The National Jewish Assembly (NJA) strongly rejects the misleading and harmful characterisation of the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict as a “cycle of violence,” as referred to by Foreign Secretary David Lammy and his French counterpart Stéphane Séjourné in an article penned for The Observer on August 18. This narrative not only obscures the true nature of the conflict but also attempts to create a false equivalence between the actions of a democratic state defending its citizens and those of a terrorist organisation that thrives on violence and chaos.
The reality is clear: the current conflict is a direct result of Hamas’ unprovoked and barbaric attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Prior to this, a ceasefire was in place—one that Hamas chose to shatter with a brutal assault that left innocent civilians dead, wounded, and terrorised. To suggest that Israel’s response to this atrocity is merely part of a “cycle” is to ignore the fundamental responsibility of any sovereign nation to protect its citizens from terrorism.
Moreover, the notion of a “cycle of violence” dangerously distorts the truth by implying that Hamas’ actions are somehow justified or are a reaction to something Israel, the United States, or the West has done. This is a deliberate strategy by Hamas and its supporters to cloak their acts of terror in a veneer of legitimacy, while the reality is that their sole objective is the destruction of Israel and the perpetuation of Islamist extremism.
It is crucial to reject the false narrative of a “cycle of violence” and instead recognise the root cause of the conflict: Hamas’ commitment to terrorism and the destruction of Israel. The international community must stand firm in condemning Hamas for its actions and support Israel’s right to defend itself against those who seek its destruction.
The NJA calls on policymakers, media, and civil society to reject this misleading narrative and defy Hamas’s attempts to rewrite history by shifting blame away from its own violent actions. Only by recognising the true nature of this conflict can we hope to achieve lasting peace and security for all.
