You’re Still Not Talking About Palestine

By you, I’m talking about the vast majority of people worldwide. I’m inclined to say it’s not completely your fault. How can you know what’s really going on in Sheikh Jarrah when you see headlines like this?

But at the same time, ignorance is no excuse. Educating yourself is your duty.

So now let me inform you of what Palestinians and human rights advocates have known for a long, long time.

Israel is a colonial project, an apartheid state, an ethnic cleansing effort.

Much like the U.S., its mentor and guardian, Israel is built off the forced expulsion, dehumanization, and brutalization of the indigenous Palestinian population. Israel functions off racist systems that systemically discriminate against Palestinians. Israeli politicians openly spew racist rhetoric, and all the UN does is say, “Uh-huh, you’re committing war crimes, but we can’t do anything about it.”

It’s shameful that most people don’t have a single word to say about these war crimes.

It’s time to ask yourself why.

Is it because you haven’t done your research? Because the Israel-Palestine conflict is labeled as complicated and confusing?

Any 101-level college class on Middle Eastern history will do away with your confusion. Here’s how the story goes: the Palestinians lived on their land. One day, Britain signed that land over to the Zionist movement. Thus began the long, brutal colonization of Palestine, reminiscent of what Native Americans went through at the hands of white settlers.

You’ll say, don’t exaggerate. Be careful with your language. Don’t offend anyone.

I’m done with that whole discussion. Criticizing the policies of the state of Israel is not anti-Semitic. Same as how criticizing the discrimination against women in Saudi Arabia isn’t Islamophobic. Separate the two. Plenty of our Jewish allies do, as do citizens of Israel who are against the apartheid.

I know that no religion on earth condones the type of suffering being inflicted on Palestinians today.

It’s embarrassing that we even have to have this discussion. But hey, at least it sidetracks us from talking about real issues, right?

Like the fact that an Israeli person can walk right into the home of a Palestinian family who’s been there for generations, and claim it for themselves?

Are you okay with that?

Are you really okay living in a world with “Israelis Only” signs on highways? Are you really okay with military checkpoints that detain Palestinians for six, eight, ten hours at a time? Are you really okay with Israelis casually talking about stealing Palestinian houses and evicting entire families, not stopping until every last one of the territories is claimed under the Israeli flag? Are you really okay with the daily murder and arrest of literal children? Are you really okay with peaceful, unarmed worshippers during Ramadan being teargassed and sprayed with rubber bullets by the Israeli military?

Are you really okay with the fact that in Sheikh Jarrah, in the past few days alone, around nine children have been murdered?

They’re children. And what about the trauma of their families?

Don’t get me started on the IDF. It’s the American policing system, only with more liberal use of tanks and missiles. Palestinians are murdered and arrested daily. For what? For existing?

If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that those who fight for freedom are the ones that the state is quick to label as terrorists.

Do you not see the parallels in Gaza?

Are you going to sit back and nod along as mainstream media labels this as another “clash,” when only one side has the guns? When one side has all the international backing and power, and the other side has lived a lifetime under occupation?

Are you going to make the people of Gaza sit there and condemn every missile launched at Israel when they spend every day waiting for the scant few hours when they get water and electricity? When police brutality of Israelis against Palestinians is tearing families apart, every single day?

Friendly reminder: Israel’s settlements are illegal. The world just lets them get away with it.

Time for you to be the change. You don’t have to be Palestinian or Muslim to raise your voice.

Just raising awareness is a huge step. Did you know that TikTok and Instagram have been taking down posts showing the Israeli military attacking Palestinians?

They can’t shut everyone up if we’re all talking about it.

Share informational posts to your Instagram story.

Tweet about it.

Post to Facebook.

Sign petitions.

Save Sheikh Jarrah.

Free Palestine.