Carol's Corner "Never Again ? "

Carol ‘s Corner  - “ Never Again? ”

I have thought long and hard about speaking about the student protests on Universities across the USA and internationally. This is a nuanced, heart breaking and complicated situation that does not have easily implemented yet clear solutions.

Let me first state, I do sympathize for the oppressed Palestinians stuck in the middle of this war. The citizens of Palestine are caught and being used as pawns as both Hamas and Israel battle it out. No one wants to see children, for that matter any person, be killed, maimed or starved.

However, we cannot simply blame Israel as Hamas uses their own citizens as human shields, hides behind them in battle, establishes soldier’s encampments in hospitals and schools, and steals food, money and aid from their people for their own private use. In fact, to me? Hamas is even more guilty and to blame as they sacrifice their own people and the greater good of their nation for their own personal power.

What would it look like if Hamas were defeated and a new group that was willing to exist in a two- state option governed the Palestinian people?

To address Israel’s role? Yes, they are attacking in a most broad and destructive way. Is there a better way to root out Hamas without the great destruction, death and hardship? I would hope so, however with Hamas using it’s own people I don’t see how?

I do also understand that there are greater forces affecting the Israeli people. To understand people, one must look at their past and to their trauma. We cannot forget today’s nation of Israel still has the trauma of the Holocaust which cannot be discounted in the wounds to that nation’s psyche and effect it has in their daily lives and national policies. The Oct 07th attack against innocent and unsuspecting people attending a music festival had the effect the USA experienced when we were attacked on 9/11.   This is not to say they can attack with impunity, but when you have enemies attacking citizens, firing missiles onto your cities with such frequency, one cannot negate their effect on their state and mind and feelings of safety. Who wouldn’t snap and try to end such conflict?

Did we (the USA) not act out after 9/11?  

Obviously it would serve Israel, the USA and the rest of the world if a peaceful solution could be worked out. Which is obviously a two-state solution where both sides govern independently and live in some sort of mutual acceptance. Lets face facts, neither side is going anywhere and eventually a deal will have to be made.

Which brings me back to the protests. There are several situations and points of view that bother me most. Where is the empathy for BOTH sides?  It has come down to a very narrow and polarized outlook and rhetoric.  “From the River to the Sea” is in and of itself a pronouncement of annihilation of Israel, evoking Jews from around the world to re-live the threat of genocide.

Where are the protestors public denouncements of Hamas and its actions and culpability? Where is the empathy and demand to release the Israeli hostages? Where are calls for a demand to bring about diplomacy for a two-state solution? All I hear is death to Israel, Antisemitic tropes, and that Israel is carrying out genocide all the while chanting for Israel to be destroyed? I hear “end the occupation” as if the Palestinians hold the only rightful claim to all the land? If students did a little investigation (which I would hope they learned in the very Universities they come from) they would see that Israel has been in existence and Jews have been living there continuously since 1900 B.C.

I also object to the selective outrage. Is Palestine the only region in the world experiencing conflict? No outrage or protest for the people of the Sudan? Or the famine in Ethiopia? The war in Ukraine?  The conflict in Myanmar, Haiti, Armenia-Azerbaijan? Why only Israel?

Selective outrage smacks of misunderstanding, laziness (not researching the facts behind the headlines), bigotry, and racism.  It symbolizes the polarization, social media narcissism, and “look at me” reactions that are more “show” than real concern and  empathy.

It all makes me sad and puts a dent in my optimism that each generation can become more tolerant, open, empathetic and loving. Is it politics, social media, failure of higher education? Perhaps all