Shared Humanity

A Palestinian-American Perspective on the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict

The past couple of weeks have been devastating. It has been hard for me to focus on anything related to work or tech. I have also felt like a coward because I have a large platform, but have not raised my voice about what is going on in Israel and Palestine.

Countless people are having their lives ripped apart, both Israelis and Palestinians. During this time, I’ve tiptoed around sharing my opinion because I’ve worried how I might be affected. I kiss my kids to sleep, in a safe beautiful home, a privileged life, going about my day without speaking up about the horror that is happening as I type this.

This quote from Martin Luther King Jr. keeps running through my head - "There comes a time when silence is betrayal."

I’m half Palestinian, with a Palestinian wife and kids, having grown up visiting Palestine many times as a kid and through adulthood. My father, who’s family’s home, business, and possessions were ripped away from them during the Nakba, walked through the desert from Lod to Ramallah after their home was taken, and lived there as refugees before migrating to America in the 1970’s.

My family and I have lived in Mississippi most of our lives, a place where racism persists. Over time there have been many incidents, the most extreme was me being beaten unconscious and into the hospital for being a “camel jockey” and “sand n*gger” while walking out of bible class in 11th grade, almost losing vision in one of my eyes. These experiences have driven me to identify more closely with my Palestinian heritage. I have strong opinions about the situation happening there.

I hold my Jewish, Israeli, and Palestinian family and friends dear. They have all always treated me with kindness and hospitality, in the US, Israel, and throughout the Middle East.

It feels impossible to speak about this situation because I know that no matter what I say, there will be people who strongly disagree.

I think that it’s ok to condemn certain actions of the Israeli Government while still loving and empathizing with my Jewish brothers, sisters, and friends – supporting their right to live a safe, happy life, in their own country, Israel.

As for Hamas, their barbaric acts of terrorism, their attacks and murders of innocent people in the past and on October 7 are horrific and I condemn them. They have caused immeasurable suffering for the Palestinian people, and have weakened the Palestinian cause. They should immediately release all hostages in an attempt to negotiate a ceasefire.

Some might argue that the conflict happening there for generations is complicated, but what happened to spark the current wave of violence was not - it was horrendous and brutal, and without justification. It is never ok to target children or civilians.

I also condemn the atrocities being perpetrated by the Israeli government in Gaza. The collective punishment of a besieged and helpless people is evil, cruel, and is in flagrant violation of international humanitarian law. It is, by definition, a war crime [1] [2] .

There are people in this world who argue that Hamas murdering and terrorizing innocent people is wrong, while cheering on the people in a proper militant uniform of their choice doing the same thing. In reality, both are horrific and unjust.

If Israel has a right to defend itself against brutal attacks on civilians and breaches in international law (it does), then does Palestine get afforded the same rights? The answer from the US, Israeli, and many western nations has been a resounding NO. These laws do not apply to Israeli government or militant operations.

For instance, here is a non-comprehensive list of incidents since 2009, where many women, children, health workers, and members of the press were murdered:

• 2014 when four Palestinian boys, aged between 9 and 11, were murdered by an Israeli airstrike while playing on the beach.

• 2014, multiple acts of violence involving United Nations Relief and Works Agency schools. In one case in Jabalia, at least 15 people were killed and approximately 100 injured when the school was mortared.

• Between 2018-2019, over 200 killed in the “Great March of Return" protests

• 2009 bombing of Al-Quds Hospital, resulting in the death of at least 42 people, with over 50 others injured.

• 2009, when 29 members of the Samouni family were killed when their house was mortared and many other family members injured.

• 2014 bombing of a Market in Shuja'iyya where at least 17 people died, and approximately 200 were injured.

• 2012 airstrike on the home of the the Al-Dalou family, killing 12 people and several others injured.

• 2014 destruction of the Gaza Power Plant, the subsequent lack of electricity severely affected medical services, water supply, and sanitation, indirectly affecting thousands.

• 2014 when nine people were killed, and at least 15 injured when a civilian Cafe was bombed in Khan Yunis.

• 2009 when Israel bombed the Al-Fakhura School, resulting in over 40 deaths and more than 50 injuries.

