Israelis and Palestinians on the ground maintain humanity despite war, unlike distant observers who dehumanize
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/profile/david-davidi-brown. "Here in Tel Aviv, even in the midst of war, the Israelis and Palestinians I work with hold on to one another’s humanity | David Davidi-Brown | The Guardian." March 17, 2026. www.theguardian.com
The Gist
The author argues that Israelis and Palestinians living through the conflict show more humanity toward each other than people watching from far away. While locals work together and protect each other's dignity, distant observers often dehumanize one side completely.
Conclusion
People experiencing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict firsthand (both Israelis and Palestinians) demonstrate greater moral leadership and humanity than distant observers who dehumanize one side or the other
Premises
- Civil society leaders from both Israeli and Palestinian communities work together to document abuses, protect vulnerable communities, and maintain each other's humanity even during active conflict
- Distant observers, particularly in activist and online discourse, often dehumanize Israeli civilians (including Palestinian citizens of Israel) by reducing them to symbols of a state rather than recognizing them as people
- Jewish fear and grief are treated as politically inconvenient or ignored entirely by some distant observers, while Jewish communities face increased threats and attacks during Middle East escalations
- The clearest moral leadership comes from Jewish, Muslim and Christian activists in the region who risk their safety daily to protect communities and challenge violence from all sides
- These local activists continue to believe the land can offer safety, dignity and equality to everyone, refusing to let occupation or terror define the future
Assumptions
- Proximity to conflict provides better moral perspective than distance
- Maintaining humanity and empathy for all sides is morally superior to taking partisan positions
- Civil society cooperation between Israelis and Palestinians represents authentic moral leadership
- Dehumanization of any group is morally wrong regardless of political context