In the Bible story of King Solomon and two women claiming to be the mother of one baby, wisdom shines when Solomon asks for a sword to cut the baby in two. One mother relinquishes her claim so that the baby may live. Solomon knows the baby must belong to the true mother who would not see her child harmed. Today, we have leaders who would destroy the dream of homelands for Palestinian and Jewish neighbors. Ceasing the war, returning the hostages and rebuilding Gaza for the traumatized people left would seem to illustrate the metaphor of a baby who has been cut but is not yet dead. First, stop cutting. A cease-fire will mean that Israelis relinquish the stated goal of obliterating Hamas. The civilian price Palestinians pay is too high. (It is too high for those Israeli hostages killed by Israeli Defense Forces as well.)

Does this make Israel unsafe? I believe Israel’s future will be equally unsafe as war traumatizes the next generation of Palestinians. Israel’s security intelligence was overlooked by Netanyahu’s government. Vote out Netanyahu. Plan for a homeland for the neighbors who share the home. Let the land be enough for all. What other choice is there? There is no military answer to splitting this baby.

Hollie Kalkstein

Leverett