A little over a month ago, a terrorist group in political power in Palestine named Hamas attacked Israel. They killed over 1500 people and took more than 200 hostages, including some Americans. The actions of Hamas were evil, and they should be held responsible and brought to justice. It’s also important to mention Hamas is not a direct reflection of all Palestinians; just like the terrorist organization the Ku Klux Klan doesn’t represent all Americans.
In response, Israel has launched an assault in the Gaza Strip. To date over 10,000 Palestinians have been killed, the majority of which are innocent women and children. What’s not being talked about is the occupation, oppression, and colonization of Palestine by Israel for the last 75 years.
From the beginning the United States has been unwavering in support of Israel for geo-political reasons, which includes $14 billion dollars of aid. Consequently, this support of defeating Hamas has resulted in the dehumanization of all Palestinians. It seems the attack on Hamas has actually turned into ethnic cleaning and genocide as hospitals are being destroyed on national TV. As someone who has lost a child, I hear the pain, grief, and cries of both Israeli and Palestinian parents. That type of anguish is not rooted in religion, ethnicity, or residency; it’s rooted in humanity. Innocence has been lost on both sides; the extermination of one group is not the answer. The answer is respect for all of humanity. The answer is a cease-fire and negotiations towards peace.
I’m encouraged by the joint pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian rallies all over the country calling for the ceasefire. When we don’t lead with peace, we need to confront our moral compass.
