Witnessing Genocide

What we are witnessing, if we are paying attention, is an escalation of the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people by the state of Israel.

It is the same overarching story of settler colonialism. Like the genocides committed by settlers in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and many other nations as they were stolen and remade through the displacement of the indigenous peoples of those lands.

After murder and displacement and the destruction of hundreds of communities of Palestinian Arabs. After the invasion and occupation of neighboring nations. After the broad settlement of Israelis on occupied lands. After harassment and sabotage and violence against the indigenous by settlers forced more of the indigenous residents to abandon their land. After several previous mass bombings of Gaza. After the imposition of Apartheid laws in Israel against Arabs. After the bulldozing of homes and infrastructure and ongoing depopulation and displacement, we now have more bombing of Gaza, more genocide, more murder of people, more collective punishment.

And the world watches.

And some cheerlead and excuse the genocide and materially support Israel in its actions. And the US blocks a mild security council resolution calling for restraint. And sends more weapons. More tools of genocide to carry out the elimination and displacement of people previously restricted to a concentration camp disguised as a city. Full of refugees and the children of refugees and the children of the children of refugees.

And some shout, (and some whisper)…STOP! And some march, and talk, and write, and teach, and learn and speak. And we look for any lever, any button, any means to slow the genocide. And there are too few levers, so we go about the difficult task of building the levers, of finding the cracks in the facade and desperately, by hammer and pen, and keyboard, and placard, and speech, and fingernail, apply pressure to the cracks. To chip away. To reveal the truth. To develop a new understanding of the reality under the facade.

Exposing genocide is a first step to ending genocide.

How we get from genocide to post-genocide to reconciliation to freedom is a tough path, but not an untrodden path. There are many on it already.

Truth and Reconciliation, Reparations, Right of Return, Landback

It is of course for the victims to determine what the appropriate remedies are to begin to make them whole, but here are some general thoughts on what it will take to change the structural dynamics that underpin the oppression.

Reparations

For stolen land and homes and property

For denial of human rights and dignity

For denial of economic opportunity

For restriction of movement

For physical harm

For bombing and rocket fire

For deaths of family members

For emotional harm

Guarantees of freedom and recognition and respect for Human Rights

Physical freedom

Equal access and treatment under the law

Equity in education, economic opportunity, access to goods and services, ownership of property

Right of return

Decolonization

How do we take steps in this direction?

How do we make the cost of continuing genocide greater than the cost of ending it? The cost of perpetuating oppression greater than the cost of halting it? The cost of maintaining Apartheid greater than the cost of dismantling it?

Boycott, divestment, and sanctions on Israel. Exposing Israeli Apartheid and oppression so the public see the horrors and understand the dynamics of the relationship between the Israeli oppressor and oppressed Palestinian. Globally shaming Israel for Apartheid and violence until they understand that the cost of continuing the oppression and genocide is greater than the cost of ending it. Then, working with all parties to restore recognition and protection of universal human rights and appropriate reparations for harms committed.

Free Palestine!