Global News, Local Perspective
In this, our inaugural Focused Topic, we go over the history of the Israeli Palestinian conflict (surprise! Britain is involved), and our stance on the current conflict.
This is the first in what will hopefully be an ongoing series of single-topic posts. It will be an article focused on a topic that’s not necessarily News. Some will be long, some will be short. We hope to have them out once a month or so, but we’ll see how that goes
Israel and Palestine
This Focused Topic will be on the conflict between Israel and Palestine. Since the October 7th Hamas attack on Israel, there has been a lot of News coverage. Unfortunately, in the United States at least, most of it has been unabashedly pro-Israel, toeing the line that the majority of elected US Officials have been following.
The Hayward Herald is a staunchly independent news outlet with no ties to national news, no obligations to politicians, and a deep understanding of the information landscape. And since we have a platform, however small it may be, we feel it’s important to say things that need saying, even if it’s impossible to be heard over the noise.
Getting On The Same Page
Before we dive too far into this, let’s get a few definitions straight so we can understand each other as best as possible.
Israel: A country, governed by a parliamentary republic, that exists on territory which, until the end of WWII, had been occupied by Muslim people since approximately the end of the 12th Century. It is composed predominantly of people who identify as Jewish, most of whom have immigrated there since the early 20th Century.
Palestine: An area that has existed around the city of Jerusalem for over 1000 years.
State of Palestine: A country, governed by a semi-presidential republic, that is composed primarily of a group of broadly Arab people who have existed there over 1000 years.
Jews: An ethno-religious group of people who either follow the religion of Judaism or are descended from people who do. They have a long and complicated history and a large diaspora that covers much of the globe.
Hamas: A Palestinian-Nationalist political and military organization.
Palestinian: An Arab ethno-national group of people descending from those who have inhabited the area known as Palestine for over a millennia.
Israeli: Citizens and nationals of the state of Israel.
Hopefully with that out of the way, we can all at least understand each other without confusing terms.
What’s The Deal With Israel?
Israel has been the cause of conflict in the region for 100 years and its creation falls squarely on the shoulders of the British.
After WWI, the British had control over the area known as Palestine after taking it from the Ottoman Empire. They had signed onto an agreement (known as the Balfour Declaration) which promised support for a Jewish “national home” in Palestine. They used the League of Nations (precursor to the United Nations) to give legitimacy to establishing a Jewish “national home” and was the impetus for multiple waves of Jewish immigration into Palestine. Nationalist movements increased and conflicts between Palestinians and immigrant Jews started happening between Arab and Jewish nationalist factions.
After WWII, the United Nations hatched a plan to divide Palestine into two Jewish and Arab states. The Jewish state got 78% of the land despite being 1/3 of the total population at the time of their official declaration of Statehood, and 700,000 Palestinians were expelled from their ancestral villages in what is known by Palestinians as the Nakba.
Conflicts continued to occur over time, with the United States of America being a major funder of the Israeli military. The rise of Zionism, a nationalist desire to declare all of Palestine as the Nation of Israel, in recent decades has led to expansion into what was supposed to be Palestinian territory, as well as increased repression of and violence against Palestinians.
October 7th, 2023
On October 7th, 2023, Hamas broke through Israeli fortifications and kidnapped and/or killed several hundred Israelis. This is believed, by reasonable persons, to be a terrible act perpetrated by people who have been driven to the breaking point. With increasing Israeli expansion and violence, it was only a matter of time before repressed peoples fought back.
We don’t condone the actions of Hamas in any way, shape, or form. Our hearts go out to those whose families and loved ones have been taken by Hamas and we pray for their safe return.
The Hayward Herald Supports Palestinians
We also firmly believe that Israel is responsible for the violence against its own citizens due to the continued repression and subjugation of Palestinians.
After the Hamas attack, Israel began wholesale bombing of the Gaza Strip (the last remainder of Palestinian territory) and engaged in indiscriminate attacks on Hamas fighters, civilians, women, and children. The Israeli state has consistently called for the wholesale destruction of Palestinians, dehumanized them, and shouted down anyone who has tried to call them on their atrocities.
The final straw is the continued support of the United States government. Our tax dollars have paid for the bombs that were dropped on Palestinian hospitals. And still our elected officials stand by Israel as they engage in a Palestinian genocide.
We, as Haywardistes, as Californians, as Americans, and as human beings have a responsibility to both speak out against these atrocities and ensure that we no longer fund their perpetrators.
So we encourage you to write to your representatives in Congress (Alex Padilla, Laphonza Butler, and Eric Swallwell) and demand a ceasefire in the conflict. Follow Jewish Voices for Peace and get involved in their Power Half Hour or join a protest (there’s one at City Hall today at 3pm!).
At the very least, talk to someone about it. Change some minds. That’s something anyone can do and it does make a difference, if only to the Palestinians I know we must have in Hayward.
Whatever you do, do something. Because not doing anything is the same as letting it happen.