On the side of liberation and justice
Note: the opinions reflected here are my own and not endorsed by any organization or institution.
One of the things that boggles my mind, when hearing discussions about the violence in Palestine and Gaza is the way in which these conversations often center around dehumanization and violence against a group of people. And this dehumanization isn’t just coming from the expected bad actors: right-wing extremists, who are both anti-Semitic and Islamophobic, etc but from people who otherwise in their daily lives advocate for justice and the marginalized. They are teachers, queer advocates, and religious leaders, who in every other circumstance advocate for the human dignity of all. Yet when it comes to discussing Palestine and Israel, they are suddenly advocating for the massacre of large swaths of people in the name of “security” or “liberation.”
On the one hand, there are some individuals and groups who insist that one has to support the Israeli government’s horrific actions that have directly led to the deaths of thousands of Palestinans-many of whom are children. Children who didn’t choose to be born under occupation, who did not have the capacity to vote for Hamas or any one at all, whose short life was filled with the daily violence of living as second-class citizens, whose freedom of movement, and freedom to go to school were limited. Some individuals including Christians across the theological and political spectrum, have stated that following God means supporting the Israeli government and their actions.
On the other hand, there are other individuals who argue that Hamas are “resistance fighters” who are responding to the violence of occupation and some individuals argue that oppressed people have the right to fight injustice any way they see fit. Despite the fact that Hamas’ political and theological platform is not one of freedom and liberation, but simply seeks to replace one form of oppression with another. Homegrown oppression that mistreats queer people, women, and other marginalized groups is still oppression.
However, while there are some people who view the violence in Israel and Gaza in terms of: supporting the Israeli government and apartheid or supporting Hamas and terrorism, many other people of various nationalities, across the political spectrum and of various religious faith traditions (or none at all) have demonstrated the ability to hold onto the complicated truth: that the Israeli occupation that has lead to wide-scale poverty, disenfranchisement of millions of Palestinians, and the deaths of thousands is a horrific injustice that must be stopped AND that the violence of Hamas: massacring over 1,400 Israelis and kidnapping at least 155 men, women and children, is not an act of liberation and must be condemned.
The reality is that one must pick a side in the face of injustice: but it is not a dichotomous choice of: either support the Israeli government’s occupation and violence towards Palestinans or support Hamas and their acts of terror. The choice is between continuing the cycle of violence and dehumanization that will only lead to the death of more innocent lives or advocating for liberation and justice and an end to violent occupation. The reality is that neither “security” nor “liberation” will come with the eradication of one’s “enemies,” much less the thousands of children and elderly people who will bear the brunt of unmitigated violence.
Now some will point out: well it’s not an equal fight. Correct, the Israeli government receives millions of dollars of foreign aid from the US alone, and it also has the power to unilaterally deny food, medicine, and water from getting into Palestine. The Israeli government also has vastly superior weapons and bombs that are killing hundreds if not thousands of Palestinians. It is not by any stretch of the imagination a fair fight. And yet, one can acknowledge those facts and also admit that Hamas is not the beacon of liberation. Hamas does not speak for all Palestinians. Let’s be honest, many of those who claim that Hamas does speak for all Palestinians often do so in order to justify the deaths and oppression of Palestinians,
It is also important to note that the Israeli government, also does not speak for all Jewish people. In fact, there are numerous Jewish groups, activists, scholars, and other individuals who strongly speak out against Israeli occupation and oppression of Palestinians. Jewish Currents, a Progressive secular Jewish magazine published an article by Raz Segal entitled, “A textbook case of genocide” The author of the article and by extension the magazine that published the article, does not mince words in condemning the horrific violence of the Israeli government. They call it what it is: an act of genocide.
Jewish Currents also posted a letter from the editor, entitled, “We Cannot Cross Until We Carry Each Other,” which acknowledges the pain and suffering of those whose loved ones were kidnapped and murdered by Hamas. In fact, the editor points out that he and his staff know people who are directly impacted by Hama’s actions. And yet, Arielle Angel points out that referring to Palestinians as animals and indiscriminately killing them, will not make Jewish people safer.
Other Jewish groups that speak out against Israeli government action include: Breaking the Silence- an organization comprised of veterans of the Israeli Defense Forces, Jewish Voices for Peace, Peace Now and If Not Now.
The idea that “all” or even “most” Palestinians support the eradication of Israel is also belied by the fact that there are numerous groups composed of Palestinians and Israelis who are advocating for peace. Here are just a handful of groups: The Parents Circle – Families Forum comprised of Israeli and Palestinian families who have lost a loved one due to the ongoing violence, Combatants for Peace, comprised of former combatants who now advocate for nonviolence and peace, and Holy Land Trust a Palestinian peace nonprofit organization that advocates for Palestinians via nonviolent activism.
What Hamas did earlier in October was unacceptable. Period. Point blank. The Israeli lives lost deserve to be cherished and mourned. The hostages need to be released. And the Israeli government’s response is horrendous. And the larger context of the occupation also needs to be acknowledged and condemned. This isn’t a “both sideism” position, nor is it a “neutral” position. It is an acknowledgment of reality: that Hamas is not an actor of liberation and that the decades of oppression that Palestinians have experienced at the hands of the Israeli government needs to stop.
Now a message specifically to my fellow Christians: we have multiple hard truths to juggle: the reality of the long history of Christian anti-semitism, which unfortunately continues to this day, and the ways in which US government support for Israeli actions have contributed to the deaths and oppression of thousands of Palestinians. We need to unequivocally condemn anti-semitism within Christian spaces, and we also need to push back against the political and military support that the US government sends to the Israeli government. Supporting the Israeli government does not mean that one is not anti-semitic.
Many Evangelical Christians proclaim unequivocal political, military and financial support to Israel, but part of the reason they do so is rooted in anti-semitism. In order for Jesus to return and reign, Israel needs to be established. But ask them what happens to Israel after Jesus returns. What happens to the majority of Jewish people? Their theology insists that if Jewish people do not convert they will face the antiChrist and along with the majority of the population face eventual annihilation and eternity in hell. That theology is horrendous for numerous reasons, including its blatant anti-semitism.
Obviously, how we critique the Israeli government matters. If we are equating all Jewish people to the Israeli government, then yes that is antisemitism. If we critique the Israeli government and offer support to groups that call for the extermination of Jewish people, then yes that is anti-semitism and abhorrent
But acknowledging the context of occupation and critiquing the Israeli government is not in and of itself antisemitic. Speaking out against indiscriminate bombings of civilians or the withholding of food, water, and medicine is not anti-semitic. Pointing out that during the decades of Occupation Palestinians’ freedom of movement has been severely limited, and that their ability to hold down jobs, get food and water, and receive medical care are often arbitrarily denied, is not anti-semitic.
As Christians, we are called to speak out against injustice wherever it may be and whatever form it may take, and we are called to advocate for the dignity and humanity of all. And that involves yes, looking within ourselves and critiquing ourselves and also speaking out against oppression that we see being committed outside of our borders (though often supported by our government).
So yes, I unequivocally condemn the violence of Hamas. I do not support them and do not think they actually want liberation for Palestinians. AND the Israeli government’s daily violence toward Palestinians needs to stop, the occupation is not sustainable, it is unjust, and it directly contributes to the cycle of violence that leads to more deaths.
Image: Black Background. Text: Neither “security” nor “liberation” will come with the eradication of one’s “enemies,” much less the thousands of children and elderly people who will bear the brunt of unmitigated violence.