Editor's Note:   Christians have learned that listening to the voice of the marginalized and oppressed [as the Holy One does] is the key to faithful advocacy, solidarity, and peace-making.  Jonathan Kuttab is a leading Palestinian Christian human rights activist, a co-founder of the Canadian-based Just Peace Advocates,, and Executive Director of FOSNA (Friends of Sabeel  North America), an interdenominational Christian organization seeking justice & peace in Palestine/Israel.)  In three previous articles [links provided below], he reflected on the dramatic and traumatic context and realities of October 7, 2023.  In the article republished in this Pilgrim Praxis post, he draws out lessons learned.   With the permission of the author,  I am grateful to be able to re-publish this fourth article originally published by the FOSNA blog on October 7, 2026.   The links for the three previous articles are provided below.  Non-violence and truth are key Christian qualities Kuttab upholds in all his articles and these virtues help us deconstruct the propaganda and disinformation widely peddled by the state of Israel and its persistent and powerful international lobby.*    Harry Oussoren

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Lessons of

October 7

by Jonathan Kuttab

On the first anniversary of the events of October 7, 2023, I wrote three articles that are well worth rereading today, as they are as relevant now on this third anniversary as they were then: 

• In the first article, October 6, I outlined the situation as it existed in Gaza preceding that fateful day, showing how dire the situation was the context that inevitably led to an explosion; 
• The second article, October 7, described what actually happened on that day, as opposed to the widespread Israeli narrative—much of which has been thoroughly debunked. I pointed out how most of the Hamas attacks on that day involved military targets and , how many, if not most, of the victims were actually killed by Israeli gunfire, thanks to the Hannibal Doctrine, I also pointed out the lack of evidence or outright debunking of much of the Israeli narrative about beheaded babies, children being burnt them in ovens, widespread rapes, and more; 
• October 8, the third article, highlighted the behavior of the Israeli military since that day, which continues to the present, constituting a deliberately disproportionate response, intentional attacks on civilians, and outright acts of genocide.

These three articles are well worth rereading and sharing, where appropriate, but I want to emphasize today how Israeli society has been shaped by the events of October 7 and how Israeli apologists and propagandists have tried to frame the discussion, as if what happened on October 7 altered the broader situation. For many Israelis, October 7 “changes everything,” creating a new set of rules and values to govern Israel’s interaction with Palestinians, and indeed the norms of international law of warfare itself.

There is no doubt that the events of October 7 were traumatic for Israelis. That day’s events destroyed their sense of security, their faith in Israel’s technological and military superiority, their belief in Israeli army and intelligence services, and in Israel’s ability to “manage” the occupation. For the first time ever , their villages and kibbutzim were actually overrun. For a few hours or days even, they were “occupied” by their enemies who brought the battle into their sacred domains, with commensurate civilian casualties and it was frightening. It revived past traumas and forced them to face the basic realities of the conflict between their Zionist doctrine and Palestinian nationalism. Again, they had thought they could successfully “manage”the situation, but had to face the reality that they could not.

The day also unleashed a vicious and openly racist form of Zionism that teaches that the conflict with the native Palestinians can only be resolved by the use of overwhelming force leading to their subjugation if not exile or outright extermination. This view is not new. It was proclaimed long ago by Ze’ev Jabotinsky, who in the 1930’s wrote in “The Iron Wall” that the natives would never accept the Zionist project unless they are faced with a powerful, impenetrable “iron wall,” : a power they are convinced cannot be overcome. This radical view is old and long-influential, but it has never been as openly celebrated and proclaimed throughout Israeli society. Notions of coexistence, compromise, and cooperation were tossed out, and even so-called liberal attitudes were viewed as naive as their owners instead adopted fascist positions. The idea of “total victory” and complete domination were fueled by fears that this is the only alternative to defeat and extermination. The enemy is totally dehumanized and must be crushed.

