Chef José Andrés wrote a powerful guest opinion piece for the New York Times in response to the death of seven WCK aid workers in an IDF strike earlier this week. Here’s a gift link. Excerpts below:
In the worst conditions you can imagine — after hurricanes, earthquakes, bombs and gunfire — the best of humanity shows up. Not once or twice but always.
The seven people killed on a World Central Kitchen mission in Gaza on Monday were the best of humanity. They are not faceless or nameless. They are not generic aid workers or collateral damage in war…
From Day 1, we have fed Israelis as well as Palestinians. Across Israel, we have served more than 1.75 million hot meals. We have fed families displaced by Hezbollah rockets in the north. We have fed grieving families from the south. We delivered meals to the hospitals where hostages were reunited with their families. We have called consistently, repeatedly and passionately for the release of all the hostages…
We know Israelis. Israelis, in their heart of hearts, know that food is not a weapon of war.
Israel is better than the way this war is being waged. It is better than blocking food and medicine to civilians. It is better than killing aid workers who had coordinated their movements with the Israel Defense Forces.
The Israeli government needs to open more land routes for food and medicine today. It needs to stop killing civilians and aid workers today. It needs to start the long journey to peace today.
In the worst conditions, after the worst terrorist attack in its history, it’s time for the best of Israel to show up…
Like the humanitarian he is, the chef acknowledges the immense suffering on all sides — the Palestinian civilians in Gaza, the hostages still being held there and the victims and survivors of Hamas atrocities. The worst currently have free rein. I sure hope the best figure out how to show up.
Open thread.
World Central Kitchen: Protect the HelpersPost + Comments (237)