There is no more despair-inducing subject than the politics of the Middle East. Unfortunately, the war in Gaza brings that hopelessness to the politics of the U.S., particularly among Democrats who feel forced to take sides in what is an oversimplification of the issues involved.

Look no further than the bitterness of Amherst’s attempt to draft a cease-fire resolution reported in the March 6 Gazette [“Council calls for cease-fire”]. What follows is a plea to step back, to think about how complicated and difficult the choices are.

To my fellow American Jews: We know that Israel and its government are not the same. Its government is led by political opportunists and religious fanatics who would claim all the land now occupied by Arabs and send them into exile.

Can we agree that in the end there will be both Arabs and Jews in the land now controlled by Israel? If so, a way must be found for all to live in freedom and dignity.

The policies of the current government have been catastrophic because 1) They make it impossible for its residents to live normal, dignified lives; 2) They have weakened the ability of an Arab government (the Palestinian Authority) willing to cooperate on some level and have strengthened the fanatics of Hamas; and 3) They have chased the illusion that a military solution to this conflict is possible.

Even if Hamas is defeated in Gaza, the brutality of the war will guarantee recruitment of a new generation of fanatics dedicated to Israel’s destruction. The misery of the Israeli occupation on the West Bank violates our Jewish values; the answer to suffering years of oppression by others is not to become the oppressor!

To my fellow progressives: When you march and chant “Free Palestine from the River to the Sea,” ask yourselves what that slogan means. Who would govern a free Palestine today? If Israeli power disappeared tomorrow, it would be Hamas, which is much stronger and better armed than the Palestinian Authority. After Oct. 7, can there be any doubt about Hamas’ plans for a free Palestine? I’m sure you would not advocate for the murder of millions of Jews, but can’t you understand what residents of Israel must think when they hear that chant?

Recognize the evil that Hamas represents, that its leaders knew that their people would suffer intensely as a result of their October invasion. There should have been no objection to condemning them in Amherst’s resolution; Councilor Jennifer Taub was right in abstaining for lack of balance.

Is there any hope for the future there? The South African government, instead of filing a one-sided indictment of Israel at the World Court, could have reminded us that their history shows the only basis for hope: they defeated a dreadful system of oppression with leadership on both sides that embraced nonviolence along with Truth and Reconciliation.

There are many Palestinians who advocate nonviolence, and there are many Israelis who want their government to treat Arabs with respect and decency. Unfortunately, they are not in charge; for most of the last 75 years the extremists on both sides have been running the show with catastrophic results for everyone.

The two most effective advocates for a peaceful solution — Anwar Sadat and Yitzhak Rabin — were both assassinated by fanatics. The terrible violence of Israel’s founding in 1948 continues to haunt that troubled land. It’s likely that they will never know peace; one can hope that people of goodwill there can find a better way forward, but it’s not up to us in America.

Which brings me back to American politics. What happened on Oct. 7 was a terrible crime and Israel deserves support from the U.S. in dealing with it. But Israel’s response was also terrible, and Joe Biden should impose conditions on continued support. However, U.S. leverage is less than we imagine: The Israelis know that they face possible annihilation; as long as they believe that, they will defend themselves as they see fit, with or without American aid.

We in the U.S. have our own existential threat: the potential reelection of the former president. We can express our grief over the horror in Gaza and suggest possible alternatives, but there’s little we can do to ameliorate the situation; we must not let the despair of that situation infect our own politics.

In Amherst, the resolution will have no effect on the war but will poison relations between Jews and non-Jews there. Nationally, for those disappointed with Joe Biden, please remember that we must make a choice between Biden, who will at least try to find a balanced approach to the problem, and Donald Trump, who will hand Benjamin Netanyahu a blank check. One of the worst things we could do would be to abandon President Biden over this issue and hand the presidency back to his predecessor.

Joseph Blumenthal lives in Northampton.