A definition of a Supernova is “a powerful and luminous explosion of a star.”https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supernova_remnant
A Supernova remnant, like that depicted here in the picture, is defined as ” the structure resulting from the explosion of a star in a supernova. The supernova remnant is bounded by an expanding shockwave.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supernova_remnant
The irony and tragedy in the choice of name for the Supernova Festival held at a kibbutz near the Gaza Strip, at the weekend, is not lost and nor should it be lost. The Festival, described as ” a journey of love and infinite freedom,” saw a gathering of three or four thousand young people. It’s exact location was secret until later on, soon before it began, for security reasons.
Being mindful of security did not stop the event being targeted by Hamas terrorists who, as part of its invasion and attack on Israel on Saturday, massacred youth, men, women, children, dancing, singing, celebrating, partying, over two hundred and fifty of them murdered, some raped, others kidnapped. All of this during a Jewish religious and cultural holiday.
For nearly four decades, Hamas has revealed itself. From its early years in which its original constitution made its antisemitism murderous in intent, declaring its wanting Jews worldwide killed, the State of Israel, especially, amongst them, blown off the face of the map, its nature was clear. And then to the many years of proving itself by firstly winning an election and then, effectively abolishing elections, governing the Gaza Strip area of the Palestinean Authority as a dictatorship, denying human rights to women, gay people, imprisoning opponents, so it has continued. But none of this has been at the level of cruelty and depravity as the assault on the festival at the weekend.
It could be different. The world could have marched even more for the rights of the Palestinian people, if the Palestinian people were represented in practice, on the ground, by democratic and humane advocates for the social, legal, justice they rightly seek. By turning to the very worst excesses of terrorist activity, Hamas have set back the claim for territorial justice. They have shown what they are. They have given Israel, what it did not need its permission to have, the right to defend itself from an attack. Of course those of us who criticise the tactics of the current governance of Israel, hope for proportionate responses. But, in the aftermath of such a display of carnage, what can those be? Every nation, people, even individual, has the right of self defence. It matters not one bit, that we can explain the justified grievances, the many sufferings, the known injustices. These have been met by invasion, slaughter, mass murder. We know what happened at the weekend. No amount of explanation of why it happened, justifies it.
Author Profile

- Lorenzo Cherin works as a freelance actor, writer, filmmaker, educator. He is a longstanding member, and In-House Writer and Co-Ordinator, of The Ustinov Prejudice Awareness Forum. In this capacity he also works in association with his partner, Lanechka Fevola, who contributes to projects in development and particularly her original art work, for the the Ustinov Forum.
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