Editor’s Note: Using our platform to discuss the Israel-Hamas war
The Israel-Hamas war is a highly sensitive and important topic, given the recent hostilities and long-standing conflict within the region. Due to the sensitivity and complexity of this matter, we have decided not to cover it in this issue given the personal impact of the violent conflict on many members of our community and our recognition that we are not experts on this deeply freighted issue with far-reaching impacts.
Instead, we strongly encourage all Osgoode students to stay informed about the situation by reading reputable news sources and educating yourselves about the ongoing events in the region. Please understand that this decision is absolutely not a silence on the matter, but a call for all of us to engage with it proactively by doing our own research, formulating our own informed opinions, and respecting the experiences of those around us.
In Elizabeth Spiers’ 17 Oct opinion essay for the New York Times, she writes that the idea that everyone must concisely and publicly fit their complex thoughts and feelings into a palatable word count “does not leave time or space for people to process traumatic events in the sanctuary of their own minds or to gather more information before pronouncing a judgment.”
Recognizing this, we seek to maintain the pages of Obiter as a safe place for our community to share their voices when they are ready to do so.
We acknowledge that this situation may cause personal stress and may significantly affect your personal lives, and perhaps, your ability to study or work. If you find yourselves in need of support, we strongly encourage you to reach out to Osgoode’s counselling services. In these challenging times, we must remember that as members of both an educational cohort and the legal community, we should support one another and our shared commitment to justice and understanding.
Osgoode’s counselling services:
Osgoode Peer Support Centre at Room 0014G
OPSC@osgoode.yorku.ca