Tel Aviv University President: "The time has come to talk about the humanitarian crisis"

• Published date: 14 April 2024
• Author: JERUSALEM POST STAFF
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

Prof. Porat spoke at a conference held at TAU under the title 'Challenges of the Wartime Humanitarian Crisis', which was attended by experts from different fields. Prof. Porat said: "We are still fighting a grueling war, forced upon us six months ago. We all worry endlessly about our hostages and soldiers, about the injured and the evacuees. We have not yet recovered from the horrendous events of October 7 and their aftermath. I don't know if we will ever fully recover

"Because we are engulfed in our concerns and grief, most of us have simply been unable to hear or think about the pain of others - the suffering of uninvolved civilians in Gaza, including many thousands of children. But we cannot continue to bury our heads in the sand. We are receiving more and more information, including some terrible images, of what is happening in Gaza, and we no longer have the privilege of shutting our eyes and ignoring the situation as if it were not our problem.

"Make no mistake. The main responsibility for the terrible things now happening in Gaza lies with Hamas. It was Hamas that unleashed devastation upon us; it is Hamas that is bringing calamity upon its own people. But Hamas' undeniable culpability does not release us from accountability.

"Many questions surface around the humanitarian crisis developing in Gaza. First, the question of our moral responsibility as a nation. This gives rise to all kinds of additional questions, but one thing at least cannot be disputed: no goal, as important as it may be, can justify all means. The question is how and where to draw the line; and if we have already crossed it, how can the damage be rectified? This is one pivotal question which I believe must be addressed.

"But it's not the only question. Some believe that the humanitarian crisis in Gaza can help us achieve the war's goals. In my unprofessional opinion, the opposite is true. Suffice it to see and feel Israel's unprecedented delegitimization around the world, including among our most steadfast allies. So, the question arises: does the continuation of the humanitarian crisis serve any purpose at all? As I said...