To be clear, these words are not written out of cynicism; I truly hold deep appreciation for the organizers of the conference and its many participants. I have no doubt of their good intentions and sincere commitment to changing our horrific reality. Yet as Israel systematically starves people in Gaza’s extermination camp, the Israeli left can no longer remain in its comfort zone.

What good are dialogue workshops, discussions about the sanctity of Jerusalem, interfaith prayers, or panels on political solutions while a genocide rages? These are privileged distractions we can no longer afford. To transform reality, we must first stare directly at its horrors and name them without flinching. If this conference cannot even convene a single panel on Gaza’s genocide, much less demand an end to complicity in it, how can it hope to drive the change it claims to pursue?