We should look carefully at the context of the present bloodletting in Gaza and Israel, understanding that context matters insofar as it provides a fuller understanding of the background, underlying causes of the present fighting, and a path to a durable peace. What it doesn’t (and shouldn’t) do is legitimize the killing of innocents on either side of what is an escalating war.

Just as the people of Israel shouldn’t be conflated with Netanyahu and his government, the people of Gaza shouldn’t be conflated with Hamas. Without making such a separation, one can end up in strange and reactionary places politically. Haven’t we seen evidence of this analytical failure — plenty of it in fact — and its consequences over the past week or so?

I didn’t agree with the demonstrators on college campuses last week who appeared indifferent to the wanton slaughter of innocent Israelis by Hamas. But the way for university administrators to address this isn’t by constructing blacklists and imposing harsh administrative penalties on the demonstrators. That will solve little, not to mention poison the atmosphere on campuses and foreclose any hope of constructive dialogue by students and faculty on all sides of the controversy.

Nor does it help when wealthy donors and alumni interfere in the affairs of the university, including the present controversy surrounding the events in the Middle East.

With every bomb exploding in Gaza, Israel is quickly losing (or has lost) any high moral ground that it might have had.

The current crisis in the Middle East won’t be the last if this moment doesn’t become a springboard to a just settlement of the long standing desire and right of the Palestinians to their own viable state and homeland. For too long justice has been denied to them. And as long as that is the state of affairs, conflict, violence, and war will be reoccurring.

Even the many supporters of Israel here, I suspect, are reaching a similar conclusion. Will it be a complicated process? For sure. But is it absolutely necessary? Yes!