Anath, also known as Anat, was revered by the Canaanites and the ancient Israelites as a deity of love and war. She is credited as the progenitor of Shamgar, who liberated the Hebrews from the yoke of Philistine domination through a revolt.

Portrayed as a strikingly beautiful young woman, she was frequently referred to as “the Virgin” in historical scriptures. Paradoxically, she was also known as the “mistress of heaven.” It could be surmised that her divine status permitted only celestial beings to approach her, while mortals were left to acknowledge her virginity—a state they were duty-bound to preserve.

Venerated across the Levant since at least the mid-third millennium B.C.E., Anath’s dual roles as a goddess of both affection and conflict highlight her significance in the religious tapestry of the region. Her maternal connection to Shamgar, who orchestrated an insurrection to free the Hebrews from Philistine subjugation, further cements her legacy in the annals of history.

Anat’s Greek equivalent, the goddess Athena, was celebrated for her embodiment of cool-headed rationality, tactical acumen, and strategic prowess. She was eternally chaste. One might speculate that, for a woman to maintain her strength and significance, it was imperative to remain unencumbered by the responsibilities of motherhood or the complexities of romantic entanglements.

The significance of sexual abstinence in the life of an ancient war deity is as fascinating as her role in liberating the Hebrews from Philistine subjugation. In Greek tradition, Athena was revered for bestowing olive trees upon the people of Athens, thus ensuring their livelihood.

Considering the recent tragic events in Gaza, one might ponder whether the underlying struggle is for necessities. The Gaza Strip has long been central to the region’s political interplay, as well as its enduring conflicts over faith and martial dominance.

Crucial elements of this strife include the Israeli control of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, the contested status of Jerusalem, the presence of Israeli settlements, delineation of borders, security concerns, water rights, the regulatory permit system, the Palestinians’ freedom of movement, and their right of return.

In the West Bank and Gaza, currently, less than one-third of the workforce holds regular, salaried employment. The majority are either self-employed or engaged in unpaid family labor, often facing underemployment. The region is witnessing a rapid expansion of low-productivity, informal-sector activities.

In contrast, Israel’s economy thrives on key sectors such as technology, manufacturing, and the diamond processing industry. The nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) stood at 501.4 billion U.S. dollars in 2022, with projections suggesting an increase to 611.8 billion U.S. dollars by 2026.

A common question arises: why not adopt the magnanimous approach and withdraw, akin to how an elder sibling might relent in a dispute with a younger one? However, in the context of warfare, such considerations are set aside as it involves yielding resources, strategic advantages, and ideological ground.

Ideology often masquerades as altruistic commitment while extracting from its adherents under the guise of moral superiority. Conversely, the free market is driven by tangible incentives that provide a measure of material well-being.

Anath, the deity of both love and warfare, embodies a seemingly paradoxical union of concepts. Yet, these mythological figures are carved from the annals of history and humanity’s grasp of its own nature. It’s often said, “History that repeats itself becomes farcical, and farce that repeats itself becomes historical.”

Humans craft their history, not at their whim, but within the confines of pre-existing circumstances handed down from the past. The legacy of bygone eras looms over the living like a pervasive specter. Even as they strive to innovate and transform their reality, creating the unprecedented, they invoke the echoes of history during revolutionary upheavals, adopting ancient monikers, rallying cries, and garb to clothe the present in the venerable vestments and vernacular of yore.

In this light, Anath’s dualistic nature is no contradiction, particularly when viewed against the backdrop of a historic fight against oppression—a movement towards liberation. She is credited with the initial emancipation of the Hebrews from Philistine tyranny. However, the struggle persists, evolving with distinct ideologies. The modern-day Philistine, represented by groups like Hamas, is propelled by a unique set of doctrines.

Among the numerous pundits on television analyzing political strategies and agendas, none have articulated it more concisely than Baudrillard, who stated,

“All the liberation fights against domination only paved the way for hegemony, the reign of general exchange - against which there is no possible revolution, since everything is already liberated. The more intense this hegemonic process of forced integration and integral reality is, the more singularities will rise against it. There will be more "rogue states" - states (like Iran, Palestine) that deliberately exclude themselves from the international community without waiting to be excluded, that exclude themselves from the universal and play their own game, at their own risk and peril.”