• The systematic forced evictions and stealing of land and homes from Palestinians to give to Israelis and Israeli settlers. Too many incidents to list.

No media interviews with their families, no tears from anchors, no Palestinian flags projected onto government buildings, no statements of solidarity from companies, and no “Palestine has a right to defend itself”.

Beyond the killings, the humanitarian crisis which existed before this war started has become much worse, with water, food, electricity, internet, medicine, and communications cut off or prohibitively restricted, civilian homes, businesses, and infrastructure destroyed. The looming ground invasion and displacement of over 1 million Palestinians from their homes will only compound the situation.

If this were happening to any other population in the world it would be rightly condemned, immediately and unequivocally.

All innocent life is equal

How valuable is a human life? It has been incredibly hurtful for me to witness the stark contrasts in the answer to this question across different groups of people around the world.

Here in the United States, it has not been surprising to see a population who collectively shrugged off the murder of hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqi children and civilians in a war based on the false pretenses of their government, to only show empathy toward non-Arab civilian deaths in this conflict – these past weeks but also over the past few decades.

The lack of empathy in much of the Western world is something many people find deeply troubling. In the United States we have collectively mourned only one side of this tragedy. It is important to recognize, honor, and mourn the Israeli lives lost and the people suffering there. But why are we not doing the same for innocent Palestinians? Over the past 2 weeks alone, it is estimated that over 1,700 Palestinian children have been killed. This does not mean we should not mourn the Israeli lives lost, it just seems inhumane to choose to mourn based solely on ethnicity, race, or religion – especially when 50% of those being killed are kids.

The fact that I’ve realized is this – there are people who support the terrorism, murder, and collective punishment of innocent people, as long as it’s performed against the proper ethnicity. To them, Palestinian lives are considered to be sub-human.

This goes both ways. If you are angry about what has been happening to the people of Gaza over the past few weeks but not also enraged about the innocent Israelis who were killed, you are no better.

Human rights

Both Israelis and Palestinians deserve peace and human rights. Israel is a small country, with a small number of people compared to the surrounding Arab nations. Many of these surrounding countries are full of people with animosity towards the Israeli government. While this animosity is mainly directed towards the actions of their government over the years and not the individuals themselves, I can’t imagine how it might feel to live in Israel as a Jew knowing that many of your neighbors dislike you, and openly argue that your country should not even exist.

What I have personally witnessed and experienced are Arabs and Israelis living together in peace in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, and many other places there. To argue that peace between these people is not possible is to dismiss this reality.

So if this is possible, why do terrorists exist in places like Gaza? Does terrorism exist in a vacuum? There is never justification for terrorism. Is it wrong though to analyze and find the answer to this question? Terrorism is bad, so diagnosing ways to eliminate it seems like a righteous thing to do.

This conversation is one the most controversial in all of this. Those wanting to spark more fear, hatred, and division will use it to do so, but for the intellectually honest it is straightforward to understand.

Radicalism fueled by a combination of anger and hopelessness breeds terrorism. Where does this hopelessness and anger come from?

Displacement, forced evictions, and settlements

Palestinians are systematically forcefully evicted and displaced from homes and land that they own. These displacements usually occur without adequate notice or compensation, leaving families homeless.

While people are being forced out of their homes and land, they watch as more and more settlements are built on the land that was once theirs. The United Nations has consistently stated that Israeli settlements are illegal under international law and are an obstacle to peace.

Settlement expansion still continues relentlessly. Estimates say that there are now over 140 official settlements and about 120 "outposts" (smaller, usually unauthorized settlements). By the end of 2022, the populations living in these settlements was estimated to be over 475,000.

In 2022, Israel approved plans for 4,427 new settler housing units, the highest number since Peace Now started tracking in 2012.

Detention without trial

Many Palestinians, including minors, have been detained over the years, often without charges or trials. Some detainees have faced torture.

Collective punishment

The Israeli government enacts blockades, closures, the demolitions of homes, and the destruction of civilian infrastructure as collective punishment for the actions of a few individuals.

