One year has passed since October 7. In that time well over 42,000 Palestinians have been killed and thousands are lost in the rubble and presumed dead. Thousands of children have been killed. Over 1500 children are now amputees. In one year Israel has killed 902 entire family lines with no surviving family members. The entire medical infrastructure has been destroyed and the education sector has been wiped out too. In one year, Israel has killed at least 986 healthcare workers. 90% of the population has been forcibly displaced, over 1.9 million people. More than 50% of Gazan homes have been destroyed. Israel has destroyed 80% of commercial facilities and 65% of farmland. 96% of Gaza's population faces acute food insecurity. I could go on, but I think you get the picture. If this isn't genocide, I don't know what is. It's certainly not self-defense by any legal or moral definition.
Yet the United States in this year has done absolutely nothing to reign in Israel's extraordinary spree of war crimes. I consume a great deal of pro-Palestinian social media and people seem astonished by this cruel indifference. We shouldn't be. Here's why:
1. AN AVALANCHE OF ISRAELI PROPAGANDA
Israel has been flooding the American airways with its propaganda for over 80 years. I can remember, as a child, the wars of 1967 and 1973. The narrative was unchallenged: "Israel is a poor little victim of aggression, surrounded by its vicious Arab aggressors." I grew up thinking this because I was never exposed to any other viewpoint. Even in the first two universities I attended, there were no classes on Middle East studies, no Palestinian voices, but there were Zionist speakers and student groups active on campus (though that has changed somewhat over time). It was only through my self-education and reading that I discovered an alternative viewpoint a few decades ago. How many people seek out knowledge on the Middle East like I did? From my experience I would guess only about 2-3% of the population are like me--everyone else swallows the Israeli message without much thought.
2. ISRAELI LOBBYING AND POLITICAL PRESSURE
AIPAC is a humungous group that pumps hundreds of millions of dollars into the American political process each year. Republican Congresspersons are assigned an AIPAC lobbyist who meets with them frequently to deliver talking points and to assure that they are educated about the proper positions they should take. Israeli lobbying groups pay for free trips to Israel for legislators and influential citizens. (They do this lobbying throughout the world, paying for young influencers from all over the world to participate in propaganda trips to Israel.) And if you are an elected official who defies Israeli pressure, they will spend tens of millions of dollars to support your opponent so that you are voted out of office. In this year's election AIPAC and its allies spent over $9 million dollars to successfully get pro-Palestinian Congressperson Cori Bush voted out of office and $14.5 million to remove pro-Palestinian Congressperson Jamall Bowman. Interestingly enough these were both African-American Congresspeople, so AIPAC is harming African Americans disproportionately. So, it's no wonder that almost all candidates for office tread very lightly around Israel and are not willing to publicly speak out against the genocide
3. IN THEIR VOTING/POLITICAL BEHAVIOR AMERICANS ARE VERY SELFISH
Donald Trump has said he will be a dictator from day one if he is elected this year, but he is still polling well and might actually win. Why? Because American don't care about things like democracy or genocide. Most American voters cast their ballots based on how they are personally doing economically. I have heard media interviews of voters who say they will vote for Trump, despite his flaws, because they are frustrated because the price of eggs is too high. Really!
American rarely make decisions related to their voting based on foreign policy, unless American troops have boots on the ground and are getting killed and, even then, U.S. leaders often frame armed conflict in such a way that military action is usually approved by the majority of the public. So, why would Americans care about nameless, faceless people living on distant continents? Certainly not if the price of eggs are too high.
4. ISLAMOPHOBIA
Just one word needed here. Many Americans oppose Palestine strictly based on their crude prejudices.
5. ENTERTAINMENT AS THE ULTIMATE SOCIAL PRIORITY
Many Americans do whatever possible to escape facing any unpleasant reality. Most do whatever they can to seek entertainment and pleasure as the ultimate social priority. The media environment is filled with thousands of entertainment options and those people discussing urgent social issues are almost completely invisible. 40 years ago there were only 4 major television networks on the air and it was extremely difficult to hide from the news and social concerns. Now it's extremely difficult to be exposed to them at all, especially if one doesn't seek them out.
6. JUST PLAIN IGNORANCE
I have visited 50 nations in my life and I am always amazed how most people in nations outside the U.S. know more about the U.S. than most Americans themselves. American citizens are not exposed to current affairs and geography and make a purposeful effort to remain willfully ignorant about most international topics. I wouldn't be surprised if a third of the country doesn't even know that the Israeli Genocide is happening. In fact, ignorance in the U.S. is celebrated by many: during the 2004 election, candidate John Kerry was mocked and ridiculed because he could speak French (they said it made him an "elitist"). In this election cycle, Fox News attacked Kamala Harris for "using too many big words" in her speeches. They complain she's an "elitist" too. The U.S. is the only country I've been to that actively celebrates ignorance. And most people are quite happy to be part of the festival of ignorance too.
7. AMERICAN HISTORY OF GENOCIDE AND SLAVERY
America was founded upon the basic concept of genocide against the Native American peoples and was developed economically upon the backs of African American slaves. And even after the practice of slavery ended in 1865, the American South subjected black people to an oppressive 100-year reign of segregation and apartheid. It's no wonder we have little sympathy for Palestine as our entire society was built on genocide and slavery. Yes, the U.S. did choose the side of justice in a few major wars, but most of the examples of American intervention abroad throughout history were not based on fighting oppression or furthering justice, but, rather, were embarked upon so that we could assist those who were our strategic allies. So, who is the U.S.'s strategic ally in this current conflict? (Hint: It's not Palestine.)
8. ERRANT THEOLOGY OF CHRISTIAN EVANGELICALS
Many U.S. Christian Evangelicals believe that God is on Israel's side. They believe that Jesus will return to the Earth after all Palestinian lands ("greater Israel") are completely under Zionist control. They have misinterpreted certain Bible passages and believe that Jesus will only return to Earth to bring them salvation once Greater Israel has been completely formed. So, for these Christians, they actually support the Israeli genocide because when it is finished, the "end times" will be guaranteed, Jesus will return, and they will receive their salvation. How ironic it is that they completely disregard Jesus's message of peace and love in their selfish personal quest for what they think will be a quick journey to heaven. Sadly, this embrace of Zionist atrocities is not uncommon: when I lived in Arkansas I encountered many Evangelicals who held this viewpoint (and 95% of them are total Trump lovers).
9. MONEY
Almost every decision made in U.S. politics and government is based on someone's economic interests. How would supporting Palestine benefit business interests in the U.S.? Not at all. However, there are dozens of corporations who have a vested interest in Israel, so of course they will be pushing U.S. policy toward supporting their economic interests. In fact, it's so bad, there are already real estate groups in discussion with Israel on how to transform Gaza into a Mediterranean version of Dubai once the Palestinians have been totally removed and/or exterminated. Would it surprise you that Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner is one of the participants in these plans? Completing the genocide would help get the money flowing and the project going on its way.
These are just some of the reasons America is cruelly indifferent to the Palestinian suffering and Israel's horrific war crimes. There are a few other factors I could discuss, but I think you get the idea. So, don't hold your breath waiting for the people and the government of the U.S. to become enlightened and change its policy. Israel could increase their atrocities against Palestinians tenfold and nothing would change. If you think otherwise, you will only experience utter disappointment. (However, those of us who care about Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon must never give up hope. Every action we take on the side of the right and the good can have an impact, especially if the numbers of supportive activists grow. And the number of concerned people is actually growing in most countries throughout the world, so let's keep going!)
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