Israel on Oct. 7, the capture of hundreds of Israeli hostages by Hamas and the growing civilian casualties and humanitarian crisis in Gaza. My colleagues and I have published dozens of columns, guest essays, editorials, podcasts and video documentaries about the war. |
Today we are adding to that coverage a guest essay by the president of Israel, Isaac Herzog — a piece that is clear about what the leadership of his nation sees as the stakes in the current conflict. At a time when this war risks spilling over into a wider regional crisis, we felt it an important statement for readers today and for the historical record. |
Mr. Herzog has long been a force for moderation in Israeli politics, a former leader of the Labor Party and an advocate of a two-state solution peace process. In recent weeks, he has been meeting with relatives of those held hostage in Gaza, as well as survivors of Oct. 7 and family members of those killed. "Tragedy is part of Israeli life, and I knew it would be part of my time as president. But none of us imagined a tragedy like this," he writes. |
Mr. Herzog's core idea is about the "moral confusion" he sees in the aftermath of Oct. 7. He sees a struggle not just between Israel and Hamas but between people who see terrorist acts in conflict with humanity and people who try to justify terrorist acts. His argument about moral confusion centers on people in the Middle East, in America and elsewhere who rationalize or even support the Hamas attack on Israel. "It would have been unthinkable to hear such moral confusion uttered after the Sept. 11 attacks or after bombings in London, Barcelona and Baghdad," he writes. |
Some readers will surely agree with Mr. Herzog's essay, and some will no doubt disagree. This is not unusual in Times Opinion: I don't always agree with every sentence we publish, but I'm committed to our process of rigorous editing, fact-checking and publishing a multiplicity of views. |
Independent opinion journalism is strongest when we publish a range of opinions and voices that help us see a more expansive view of the world and to hear from those close to difficult realities — even when that world breaks our heart. |
Here's what we're focusing on today: |
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