When the October attack happened, much of the west outpoured grief and empathy for Israel.

I knew then what was coming, because I have seen it before, just over two decades ago: that attack hurt Israel more, proportionally, than 9/11 hurt the USA. You, personally, are burning with pain and anger today, it is natural and human if you don't even want to hear a single word that would humanise the Other.

And yet, you are wrong: this is not, and never was, an existential threat to Israel, and that's why Europe is doing things to hold Israel back in Palestine while still supporting Israel against Iran.

To be human is to strike out in anger and vengeance and also look back in shame a generation later when your kids show you today's newspapers and say "you knew". I know why it feels existential, history is replete with examples, but Israel is simply much stronger than Hamas ever was, even with the external support that Hamas gets that in turn makes it entirely justifiable for Israel to totally blockade Palestine (or would, if enough food was getting through).

It took the USA more than a decade to get out of their own way with 9/11, it would be unreasonable to see Israel's national psyche do so any faster.

Just as with the Taliban in the USA, all of Hamas are to the nation of Israel as a few angry wasps are to a picnic: when they sting, they hurt, and you may come up in welts, but it would take hundreds or thousands of them to meaningfully injure their target.

Europe doesn't want Israel to become the same monsters that killed so many millions just on the edge of living memory. Well, most of us don't, at least; it was a sad and slow realisation that plenty of people who give no shits about the Palestinians will still cry crocodile tears for them if it means hurting Israel.

Unfortunately for Israel, some of the latter group are gaining power in the USA, and if the USA becomes Israel's last ally… well, that has potential to become genuinely existential.