Not In Our Name
This is not a fucking football game.
After what happened to European Jewry in the 1930s and 40s, I’d like to think that we — as a Jew I’m talking about other Jews — would have an extra sensitivity to suffering and oppression. I believe many do, and the mainstream media in the US doesn’t pay nearly enough attention to those of us who are vehemently opposed to Israel’s continued oppression and violence towards the Palestinians. There are thousands of people who support Jewish Voice for Peace, and New Israel Fund, and probably more who stay silent because they are bullied into thinking that any criticism of Israel is a mortal sign of disloyalty. While I speak for myself, most of my Jewish friends and some family agree with much, if not all, of what I’m about to say.
To anyone who thinks what Hamas did on October 7 was a justified revolutionary act, how would you feel if your mothers, sister, or child was raped and had their genitals and breast mutilated before she was slaughtered? Or if your father, brother, or grandparent was savagely murdered? If your dog was decapitated? If your child or grandparent is held hostage, and you aren’t sure if they are still alive, let alone in good health? While the Palestinian’s rage is understandable, Hamas committed sociopathic mass murder and inflicted sexual violence and brutality, which under no circumstance should be condoned or, worse, applauded. I feel sorry for those whose hearts won’t allow them to see other people’s humanity.
To anyone who thinks Israel’s response is justified, how would you feel if you lost countless friends and family members who had nothing to do with October 7? If your neighborhood was bombed beyond recognition? If your cat was blown into pieces by an Israeli warplane? If you faced starvation, lack of water, and other necessities for survival. Israel’s response is not about self-defense; it’s about vengeance, and Netanyahu and others need to prove their manhood. It’s a brutish display of collective punishment, and with one out of every 100 people in Gaza killed since the beginning of the war, I have no problem calling it a genocide. I feel sorry for those whose hearts are so hardened that they callously cast the thousands killed by Israeli bombs as an unfortunate consequence of war. Those who say, “fuck them all,” — which I’ve heard in different variations over the last two months — evince a pathetic lack of humanity. No doubt, some Palestinians say this about Israelis, too.
The situation in the Middle East is complicated. I’m a Jew, but not a Zionist. I was raised to believe Israel did no wrong and was fed myths about the promised land and lies about how the Palestinians fled their ancestral homes. I didn’t know a thing about the Kafr Qasim massacre until I was an adult. As I became more aware, I realized not only could Israel do wrong but was founded not just on the enormous wrong of the Holocaust but also on another terrible wrong, the Nakba. As the Holocaust was a singular event for Jews, the Nabka is a singular event for Palestinians.
After the Nazis and their collaborators exterminated six million Jews, a combination of guilt and anti-Semitism prompted the US and Europe leaders to support a Jewish state in Palestine. While Jews had been migrating to Palestine since the 19th century to escape pogroms and bigotry, much of the support for a Israel was not born out of compassion but a desire to expel Jews from Europe. The Balfour Declaration, which provided a road map to the creation of Israel, was fueled by anti-Semitism. The US, UK, and other European countries didn’t want to take Jews in, even after the Holocaust. Whatever the motives, displacing the Palestinians didn’t solve anything. It never gave Israelis a real sense of security and it stripped Arab families of their homes, livelihoods and freedom. What gets overlooked is that Jews had been living in Palestine for centuries and considered their Muslim and Christian neighbors cousins, not enemies. I hope to see that day again.
Violence will only create more hate and terrorists on both sides. The Israeli government will not get rid of Hamas; they’ve emboldened them, which is very sad because, before October 7, Hamas was unpopular in Gaza. Hamas is misogynistic, homophobic, and authoritarian. They have not held elections since 2006. Those on the left who support Hamas should remember that we criticize Trump and MAGA for similar rhetoric and behavior. Do we want to see a repeat of the Iranian revolution in Israel/Palestine? This said, getting rid of Hamas is the choice of the Palestinian people, and Hamas has given them plenty of reasons to give them the boot, including starting this latest war, which they knew would lead to mass deaths and destruction in Gaza. Whether it’s religious zealotry, a thirst for power, or a combination of both, Hamas has only made the situation worse for the Palestinians. And they were enabled along the way by Netanyahu, who is a crook and would be a dictator. He benefits by prolonging the war and suffering. Misogynists, homophobes, religious zealots, and nationalists whose actions fan the flames of anti-Semitism run Israel’s government. The Israeli military is committing war crimes, the US government is an accomplice.
What’s happening in Israel/Palestine is tragic. Violence will not solve it. The solution — and I think there is one — will require compromises, accommodations, sacrifice, and, above all, courage on both sides. Palestinians, Israelis and others need to stop this “River to the Sea” talk and pretending that it’s a harmless slogan. In the world of social justice, we say that impact counts, not intention. No one wants to feel like they’ll be annihilated, not with the specter of the Holocaust, not with the specter of the Nakba. We need a lot more listening, compassion, and empathy.
Women need to play a significant role, if not lead the process, because men are socialized to dominate at all costs, rely on violence, and see empathy as a sign of weakness. Of course, not all men are like that, and we’ve seen our share of terrible female leaders, but if the Middle East is to have lasting peace, people from all sides, genders, and religions need to come to the table, break bread, and figure this shit out. This isn’t me being an idealist; it’s being a realist because the suffering and insecurity going on for generations aren’t working. If Biden were courageous, he would call for a ceasefire, the immediate release of the hostages, and a solution where Palestinians and Israelis have freedom and safety and can, once again, think of one another as cousins. It won’t happen overnight, but the process for peace and healing must start. Now is the time.
Peace is a brave act. I think most people in Israel/Palestine just want to know they and their loves ones will have food, water, shelter, freedom, and safety. Everyone can have it; this is not a zero sum game. It’s not fucking football; these are human lives.
I know many who are reading this agree with me. We need to speak up.
Wishing everyone peace and love in 2024.
