One thing that hasn’t changed about human nature is our capacity to inflict heinous acts of violence upon other human beings when sufficiently provoked. In the last few weeks, the world has once again witnessed the ruthless murders of innocent people, including children, by men whose hearts are filled with a level of hatred that unleashes unspeakable depravity. It makes my heart ache. And it makes me search for answers.
Like many people raised in the Christian church, I was taught to believe that the Jews are God’s chosen people and to believe that His promise to bless those who bless the children and Abraham and to curse those who curse them was real. Because of this, there are many in the U.S. who give unwavering support to Israel without question. Politically speaking, the U.S. has taken the stance of supporting Israel because it was a beacon of democracy in the middle east. These days, even that is questionable. Perhaps part of this unwavering support stems from the fact that we supported its establishment in Palestine in 1948. That set up, however, was flawed from its inception. I understand that the atrocities of WWII reinforced the 1917 Balfour Declaration to establish a Jewish nation as a safe haven for the Jewish people. However, we did it without regard for the Palestinians (Arabs) who along with a small population of Jews, had been occupying that land for hundreds of years. The promises to safeguard the civil and religious rights of the Palestinians was disregarded.
The world has silently stood by since 1948 as the Palestinians were systematically robbed of their land, their civil rights, and opportunities to prosper by the Israeli government. The Palestinian story is similar to that of the Native American story. In this country, Native Americans unsuccessfully resorted to terror tactics to try to stop the flow of white settlers who were encroaching on their land. Overpowered by numbers, greed, stronger fire power, and racist government policy, the Native Americans were killed in overwhelming numbers and the survivors who didn’t assimilate were removed to impoverished reservations.
What I observed along with the rest of the world was a violent (and inexcusable) terror attack motivated by broken promises, years of oppression, brutality, and desperation. It was a futile attack because, like the Native Americans, their actions have little chance of destroying Israel. However, their actions, including the taking of hostages, has turned the eyes of the world toward the plight of the Palestinian people and Israel’s role in provoking their desperate actions. Some continue to support Israel and blame Hamas, but their unwavering and uncritical support for Israel rings hollow these days.
My greatest fear is that Hamas has secured a death sentence for the innocent people they claim to lead. As expected, their terror is being met with overwhelming violence that will further devastate the Palestinians who are now doomed to mourn greater losses of life, livelihoods, and liberties. At least in the short-term. I’m hopeful for liberation in the long term.
As Israel seeks to root out Hamas terrorists who hide themselves among the Palestinian people, I become hopeful as many in the world, including President Biden, are warning the Israeli government against outright genocide. In the immediate aftermath of the terror attack, I heard Benjamin Netanyahu refer to the Palestinian people as “human animals”. Not Hamas, but the entirety of the population. I immediately recognized his demeanor as the same racist mindset that led to Native American genocide, and I understood why his government so easily oppresses and brutalizes the Palestinian people. Netanyahu’s immediate action to cut off food, water, and electricity to a population comprised of 50% children was ruthlessly cruel and many in the world recognized it as such.
If nothing else, the attack on Israel and Netanyahu’s immediate response, shined a light on the brutality of the ongoing oppression of the Palestinian people by the Israeli government. While people condemn the terrorism, they are also condemning the apartheid conditions that lead up to it, including Jews in New York who protested against the Zionist policies of the Israeli government that oppress the Palestinians.
It is not lost on me that the Jewish people who suffered so greatly under Hitler can turn around and mistreat the Palestinian people. I understand that Hamas cannot be bargained with because they continue to deny Israel’s right to exist. They have to go. However, once they are rooted out and destroyed, I believe the world must come together and impose a two-state solution that finally gives the Palestinians their own nation, complete with the freedom and human dignity they have deserved, but were denied, since the establishment of Israel.