This board has called many times for an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel, and we have called for mercy and reason in the current conflict. It is also noteworthy that the Palestinian Authority under Mr. Abbas has largely stayed clear of the Gaza eruption. Israel is the dominant power here, and in the current conflict, Israel will once again need to be first to move toward the establishment of a Palestinian state. Holding Israel’s leaders to account in no way lessens the responsibility that Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad bear for the present suffering in Gaza. Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook, Twitter (@NYTopinion) and Instagram.

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