On October 7th, 2023, news broke from Israel stating a terrorist attack had been inflicted on its people and land. Our political figures rushed to their defense, Joe Biden releasing an official statement from the White House. His statement focused on the details of the terrorist attacks inflicted by Hamas, directly focusing on his decision to oppose a ceasefire, which many activists and people around the world have been recently calling for. No one had been focusing on Palestine and its people. Our government remained entangled with supporting Israel, but refused to look past the line. Now, a month has passed and tensions continue to remain significantly high, with death tolls rising within Palestine. What we are looking at is what people describe as ethnic cleansing or genocide. Genocide is defined as the intent of killing or wiping a large number of people from a particular nation or ethnic group. 

WHAT IS ZIONISM?

Zionism is a international political and religious movement that supports establishing an independent Jewish state in Palestine, while also supporting the modern state of Israel. While this doesn’t seem like a big deal to most, it is important to note that when Zionism was established, Palestine was already inhabited. Convened in the Swiss city of Basel in 1897, the first Zionist congress included over 200 delegates from all over Europe. The question of what to do with the native Palestinian Arabs animated much of the early discussions of the Zionist movement, though the agreed upon idea was that they needed to be removed somehow, either by agreement or force. There was no way to create a Jewish majority state in Palestine without

displacing the native population.

Many of the more recent attacks against Palestine have been focused along the Gaza Strip, where communication blackouts have been rampant and bombings have been brutal. The strip is one of two smaller Palestinian territories and is located along the Mediterranean Sea. As of 2020, the population in Gaza was two million, but since October 7th, the number of deaths in Gaza have crossed over 10,000 people. These deaths include 39 journalists, healthcare workers, 4,300 children, and nearly 2,500 who are missing. 

Protests in response to Israel’s merciless bombing and attacks have been held over the weeks. Groups of people have protested both for Palestine and Israel. In Washington D.C., groups flooded Freedom Plaza, which is located near the National Mall and the White House. The protests criticize Joe Biden’s support of Israel and its forces. Images from the protests show activists leaving red handprints along the white walls. They symbolize blood, a way of showing the rising numbers of lost lives. 

On October 18th, 2023, President Joe Biden announced he had sent $100 million in humanitarian aid, which remained backed by trusted partners including UN agencies, but his relentless support of Israeli forces counteracted this decision. So far, this is the only thing he has sent to Palestine to override the casualties and displaced civilians, whom he stated are not to blame for “Hama’s horrific terrorism.” The United States and their linked alignment with Israel has only strengthened and US officials continue their unconditional aid, which has totaled $158 billion since World War II. 

Whether Israel chooses to stop firing or not, it is clear resources are needed in Palestine, along with a focus on the underlying attacks and murderous tendencies from the IDF (Israel Defense Forces). There are many ways to support Palestine as an individual. You can contact members of your congress and demand an immediate ceasefire, you can take part in local protests in support of Palestine, and hold corporations accountable for their role in violating the rights of Palestinians in Gaza. 

From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.

Works Cited

House, The White. “Remarks by President Biden on the October 7th Terrorist Attacks and the Resilience of the State of Israel and Its People | Tel Aviv, Israel.” The White House, 18 Oct. 2023, www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2023/10/18/remarks-by-president-biden-on-the-october-7th-terrorist-attacks-and-the-resilience-of-the-state-of-israel-and-its-people-tel-aviv-israel/. Accessed 8 Nov. 2023.

“Introduction to Palestine :1: Palestine throughout History | Decolonize Palestine.” Decolonizepalestine.com, decolonizepalestine.com/intro/palestine-throughout-history/. Accessed 8 Nov. 2023.

“Israel-Gaza War Live Updates: Blinken Says Israel Should Not Reoccupy Gaza; G-7 Backs ‘Humanitarian Pauses.’” Washington Post, 8 Nov. 2023, www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/11/08/israel-war-news-hamas-gaza-palestine/. Accessed 8 Nov. 2023.

Sottile, Zoe. “Pro-Palestine Protests in DC and across the US Call for a Ceasefire.” CNN, 4 Nov. 2023, www.cnn.com/2023/11/04/us/washington-dc-ceasefire-protests-palestine/index.html. Accessed 8 Nov. 2023.

United Nations. “United Nations Office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect.” United Nations, United Nations, www.un.org/en/genocideprevention/genocide.shtml. Accessed 8 Nov. 2023.