Matthew Cooke on Israel and Hamas

I usually agree with what Matthew Cooke writes (I follow him on Facebook). This time is no exception.

Matthew Cooke
10/12/23

Please excuse my strong words. What I am seeing online in so many comments and posts is so sad, disturbing, and counter productive.

What Israel experienced is similar to 9-11. A horrific terror attack. The response has also been similar - a "remedy" that exponentially expands the terror and violence. All fueled by revenge and bloodlust.

Two million Israelis voted for Netanyahu. Another two million opposed. To support or justify terrorism against Israeli civilians and their children for the violence of Israeli apartheid makes you no better than those you oppose.

Israel's liberal newspapers and human rights organizations are calling out Israeli apartheid in stronger terms than the corporate-financed western media. There are literally millions of allies of Palestinians in Israel who want peace.

The reverse is also true. Leading Palestinian rights groups are calling the massacres committed by Hamas against Israeli civilians horrific war crimes. Which they obviously are.

The bloodlust for taking revenge against Hamas terrorism on the families and children of Gaza is equally evil.

The bombing and war crimes Netanyahu is now inflicting on civilians in apartheid zones is an attempted genocide.

Israeli airstrikes just killed at least 260 children. Doctors Without Borders in Gaza said 100% of patients treated on Wednesday were kids. Electricity, water and aid has been cut off.

If the terror Hamas inflicted is your excuse for that bloodlust, you are the same as Hamas. There is no difference.

Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu (look them up if you don't know who they are) made it clear that Palestine was living under conditions worse than apartheid.

It is up to the world and the USA particularly, to put peaceful pressure on ending apartheid.

The US government is currently co-financing that apartheid. Our elected representatives (and therefore we as civilians and citizens) have enormous power to do something.

This is not anti-Semitism nor a religious issue. Judaism is not defined by right-wing Israeli Zionism anymore than Christianity is defined by Trump-evangelicals, or the crusades.

Judiasm is not defined by apartheid Israel. There are millions of Jewish allies of Palestine calling for an end to apartheid all over the world. There have been many brilliant voices in the USA calling for it to end for decades. Norman Finkelstein. Tim Wise. Noam Chomsky. Bernie Sanders. Michael Brooks.... and on and on...

Neither are Hamas attacks on civilians "extremist" Islam. That's like saying they are "extremely" devoted to surrendering (to the Highest Good). It's ridiculous.

Extremist evil. That is what we are witnessing - all over. I know it is hard but this is not a time for nationalism. This is a time for love and pride in all humanity. This is a time to see how borders are meaningless when it comes to families and children.

This is a time for the loudest calls for peace. For the protection of all civilians and children. For an end to apartheid and an end to ethno-nationalism and religious cultural supremacy. Violence only begets more violence. Terror only creates more terror. Poverty creates more poverty.

We are one people. One world. We can have peace. Or we will have nothing.