From Curtis Bell of UUs for Justice in the Middle East (UUJME)
The violence of Hamas in causing the deaths of so many Israeli civilians at the music festival and elsewhere in the past few days has been rightly condemned by President Biden and European leaders. Unfortunately, such condemnation and the associated unconditional support of these leaders for Israel fall far short of what is needed to bring peace and real security for the people of the region. In fact, the condemnation and support will almost certainly make things worse. Israel now feels enabled to seek revenge on Gaza with a level of violence much greater than that used in its previous attacks, attacks in which thousands of people in Gaza were killed and tens of thousands injured. Israeli indifference to the lives of the people of Gaza is clear from their current cutting off of food, fuel and electricity to the 2.3 million people of Gaza.
Condemnation of Hamas and unconditional support for Israel, with no call for restraint, falls far short because it ignores history and the reasons for the Hamas attack, i.e., the decades of oppression of Palestinians by the Israeli state, including a brutal blockade Gaza that has lasted for 16 years. It is that system of oppression that is the real source of the problem and that must be addressed. The violence of Israeli oppression engenders the violence of resistance against it. In supporting and facilitating the oppression, the leaders of the US and Europe ensure the continuation of violence.
As citizens of the United States, we must do all we can to end US unconditional support for the apartheid state of Israel and to recognize the humanity and rights of the Palestinian people.
- Here is a short background piece with suggestions for action from the American Friends Service Committee – https://afsc.org/news/5-things-you-need-know-about-whats-happening-israel-and-gaza
- Here is a short video of Ariel Gold Director of the Fellowship of Reconciliation speaking about the recent events – https://twitter.com/forpeace/status/1712081783892644058?s=21&t=gFz2LKtY7gfxj9NH5IBu2g
- Here is a short letter to his fellow Israelis by the Israeli historian Ilan Pappe – https://www.palestinechronicle.com/my-israeli-friends-this-is-why-i-support-palestinians-ilan-pappe/
- Here is a report by a man from Gaza who is under the bombing – https://mondoweiss.net/2023/10/palestine-letter-israel-is-imposing-a-blackout-on-gaza-to-hide-a-massacre/