In the process, the entire world and its systems have been classified as either “Us” or “Them.” Those who fail to accept and support this narrative, including other Jews, are to be attacked, smeared, reviled, and fought as “antisemites,” “terror supporters,” and “pure evil.” Systems, laws and values that stand in the way of this “existential fight for survival,” are no better than Nazis and have to be eliminated. It can be said that the rage, fear, and desire for revenge that was awakened on October 7 has wholly transformed Israeli society—though many Palestinians would say that the true nature of Israeli society has only been revealed , having always been like this even if it was thinly hidden before.

Regardless, a variety of new “doctrines” have taken root and gained support from across the spectrum of Israeli Jewish society, including those who oppose Netanyahu. These violent doctrines must be challenged and destroyed if there is to be any chance of peace and reconciliation:

1. The complete and utter demonization of Hamas, of Palestinian nationalism, and of anyone who refuses to accept such demonization
2. The removal of any distinction between military and civilian, of combatant and non-combatant, such that anyone who can be charged with any connection to Hamas or Palestinian nationalism thus becomes a legitimate target for destruction.
3. The acceptance of broader and broader definitions of “collateral damage” as being legitimate and necessary in the fight. AI-driven technology will choose enemy targets (as defined above) and use deadly force to destroy them with the full prior knowledge that 50, 100, or even 200 or more admittedly innocent persons could be killed in the process of each such attack
4. A policy of continued propagation of the Israeli narrative and the denial or suppression of evidence to the contrary, as well as the discrediting of legitimate sources of information or anyone who challenges the official Israeli version of events. This includes denying access to foreign journalists or neutral observers, while local journalist them are treated as legitimate targets,
5. The dismissal of international law, international agencies, and international norms as being inapplicable or even “hostile.” This includes all UN agencies, human rights organizations, and any other international body that does not follow the Israeli narrative.
6. The legitimization of collective punishment against an entire population, stating that there are no innocents, even among women and children, within the enemy population 
7.  An expansion of the Dahieh Doctrine whereby entire villages and neighbourhoods can be destroyed entirely, to deny actual or potential enemies the use of that space. Initially, this doctrine was used to punish Shi’ites in the Dahieh neighbourhood of Beirut because that community housed many institutions and people supportive of Hezbollah. This doctrine was used extensively in Gaza to utterly level entire towns and neighborhoods, and recently against 25 villages in South Lebanon where there were no tunnels or hostages that might be used to justify the wholesale destruction. 
8. The use of starvation and the deprivation of essential services and needs, including clean water, fuel, educational materials, and construction materials under the guise of preventing possible “dual use”. This has reached such absurd heights, resulting in the prevention of baby formula, wheelchairs, toilet seats, children’s toys, anesthesia, etc. 
9. A renewed and expanded emphasis on restoring deterrence by using deliberately disproportionate and overwhelming military force against entire populations as being militarily necessary to the objectives of the Israeli army. 

Each of these concepts runs contrary to the overwhelming opinion and values of the nations of the world. Israel manages to exist in a bubble that tolerates and normalizes such anomalies only because its friends, particularly in the United States, provide it with an umbrella that not only permits the violation of such norms but even to the punishment, sanction and delegitimization of the very organizations which seek to uphold them. 

When this umbrella is removed or even merely suspended, as will happen one day, Israel will be left alone to face an entire world that does not accept its behavior. Israelis are definitely ill prepared to deal with that day. 

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*See  Lobbying for Zionism on Both Sides of the Atlantic by Ilan Lappe.  London, One World Publications Ltd., 2024. 590 pp.   ISBN 978 0 86154 402 8.

The links for Kuttab's previous three articles reflecting on October 7th - before, during, after;  I commend this witness wholeheartedly to your attention:

fosna.org/the-fosna-blog/gazas-situation-on-october-6-2023

https://www.fosna.org/the-fosna-blog/october-7-what-actually-happened

fosna.org/the-fosna-blog/october-8-and-beyond