Black activists are fighting for Palestine
If you’re pro Palestinian rights, it sometimes can feel as if you’re screaming into an echo chamber. You say, “Hey, Palestinian children are dying!” and the only people who respond with legitimate concern are Arabs and Muslims. You go to protests, year after year after year, and the faces you see are almost exclusively the ones from your own community.
At least, that’s how it’s usually been.
This time, however, as the bombs rain down on Gaza, I feel something other than helpless. For the first time, I see the narrative starting to shift — and that’s in no small part due to the support and activism of the Black community in support of Palestine.
I’m writing this to show my appreciation as a Muslim American. But also so I can make a point to all those people who love to jump on a hashtag only because it’s popular.
More on that later, though.
The Black Lives Matter movement publicly declared support for #FreePalestine.
This isn’t the first time the movement has denounced Israel. BLM co-founder Patrisse Khan-Cullors declared Israel “an apartheid state” after visiting Palestine in 2015. Solidarity has always existed between BLM and BDS (the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement against Israel).
Unsurprisingly, “whataboutism” is running rampant in the comments of the tweet. What about this crime committed by Hamas? What about this person who was unjustly arrested? What about concern for Israeli lives? Don’t all lives matter?
Just as unsurprisingly, there are plenty of people swearing off the BLM movement due to this tweet.
My personal opinion: Let ’em go.
Black activists are flipping the script on Israel.
Shaun King has his own history of problematic behavior, but his tweets and Instagram stories in support of Palestine have been some of the most powerful I’ve seen. He dismantles the old “anti-Zionism is anti-Semitism” argument in this post:
Civil rights icon Angela Davis has been a longstanding supporter of Palestine. Last year in a Democracy Now! interview, she reaffirmed her commitment to the liberation of the occupied territories: “Palestinian activists have long supported the Black people’s struggle against racism… We have a profound responsibility to support Palestinian struggles.”
Amanda Seales on Instagram shared her take on the situation through IGTV, featuring this caption: “There is a LONG storied history of the dynamic playing out in Palestine right now and you simply cannot start the conversation at vilifying those who are defending themselves. To do so is reductive and imperialist rhetoric that cannot be tolerated by anyone who truly believes in civil and human rights.”
Monifa Bandele posted a picture of herself at a pro-Palestine rally. Next to her is a sign that states “Black Brooklyn For Palestine.” She writes in her caption, “The thing about us, we [know] apartheid when we see it.”
Black celebrities are waving and wearing the Palestinian flag.
Paul Pogba and Amad Diallo, both Black football players, held up the Palestinian flag after Manchester United’s final home game of the season, in front of international television and a stadium audience of 10,000 fans.
Leicester players Hamza Choudhury and Wesley Fofana also held up the Palestinian flag at the FA Cup final — and won’t receive any consequences for doing so, as the Palestinian flag is internationally recognized as legitimate.
Swedish professional boxer Badou Jack posted a picture of himself with a Palestinian flag sash draped over his shoulders with the caption, “You already know.” The location tagged in the post is perhaps an even bolder statement: “Jerusalem, Capital of Palestine.”
Then there are those who have been using their platforms to spread awareness through information. Zendaya shared campaigns to send aid to Palestinian clinics and humanitarian organizations in Gaza. Tracee Ellis Ross shared informational slides that dismantle the one-sided narrative that has for so long favored only Israel. Viola Davis shared a thread breaking down the crimes committed against the Palestinian residents of Sheikh Jarrah. Tinashe tweeted, alongside several bold red exclamation points, “FREE PALESTINE.” Michael B. Jordan reshared a post by Bella Hadid calling for support of the Palestinian cause, labeling her statement “Facts.”
Black congresspeople are taking a stand against unconditional support of Israel.
It’s not surprising to see Ilhan Omar of the Squad leveling harsh words (and rightfully so) against Israel. She herself is a victim of war. She knows the feeling of having to flee your homeland due to violence.
She’s been a critic of Israel day one, and she’s continuing to stick with her stance — something that has caused AIPAC to attempt smear campaigns against her, not just once, but multiple times. Their latest attempt is in the form of these highly distasteful posts:
It makes sense that they’re getting desperate. Neither Israel nor AIPAC is used to such straightforward condemnation from elected officials in Congress.
Ayanna Pressley, fellow Squad member, connected the struggle of Black Americans to the Palestinian resistance movement:
And Cori Bush, echoing AOC, Ilhan Omar, and Rashida Tlaib, puts it succinctly for those who need to hear it:
You know what’s funny?
Throughout all four years of Trump’s presidency, left-leaning media outlets patted themselves on the back for remaining true to journalism, not giving into propaganda, the whole “we’re not like conservatives” spiel.
Those same media outlets have gone dead silent now that these activists have begun raising their voices about Palestine. The only headlines I can find that are blaring about this alliance are on Fox News.
… And surprisingly, it’s a dang good headline. One that both liberal and conservative media clearly believe to be damning.
That tells you a lot about the sincerity of “woke” America.
This solidarity has given us hope.
I speak as a South Asian Muslim who has several Palestinian friends, who has been watching bombs fall on Gaza for years, and years, and years. I speak as someone who was infuriated by the way Israel violated our holy month of Ramadan and Eid, our day of celebration, so its troops could shoot up a mosque full of worshippers and blow up the homes of Palestinians of all religions. I speak as someone who has witnessed the pain borne by Black activists who already fight every day for the life, for the humanity, for the protection of their people.
Thank you to everyone who has spoken out, posted, used a hashtag, or even just retweeted the message. It means more than you know.
White people and other minority groups, pay attention.
All along, people have known that some of you only stuck “BLM” in your social media bios because it was trending, and because you didn’t want to get cancelled — not because the oppression of people has any meaning to you.
So now that so have Black activists have declared their support for Palestine — fully, unequivocally, unapologetically — are you going to distance yourself from them too by claiming Palestine is “too complicated” for you to support? Are you going to walk back “ACAB” when the cop is an IDF soldier with a gun pointed into the face of a toddler?
This is the perfect opportunity to check yourself.
To see if you are actually pro Black lives, pro humanity, and anti-oppression —
Or if you only had something to say when everyone else was already screaming it.
Resources to learn more about Palestine and the Israeli occupation:
Palestine: A Socialist Introduction https://www.haymarketbooks.org/books/1558-palestine-a-socialist-introduction
Follow: Rafeef Ziadah, Linda Sarsour, Noura Erakat, Mohammed El-Kurd, Khaled Baydoun, Bella and Gigi Hadid
