As mentioned yesterday, there are huge protests taking place across the US and around the world against the ongoing genocide in Gaza, in solidarity with Palestinians and calling for not only a ceasefire but an end to the American support for Israeli occupation. Unfortunately, the material results of these protests so far have been limited to say the least.
Yesterday, people peacefully protesting the genocide of Palestinians were shot at outside of Chicago. In Minneapolis, a person drove into a crowd of protesters before circling back and opening fire on them. But the western media, along with many of our elected officials, continues to demonize people supporting the liberation of Palestine. Joe Biden, the useless old dust bunny, can only repeat meaningless platitudes about how “Israel has the right to defend itself”. Call me crazy, but killing over 2,000 children in two weeks doesn’t exactly fit my definition of self-defense, but I recognize that’s something of a radical position nowadays.
Meanwhile, the Israeli regime seems to be going for some kind of speed record for the number of blatant war crimes they can commit with western backing while the whole world watches. Yesterday the homicidal maniacs dropped more white phosphorous munitions on neighboring Lebanon. It’s almost like leveling Gaza and killing anything that moves wasn’t enough retribution.
The footage of Gaza shows what appears to be a city in the aftermath of a nuclear bombing. In just two weeks, Israel has murdered over 2,000 children and more than 5,000 Palestinians in total. Dozens of journalists and aid workers have been murdered for trying to report what’s happening or provide any relief to those suffering. In what sick dystopia could this be considered self-defense or justified in any way? Even the Associated Press has taken a break from their constant Israeli apologia to report from a hospital in Gaza: “The only thing worse than the screams of a patient undergoing surgery without enough anesthesia are the terror-stricken faces of those awaiting their turn.” Let that sink in and sicken you. Let this thought haunt you, and let it radicalize you and drive you to action.
UN aid agencies aren’t spared from the violence, as the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine reported yesterday that 29 of its members had been killed so far in the carpet-bombing. The agency managed to mention that half of those killed were teachers, but somehow they couldn’t name the heartless murderers responsible for their deaths. These are the same relief agencies who labelled the humanitarian situation in Gaza as desperate prior to the October 7 attack by Hamas, and now consider it an outright catastrophe.
The photos and videos coming out of Gaza are slowing, not because the people have grown exhausted broadcasting their own death, but simply because so many journalists have been killed. The comparative quiet we’re seeing from Palestinians in Gaza is a direct result of Israel cutting off their electricity, destroying their homes, and murdering their families, all to stifle Gazans’ ability to share the atrocities Israel is committing on an hourly basis.
Somehow you won’t see an article in a major outlet or newspaper highlight what is becoming the largest anti-war movement in 20 years. Instead we’re witnessing blacklisting for anyone expressing sympathy for Palestine. Yesterday, one of the most powerful agents of color in Hollywood, Maha Dakhil, was harassed and pressured to resign because she dared to condemn genocide. It would be one thing if she advocated for further violence or denigrated innocent Israeli lives lost, but Dakhil simply reposted an Instagram story last week that said, “You’re currently learning who supports genocide”. For this terrible crime she was forced out of her job and will undoubtedly suffer further consequences.
It’s interesting seeing so many western outlets interviewing Palestinians and asking some version of "What did you expect would happen after Hamas attacked Israel?" Yet somehow not one of these reporters thinks to ask Israelis what they expected when they dispossessed and caged 2 and a half million people, subjected them to cruelty and apartheid and responded to their peaceful resistance with bullets. Interesting indeed.