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human capacity for peace. Collectively, this means the Jewish people must stop being victims of violence
and must also stop understanding themselves as victims of history. Sovereignty and strength are central
to this process, but sovereignty and strength are tied to a heavy responsibility to be moral and
pragmatic, and to always have an eye toward peace.

I believe this is the right way to live and the right way for the Jewish people, but this option is much
more complex than the other two. For the powerless it is easy to be moral. For the immoral it is easy to
be powerful. To be powerful and moral is an incredible challenge.

Looking at this conflict there are so many questions that need to be asked to consider whether or not
Israel is up to this challenge. What are the goals of Israel's military operation? Is Israel trying to

completely defeat Hamas or simply to alter the balance of power? Can Israel really stop the rocket
fire? Can the right cease-fire stop weapons smuggling? What are the implications for broader diplomatic
processes w/ the PA, Syria, the Arab World, the UN? Will this conflict empower the Palestinian
Authority to re-unify with a weakened Hamas? Will it anger and radicalize the Palestinian people
further? Is Israel's response to Hamas rocket-fire proportional? What does proportional mean? What

is the scope of the damage Hamas has done to Israeli citizens? What is the threat Hamas poses in the
future? Is Israel directing its military action at appropriate targets? Is Israel doing enough to avoid
civilian casualties?

Amidst all these complex questions we continue to be pained and saddened by
the ongoing death and destruction. And in the end we come back to the
question we delayed at the beginning, what do we do? One thing we do is look
at the way we face conflict in our own personal lives. Do we have the strength

to assert ourselves and to love the other at the same time?

And as a collective, we must gain strength from a deepened sense of purpose. We are an educational

youth movement, seeking to transform ourselves, our chanichim, our Jewish communities, and the Jewish
people into a strong, proud, and peace-loving people. So we call on every chaver t'nua, ken, and ma'apilim
community to address the conflict in Gaza by educating yourselves, your chanichim, and your community
in a way that deepens our values of Jewish sovereignty, the equality of human worth, and peaceful

resolution to all conflict. We also encourage every chaver t'nua, ken, and ma'apilim community to express
your passion and your complexity within the broader community. Go to a rally that "supports Israel," and
make clear that real support of Israel means making strides towards peace. Go to a rally that "calls for
peace," and make clear that peace includes sovereignty and security for the Jewish state as well as the
future Palestinian one. Show that it is possible to stand with one side while still deeply respecting the
other. And by all means, wear a chultza.

Aleh Ve'Hagshem,

Itamar Landau
Merakez Ma'apilim
HDNA