The Martlet

The article recently published in the Martlet (“Hamas to blame in Gaza conflict”) was nothing less than the expected rhetoric by those who are pro-Israel.

I have always highlighted and will continue to highlight the human tragedy taking place in that region. Yet, anyone who is pro-Israel will immediately begin discussing the issue from a political standpoint, which only points to a diseased heart. How is anyone able to discuss politics and take sides, for or against an issue, while innocent civilians are being killed? What will it take for us to truly wake up and realize that women and children's deaths are not okay? Do you have to lose your own sister to understand? How about your young cousin or nephew? What will you do if you saw your old grandfather being physically pushed around by some young imprudent soldier?

I truly mean it when I say that I don’t care who started it. I’m not saying this knowing that Hamas started the conflict. According to a newscast by CNN on Jan. 10, Israeli forces conducted a raid on Nov. 4 of this past year, during the ceasefire, and killed six Palestinians who were suspected of digging tunnels. Israeli spokesman Mark Regev admitted, on air, that prior to the Israeli attack there were no Hamas rockets and no Israeli civilians or soldiers killed by a Hamas offensive strike.

Furthermore, two months before the ceasefire ended, Israeli forces conducted attacks against Rafa’h, Khan Younes, and Israel never lifter the blockade on Gaza. Over 267 people died due to lack of access to medical care. This is prior to the irrational and disproportionate attack that ended only a couple of weeks ago, after injuring over 5,000 civilians and killing over 1,300 — the majority of which were women and children. Still feel like talking politics? Can you not see the fallacy of saying that Hamas is to blame? The statement is ridiculous to say the least, for a simple reason, which relates back to who is doing the heavy assault.

The Israelis keep pushing this idea that they are the victims. At the latest Davos Conference held by the World Economic Forum, Shimon Perez had the audacity to put forth the question of why Israel went through seven wars, two Intifadahs and continues to fight in its 60-year history. How dare he ask such a question? What else was expected from a people being subjected to the most humiliating conditions, which some have argued are worse than the now-fallen apartheid in South Africa? What reaction is merited from a people being kicked out of their homes, driven to poverty, and forced to experience a lifestyle that if you subject a dog to in this country, you would face criminal charges?

The U.S. definition of terrorism is the violent action against a civilian population in order to coerce a political outcome. The Israeli commanders admitted and continue to admit that they use force against the Palestinian population in order to make them turn against Hamas. That’s terrorism. What’s more is, they wonder why. Why do they have this problem with suicide bombers?

A social study focusing on Palestinian suicide bombers concluded that every single one of them experienced a psychological trauma due to a loss of not one, but several family members by Israeli offensive. Another study showed that a significant number of preteen Palestinian children have lost the will to live. I was moved to tears after hearing a woman talk about running outside to save her eight-year-old daughter who hung herself on a tree just outside their recently destroyed home. What eight-year-old kid loses the will to live?

You still want to talk semantics and politics? You still feel like placing blame? This is a humanitarian crisis.

The Israeli government is the superpower in the region. They hold the cards. They have the power to put a stop to all of this. Dropping bombs on people is not going to win anyone's love.