IAPSP is an international psychoanalytic organization dedicated to deepening our understanding of humanity. The outbreak of catastrophic violence in the Middle East has left us horrified.

We strongly condemn the barbaric, calculated attack on the citizens of Israel perpetrated by Hamas on October 7, 2023, the deadliest attack against Jewish people since the Holocaust. The traumatic, terrifying and dehumanizing impact of this attack cannot be overstated. As an organization, we were stunned and slow to respond to the pain of our Jewish and Israeli colleagues, and deeply regret the hurt this caused. We join them in strongly denouncing Hamas and the violence perpetrated on October 7 that killed over 1,400 people, injured 4,000, and left at least 239 hostage. We grieve for all of the lives lost and call for the immediate, safe return of all hostages to their loved ones.

We are also horrified by the tragic and alarming daily escalation of deaths of innocent Gazans–over 10,000 civilians, including more than 4,000 children to date– who are caught in the literal crossfire and aftermath of those attacks. They are now trapped in a humanitarian crisis and subjected to extreme personal danger. Bombings by the Israeli military have contributed to the dire circumstances. We call for all innocent and injured civilians to be permitted to leave the warzone and for humanitarian aid workers to be granted safe access. We urge the Israeli Government who have proven so resourceful in the past to develop a different approach and we urge Hamas to cease using innocent civilians as human shields.

We call upon our members to hold the suffering of both Israelis and Palestinians in our minds and hearts. We may, at times, hold different political perspectives, but we must never lose sight of our shared humanity.  We must affirm, in word and action, every person’s right to freedom, security, and access to the basic necessities of life.

We are alarmed by the dangerous and world-wide rise of antisemitic and islamophobic attitudes in all their forms and the destruction of lives that such attitudes can lead to An attack on any person or group on the basis of their race, religion, color, ethnicity, nationality or sexual orientation is an assault on every one of us and our most basic humanitarian values. We call on Self Psychologists around the world to confront and denounce these biases as they arise in each of our local communities.

As Self Psychologists who see rage as emanating from traumatic violations, we believe that the escalating cycle of violence and vengeance  in the Middle East will only foment more hatred and violence, impacting future generations. Violence begets violence.  Hatred fuels hatred. To break this destructive cycle, we dedicate ourselves to promoting the peaceful resolution of conflict, to standing against hatred in all its forms, and to treating all people with respect and dignity. Together, we must respond to atrocities around the world, resist the temptation to demonize others, work to repair ruptures within our communities, and respond to the physical and emotional needs of those directly affected by violence. We dedicate ourselves to reflecting on our individual and joint blindspots as we promote healing and reconciliation, bringing the Israeli and Palestinian people together for a permanent peaceful co-existence with a shared sense of dignity and humanity.