The Gaza blockade in particular has had a devastating impact on the civilians living there, restricting access to basic necessities like food, water, and medical supplies. There are people who have never been allowed to leave Gaza during their lifetimes, a strip of land 25 miles long with a maximum width of 7.5 miles.

Collective punishment is not just cruel, it is also prohibited under international law.

Restriction and control of movement

Palestinians face severe restrictions on their movement. These restrictions hinder access to essential services, education, and employment opportunities.

People living in the West Bank do not face a full blockade, but still have to receive approval and permits to move throughout the region, facing numerous roadblocks, checkpoints, barriers, and inspections run by the Israeli military along the way.

Excessive use of force

When people decide to collectively speak up or perform activism against any of these injustices, Israeli security forces often use excessive and disproportionate force against Palestinian protesters and civilians, including the use of live ammunition.

Human rights depend on the human

The message to the Palestinian population has been loud and clear: human rights are applied selectively based on borders, races, ethnicities, and religions

Israel’s right to exist

The Jewish people have maintained a presence there for thousands of years, long before the creation of the state of Israel. Israel is the only Jewish homeland that exists. Millions of Jewish refugees fleeing persecution settled in Israel, providing a vital sanctuary. They have faced centuries of persecution around the world. Beyond WW2, many Israelis are themselves refugees or the descendants of refugees from many parts of the Arab world.

Most Israelis that I know acknowledge the right for Palestinians to also have their own country, and want to live peacefully alongside them. They respect, are friends with, and do business with each other.

I support a two state solution. To get there, compromises need to be made by both Israelis and Palestinians, and the extremists from both sides need to be ousted completely.

To say this is a gross oversimplification of course, and does not take into account the complexities of local governments and politics on both sides, religion, US involvement, Zionism, or the financial support of Hamas by Iran and Saudi Arabia over the years among many other things. I encourage everyone to do their own research, dive into the history, and try to understand both sides. I still have hope that there can be peace.

Fighting for what is yours

One of my strongly held opinions is that people have the right to stand up for themselves and fight for what’s theirs. I believe this whether you are American, Mexican, Israeli, Moroccan, Bengali, or yes – even Palestinian.

This is not an unpopular opinion. Indeed, protections for property owners, including provisions allowing lethal force in some cases, have even been codified in the laws of at least 28 states and Puerto Rico.

These are some of the most popular and celebrated laws from Conservatives in America today. So why do we see a reversal from certain people about this issue when being applied to other nationalities, nations, and ethnicities?

I cannot say what I would do in the situation of someone in Palestine who’s had their home taken from them, but terrorism or violence against innocent people is never acceptable or justified.

What I can share is what I would do in my own personal situation and life, as a civilian living in the United States. If someone stole, then lived on my family’s land, while attempting to imprison me and my family for the rest of our lives, I would fight back against the people attempting to take it from me, by any means necessary. Again, this is a very popular sentiment in the US – something enshrined into US law.

Extremism

Though many of the images and videos I’ve seen online are grim, I’m thankful for social media in times like this. We get a real and uncut view of what is happening. We see and hear perspectives we would have never had in the past from mainstream media. Social media has shined a light on many injustices over the years that we would have never known about without it.

Social media is also full of people trying to convince you that their side is right. The truth is, it’s nearly impossible to change someone’s mind during these interactions, but getting an uncensored view of everything happening on all sides does help paint a more clear picture.

Many of these people are sharing cherry-picked or extreme examples of one side or the other doing or saying something to make their case, but these extremes do not represent the whole and are meant to stir more division. We’ve already seen violence against both Jews and Arabs outside of the region probably due to the rise in propaganda from both sides.

Nuance is where the truth lies, but it is the enemy of the extremist. Regardless of the actual truth, extremists will take any situation, statement, message, or incident, and try to spin it to into something that can be simplified in order to suit their own agenda and narrative. Including this writing.

The end

I have been afraid to share my views because I know how controversial of a topic this is. I know I might lose friends, followers, and job opportunities because of my views. But if I can shed more light on the situation, and bring even another ounce of humanity into it, it will have been worth it.

I encourage you to look into and research the history of this conflict yourself, especially listening to people with opposing opinions and lived experiences, to come to your own conclusion.