Normalising Brutality is destroying humanity
JVL Introduction
Too often the genocide in Gaza, the ethnic cleansing in the West Bank, the closure of East Jerusalem are treated as aberrations but this author argues that the violence by Israel, the occupying nation, is built into the whole project; that this is normal and also “facilitated by a global diplomatic umbrella that perversely redefines the victim as the aggressor and the executioner as the victim”
The writer argues that the violence of the oppressor, the occupier is logical, “normal” but that it is not normal for us to be asked, I would say expected, to “get used to” the violence and even to focus on the Israel’s security concerns while children are being pulled from the rubble, murdered in their tens of thousands and/or witnessing the murder and maiming of others, often including their own family members,.
Israel relies on our “getting used to it”, to getting tired of campaigning. While there is a clear cost to our well-being while we stay as angry and upset as the circumstances warrant and we need to be able to stay active but there is a heavier price to pay when the brutality is ignored and even worse for all of us when our politicians justify it. The price is our own humanity.
LL
This article was originally published by Middle East Monitor on Sat 4 Apr 2026. Read the original here.
The normalisation of brutality: When will we reclaim our humanity?
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To assess this whole violence issue and what it does to us, is extremely difficult. I feel very strongly about it, mainly giving states the right to kill their citizens is wrong on many levels. And it is also highly hypocritical, as some religions actually outlaw murdering/killing people. But it should not come as a surprise that it is mainly western religions that condemn murder of people but do it anyway – What hypocrisy. And that genocidal entity somewhere in the middle east has actually got state administered murder firmly established in its laws. In my view just another facet of genocide and ethnic cleansing as it is exclusively aimed at palestinian people.
We must not get tired, must never forget or cease to protest and speak out. But we do feel tired, and that is why I thank JVL for its workshops on emotional wellbeing. Helping us to continue this fight.