It has now been a week since the escalation of the war in Israel which has seen direct engagement with Iran. It has been an exceedingly worrying time for so many of us who have close friends and family members in Israel.

Israelis have been cautious of entering directly into conflict with Iran for some time in the knowledge that it possesses such a significant arsenal of long-range missiles. However the preemptive strikes against Iranian nuclear and weapons’ infrastructure have been viewed by many as justified and necessary. Allowing a regime which regularly calls for your destruction to acquire the means to do so is unacceptable and many distrust that the slow diplomacy of the global community would prevent this eventuality.

The new front of the war has, once again, brought terrible impacts to the lives of Israeli civilians. The multiple daily and nightly trips to the fortified safe rooms, stairwells and underground car parks have proven relentless. The frequent interruptions to sleep and inability to participate in normal life activities are very challenging. However, the most tortuous aspect of this period has been the indiscriminate nature of the Iranian missile attacks which have been so frequently directed at civilian areas. This has left all civilians feeling vulnerable. The random nature of the attacks have meant that regardless of ethnicity, religion or politics, all residents have been exposed.

Iran has been widely recognised as the world’s largest state-sponsor of terrorism, and so it is not altogether unexpected that, in warfare, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has adopted tactics that prioritise terrorising civilians.

It is not lost on us that while the world’s focus has shifted to the conflict with Iran, the devastating war in Gaza continues and the plight of the remaining 53 hostages must not be forgotten.

This week has been a timely reminder of the brutality of war. As human beings we intrinsically know that no civilian should live with the threats of violence that war brings. As we grieve the loss and wounding of so many Israelis we also feel compassion for the Palestinian and Iranian civilians who suffer so terribly during this multi-phase, multi-front war.

This week, when I spoke with family and friends in Israel the common messages were of resilience and hope in a better future. While there is exhaustion following 623 days of war, emotional upheaval and loss, they expressed that so much of the violence and the blockages to peace have occurred through the direction and sponsorship of the Iranian regime.

The constant security threats to Israel have proven an impediment to securing peace between Israel and Palestine.

My friends expressed the hope that with a weakened Iran, Syria, Hezbollah, Hamas and Huthis, there is a foundation for safety and security and the chance for a future peace.

This seems ever so far away but as one friend said to me – the night is darkest before dawn.

At this time, we pray for Israel’s safety, that the war will soon end and that in its wake there will be security, peace and a resumption of normal life.

Shabbat Shalom and Am Yisrael Chai,
Marc Light