War

Humans constantly create walls, barriers and laws to bring in or to keep out other human beings. Those who trespass these human-made barriers are considered outlaws, without rights, devoid of citizenship, prevented from living a more bearable life in his or her own singular manner. Being a migrant, a refugee or asylum seeker may be applicable to anybody, any analysand coming for analysis.

War proliferates sleep. It keeps us asleep, supporting blind fraternity in arms that turns away from the metaphor of woman’s body. War rages against life, against women, even if they blend in the military ranks on a par with men. None go to war out of love. The sleep which the combatants walk into, moderates the imminence into not yet. The external threat lives and comes in effect from within.

I have kept remembering the words of a mother of the West Bank who was interviewed by French television immediately after 7 October 2023. Under the gaze of the camera and the urgent questioning of the reporter, she said that Hamas hadn’t committed the violence that the reporter was describing because Hamas doesn’t target civilians, women, or children. Her words were echoed by several testimonies and documents.