By James Pogue NEW YORK- It’s deeply sad that I, as a journalist of Jewish heritage, should need to write this article under a pseudonym which in and of itself, speaks to the exceedingly divisive narrative being bandied about by American Jews who ostracize any Jew who defends the rights of Palestinians in Gaza. Not to mention the ultra-conservative, far-right, conservative Jews, who view themselves above the law and ‘holier than thou’ when it comes to the Palestinian issue and Palestinians’ rights. As Norman Finkelstein and a host of analysts on the Middle East, highlighted months ago, Israel’s sole aim has always been to land grab and that’s precisely what has just taken place in Gaza. Israel’s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, declared on March 22, that 1,977 acres of land in the occupied West Bank is now state land which means it will be apportioned for new Jewish settlements. Never mind that the U.S. along with the international community already said this violates international law. Smotrich announced the land grab while U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was in Israel for talks with Israeli PM Netanyahu.
What is clear about Smotrich’s move is that Netanyahu gets what he wants, to keep his position as head of the Israeli government because he appeased the far-right who had threatened to oust him if he made a ceasefire deal. What’s incredibly astounding is the question that no one is asking which is – what happens to the hostages, the longer Netanyahu holds out on his invasion of Rafah. What’s even worse is that the U.S. has egg on its face because despite Blinken’s best efforts to dissuade Netanyahu, he declared he’s going ahead with an incursion into Rafah. Still, no plan has been announced as to where 1.5 million Palestinians will shelter under such dire circumstances when starvation is already affecting millions of Palestinians. Despite Israeli protests calling for Netanyahu to resign, despite the fact that Netanyahu faced corruption charges, despite the reality that Netanyahu rarely mentions the hostages or displays even an ounce of compassion for their situation – despite all this – absolutely no results have occurred on the ceasefire front or a hostage deal.
Meanwhile, what’s more heartbreaking are the trucks lined up at the Rafah border crossing that carry humanitarian aid that are not being allowed access to the enclave. Aid groups are claiming Israeli red tape and restrictions while Israel is claiming the U.N. has no organized manner of distributing such aid. The facts speak louder than words in video clips, that Israeli soldiers fired on Palestinians waiting for humanitarian aid, they fired on doctors, on journalists and detained some aid workers and journalists, according to media reports. Norman Finkelstein was right in his assessments of what Israel really wants – a total and complete annihilation of the Palestinian people. Netanyahu said that a Palestinian state is out of the question but the international community including Arab nations are planning for one. The question to be asked now is this: how can a two-state solution come about when Netanyahu’s government blatantly ignores international law and calls from the international community, including the United Nations, to do the right thing.
It would seem obvious that the Holocaust would have taught the world a lesson in cruelty, injustice and genocide. What’s especially heartbreaking is that Israel has chosen the path of the Nazis – stripping Palestinians naked, humiliating Palestinian women and children, Jewish settlers committing violence against Palestinians by attacking them on their own property and forcing then from their homes. This unabashed humiliation and prejudice has been continuing for decades, perpetuated by a narrative that can’t possibly bring peace to either the Palestinians or the Israelis. It was former soldiers of the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) who spoke out to the international media because they said they want the world to know that they got their instructions from their commanders to commit heinous acts against Palestinians. These soldiers said it’s been systemic within the Israeli government to direct this type of treatment against Palestinians. If former IDF soldiers are saying this while current IDF soldiers were shown blowing up mosques and churches as well as desecrating the mosques – parading around inside them with the worst of intentions – what does this say about having the freedom to be a Jew in the 21st century? The shame that Netanyahu has brought upon all Jews worldwide with his damn or be damned’ attitude and his obvious hatred for Palestinians with absolutely no regard for the hostages still being held is a scourge on Judaism, Jewish history and the Jewish people. A scourge the world will never forget and neither will I.
