We Need To Talk About Gaza

by Dave Nichols

I think we need to continue to talk about what has happened and is happening in Gaza. If we don’t then their situation will likely get worse.

Between September 12 2005 and Oct 7, 2023 Israel sealed off Gaza allowing it very limited access to the outside world. They restricted food and other supplies from entering Gaza. Israel used snipers to kill and maim Palestinians who peacefully demonstrated against Israel's policies.

On October 7, 2023 Hamas launched an attack in southern Israel. It resulted in the death of 1100 Israelis. At that point Israel embarked on a campaign of genocide in Gaza. Some people say that calling it genocide is a slanderous exaggeration but The UN High Commission of Human Rights*, made this determination last fall, laying out in detail the criteria and evidence that constitutes this claim.

Since the cease fire started in October Israeli attacks on Gaza have slackened but not stopped. They have killed approximately 600 people. For the 2 million Palestinians surviving in destroyed Gaza life is tenuous with only sporadic deliveries of food and water and medicine. 

On November 17 the UN Security Council passed a resolution authorizing the formation of a Board of Peace. In this resolution Donald Trump was granted personal authority over Gaza. He now effectively rules Gaza. The rights previously given to Palestinians to determine their future were forgotten. There is not a single Palestinian member on the board.

According to the UN resolution, Hamas must disarm. This is a condition for Israel to withdraw. Trump commented a few weeks ago that he will give Israel the green light to resume the genocide if Hamas does not comply. Israel has always used the pretext of an armed Hamas in order to ethnically cleanse Gaza. This evidenced by their destruction of civilian infrastructure, starvation, and explicit statements by Israeli leadership.

Our government has actively supported Israel in these crimes against Palestine. We have given Israel more military and economic aid than any other country. We constantly vote against UN resolutions condemning Israel. We witnessed our university students being arrested and expelled from universities. Universities were also being sued by the government and they capitulated to the demands of the administration to eliminate and discussion let alone protest. Congress repeatedly tries to pass resolutions that prohibits speech against Israel. Congress tried to ban TikTok until it was purchased by a pro Israeli family.

For those of us who resist and call out for the human rights of minorities and immigrants in this country we should also resist and speak out for the same reasons against our governments participation in destroying the lives and the rights of Palestinians.

* UN website: Israel has committed genocide in the Gaza Strip, UN Commission finds | OHCHR