Palestinian Genocide
I want to first make very clear that I stand with Palestinians in this fight. Let me also make clear (because people can’t seem to understand) that denouncing the Palesitinian Genocide does not mean that I am anti-semetic.
Since graduate school, I have recognized an interest within myself of war and genocide. I took a classes on genocide outside of my department for fun because I have that privilege. I engaged in a research project on rape as a weapon of war for fun- it was not a requirement of my degree. I also specialized in disaster and collective trauma with the intent of studying facets of war and genocide. I say all this to say that I am supremely fascinated, but moreseo ashamed, hurt, and terrified by the war on Palestine and felt the need to break my blog silence by writing about it.
Dave Chappelle makes a joke about Space Jews (go look it up) and it just came to mind while I started writing. One of the Space Jew jokes talks about a people who have been victims of a horrible, grotesque genocide only to commit the same act on another group once they have gained power. The fact that Jews can commit genocide on Palestinians and not see the parallels before getting to this point blows my mind. While we’re discussing things that blow my mind, let me add my disgust that powerful, highly “educated” adults all over the world solve problems by seeing who can kill the most people, and that is what we call war. We are taught in kindergarten not to solve problems with violence, but this is how world “leaders” are doing it.
Why the Palestinian Genocide is a Black issue
During the 2020 protests against police brutality in the United States, it was Palestinians who utilized social media to support us by providing tools and tips for staying safe from police during protests. One example that I remember off of the top of my head was that one should stay close to police during the protest because they would not be able to tear gas protesters if the proximity is such that cops themselves would also be impacted by the tear gas. So Palestinians have been our allies and it is time we support them.
Another, more grand and generalizable, reason why the Palestinian Genocide is a Black issue is that its mirroring of South African apartheid is uncanny. In fact, there is a documentary on this very point that I will link below. My point being that apartheid can happen again- it IS happening again in Palestine. I talk about this point a lot with homophobic Black people: if we don’t get past the mental model of hate, no one is safe. There is often a narrative of scarcity mindset with homophobic Black people, that queer folks are earning liberation and Black folks are still suffering: it’s not fair. I think one reason is true is that white people are included in queer folks so they have some leverage. But the point I am trying to make is that if a marginalized group, such as queer folks, makes wins and we hate them because we haven’t made as many, then hate is still alive. As long as hate (especially based on identity or something one cannot change) exists in our society, no one is safe. Even if we suddenly say, “OK, let’s all stop hating Black people and hate people who are left-handed instead,” what makes you think Black people are safe? It can switch back at any time because people are still using hate to justify treatment of groups. That means that that is an acceptable practice of how to determine how we treat other humans. That is why no one is free until we are all free. And Jews are a perfect example of the back and forth switch of people deciding to hate them and then not and then hate them again.
I understand that was long-winded but I haven’t come up with an easier way to explain that concept. At this blog, you are subject to the way my brain farts out ideas. Sorry, thank you.
Why This is a Feminist Issue
Not only do Black people have a stake in this genocide, but women and feminists do as well. One reason is the one stated above on hate. Another is rape as weapon of war. Where there is war, there is rape as a weapon of war. It is only beginning to be discussed in the context of this war. Israeli feminists have collected data showing Hamas using rape as a war strategy against Israeli women and they brought it to UN Women. UN Women has recognized this data and put out a statement denouncing the war crime and gender-based violence. I am glad that people are bringing to light that these acts are occurring. Unfortunately, Palestinian woman are too busy trying to get themselves and their families to survive genocide that they have not been able to gather the evidence that the Israeli government is committing this same gender-based violence against Palestinian women. I am sure this is happening because it is almost a given when war and genocide occur that you can expect rape as a weapon of war.
Women are the keepers of society (that is the reason rape as a weapon of war is such a powerful tactic). Obviously society is threatened in a genocide. Because most of Palestine’s population is children, that makes the threat greater. Not only is the current society threatened, but future society as well. There was research showing that 53% (if I’m remembering the number correctly [it was definitely over 50%]) of Hamas consists of men that saw their fathers being arrested or killed by Israeli forces as children. Based on that research, imagine what will happen to the children that survive this genocide. Israel is essentially digging themselves a bigger ditch for the future, according to this research. Women are then tasked with managing the trauma of the generation they are raising, in addition to their own trauma of this genocide. At this rate, women will be tasked with doing this without the help of their husbands and fathers of their children. Then there is also the children being born out of rape as a weapon of war. Are abortions available to them? How about being forced to raise a child born in that circumstance, that is half Israeli.
Conclusion
This is a Black issue, this is a feminist issue, this is a human issue. Problems don’t stop when the war is over and solutions don’t come from war. People need to employ creative, humane, intelligent solutions in order to change the world we live in and make it a better one. A ceasefire in Palestine is a good start.
Resources to help you learn more about the Palestinian Genocide that have helped me:
Freedom is a Constant Struggle by Angela Davis
