Among the many ways we cause harm to ourselves, to others, and to the world, lying may be the most insidious. Not only because of what it conceals, but because of what it permits. A lie is not simply a false statement. It is a moment of rupture, from reality, from integrity, from relationship. And it is often the seed from which far greater suffering grows.

In the West, Gaza is often perceived not as a tragedy but as a threat, a site of moral confusion, political fatigue, and symbolic inversion. Here, victimhood dons the uniform of an army. Occupation articulates the language of self-defence. And an open-air prison is depicted as a battleground between equals.

How did we arrive here?

The human brain is not a passive receiver of information. It doesn’t simply sit back and wait for reality to arrive through the senses like a camera recording what is “out there.” Instead, the brain constantly predicts what will happen and updates those predictions based on what occurs.