For the past few months, I have been frustrated that there is not any coverage on all of the state terrorism that Israel commits against Palestinians living in Jerusalem, the West Bank and even inside Israel itself. Israeli settlers have been trying to divide Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest place to Muslims around the world, into two parts. House demolitions are increasing. In my refugee camp, two of my friends have been shot. Only few days ago, a Palestinian driver for an Israeli bus was hung up and assassinated, and considering all of the settler violence against Palestinians, the suspicions are around Israeli settlers. This has caused violence to erupt in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Different Palestinian drivers have tried to kill Israeli settlers and soldiers, and some have tried to stab settlers. Now, this is not going to be narrated in the media. The atrocities on the Palestinian side are not going to be covered, or even questioned because they fall under the category of state terrorism, which, history has proven, seems to make sense to some people. It is so internalized in us that a state has the right to use force in any form that it allows us to believe that a state has the right to oppress people, and religio-ethically discriminate against them. So, while it is easy for anyone to condemn violence and blame Palestinians, I would respectfully encourage you to educate yourself about the atrocities in Palestine before you race to condemn any violence committed by Palestinians. Violence is violence, and, as a Palestinian, I condemn that. But I also condemn any attempt to take things out of context and portray the oppressed as the oppressor. What will actually end violence is the eradication of the Israeli oppressive structures, not only the prevention of such violent actions, which are essentially invoked by the Israeli policies. What will actually end the violence that we condemn is the questioning and then dismantling of Israeli oppressive structures. As long as those structures are not challenged, especially the Israeli Defense Forces by recruiting almost every Israeli to become an oppressor, violence will be perpetrated and armed resistance will be more possible by Palestinians. Remember, state Apartheid in South Africa was internalized into people because it was structured. It was systematic.
Posted on: Tue, 18 Nov 2014 20:13:03 +0000
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