412 Fighting In Gaza & Lebanon: Through an IDF Tank Commander’s Eyes with Benaya Cherlow
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On this episode of Christopher Lochhead: Follow Your Different, we sit down with Captain Benaya Cherlow, an Israeli-American army officer, strategist, and veteran of both Gaza and Lebanon.
In the aftermath of October 7th, when the world witnessed astounding levels of violence and heartbreak, conversations about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict have often focused on the political, religious, and strategic dimensions. Yet, beneath the headlines are deeply personal stories of loss, identity, and the moral quandaries faced by those on the frontlines.
This dialogue traverses the emotional aftermath of tragedy, the complexities of identity in a region at war, and the indelible lessons learned amid chaos, with the hope of peace as a guiding light.
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Bearing Witness to Evil and Wrestling with Identity
Christopher opens the conversation by acknowledging his own pain in the wake of October 7th, having lost close friends to acts of violence and identifying deeply with the Jewish community through family and lifelong friendships. This sense of shared heartbreak becomes the backdrop for his discussion with Captain Cherlow, a man whose background embodies the intersection of cultures and conflict. Born to a Lebanese-Jewish mother from Beirut and an American father, himself descended from Holocaust survivors and World War II veterans, Captain Cherlow describes his upbringing as a “crisis of identity.” Fluent in Hebrew, Arabic, and English, he straddles the worlds of his ancestors, fighting on behalf of one homeland in the land of the other.
The experience of entering Lebanese villages as an IDF officer—aware of his maternal roots and hearing echoes of his family history everywhere—is a stark reminder of how personal the region’s turbulence becomes for those with ties on both sides. Captain Cherlow’s ability to speak Arabic and understand the culture gave him insights into the threats posed by Hezbollah, but also led to moments of profound irony and unexpected kindness even in the midst of war.
Moral Decisions on the Battlefield and the Human Cost of War
The conversation takes a raw turn as Captain Cherlow recounts experiences from the frontlines in Gaza. With the war dragging on, he describes the sheer exhaustion experienced by Israeli soldiers and citizens alike, each hoping for peace but aware of the tenuousness of any truce. It is in recounting a harrowing night, when he was faced with choosing between saving fellow soldiers or responding to a possible hostage situation, that the moral complexity of war is laid bare. Cherlow refuses to divulge the decision he ultimately made, insisting instead that listeners sit with the impossible pressure of those few seconds, a pressure for which neither military training nor life experience truly prepares anyone.
The story of using a hospital as a base of operations, only to discover women and children being used as human shields by Hamas combatants, adds another layer to the moral maze soldiers must navigate. Christopher and Captain Cherlow both focus on the humanity amidst chaos; whether that is in giving snacks to Gazan children or improvising medical care for wounded comrades. Through all this, Cherlow reflects on the importance of conveying these complexities to decision-makers in Congress. The reality of urban warfare, he emphasizes, is not the relentless heroics dramatized on television; it is long stretches of hunger, confusion, and impossible choices, punctuated by moments of both tragedy and grace.
On the Precipice of Peace, and the Weight of History
A theme running through the episode is the flickering hope for a different future. For what may be the first time, a coalition led by the United States and Israel has assembled nearly all the major Arab and Muslim nations, from Saudi Arabia to Indonesia, behind a peace proposal, leaving Hamas more isolated than ever before. Both speakers acknowledge the historical significance of this moment, yet maintain a hard-earned skepticism from decades of shattered peace deals.
Captain Cherlow draws on his wide experience: working in Congress as a policy advisor and returning repeatedly to the battlefield, to underscore how quickly the tides can shift in the region. He describes the extraordinary sense of unity and responsibility that animates Israeli reservists, many of whom are fathers and older professionals, all volunteering not just out of patriotic duty, but out of fierce dedication to their families and communities. This sense of unity, he suggests, has been both a shield and a source of meaning amidst trauma.
To hear more from Captain Cherlow and the current status on the ground and what happens behind the scenes, download and listen to this episode.
Bio
Benaya Cherlow is a Captain in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), having served in the Armored Corps and leading over 150 troops. He was called back into reserve duty following the October 7 escalation, and saw active service in both Gaza and along the northern border confronting Hezbollah.
Born in Jerusalem to an American father and Lebanese mother, Cherlow holds dual cultural insight. After completing his regular service, he pursued studies in decision-making strategy and diplomacy at Reichman University.
Beyond the battlefield, he now works to bridge divides through public engagement and policy dialogue. He has organized delegations to Capitol Hill and engages U.S. lawmakers to offer firsthand insight into complex Middle East realities.
Links
Learn more about Benaya Cherlow
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