Over the past few days, The Times and other publications have published articles noting how reluctant many progressive politicians and many humanitarian groups, such as UN Women, have been to acknowledge and express outrage about the unspeakable sexual violence against women in Israel during those blood-soaked hours. My colleague Bret Stephens had an especially powerful column on that topic. One of the main reasons for that reticence and outright silence? Broken pelvises and mutilated genitalia are seen as inconvenient talking points if your script and your focus is the oppression of Palestinians by Israelis.
But a first-rate morality can recognize, care about and crusade against that oppression and still call a rape a rape. Decency can carve out mention of — and disgust with — unconscionable brutality amid a broader discussion about the larger conflict. It can mourn what needs mourning and condemn what demands condemnation without betraying other concerns. It can simultaneously pressure Israel to show greater mercy in Gaza and call for an end to Hamas’s murderous hold on Gazans. It has awareness enough to see bad actors everywhere and not just some hierarchy of power. It has empathy enough to flow in multiple directions.
From almost Oct. 8 onward, I’ve listened to people quibble with x report of the atrocities on Oct. 7, with y description, with z figure, and what I’ve heard isn’t any strict and simple devotion to provable fact. It’s a desire to tidy up the carnage in the service of a neat and clean taxonomy of villains and victims. And there’s neither first-rate intelligence nor first-rate morality in that.