Nothing justifies Israel's continued barbarism more than glowing affirmations of terrorist leaders who inflict mass carnage in the hope that the response will inflict far greater mass carnage on their own people and that somehow out of the ashes of death and ruin will come victory.

Nothing justifies it more because when death is glorified over life, there are few options but to give the merchants of death what they seek. When we give up the effort to live side-by-side in peace--and it only takes one side to make war--we revert to the ethos of might-makes-right. Israel is mighty.

The barbarism is still not justified. Israel could have killed far, far fewer Palestinians in the pursuit of Hamas. It could have negotiated eagerly. It could have done both far better with international support, but even without it could have done a lot better than it did and is doing.

But Israel's overreaction does not absolve Sinwar of his decision to choose the death of Israelis over the betterment of his people. And it does not absolve you of the responsibility to care about the well-being of Palestinians and Israelis as fellow humans, and reject all who would cause them to suffer and die.