In light of the ongoing Israel /
Gaza conflict, this summer has been a very fascinating time to live in our
nation’s capitol. As an intern on Capitol Hill, I have had the opportunity to observe
the responses of various people, ranging from congressmen to students to
activists, as well as attend several events relating to the issue. I have been
fortunate enough to attend events hosted by the American Israel Public Affairs
Committee, the Endowment for Middle East Truth, the American Task Force on
Palestine, the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations, and the
Atlantic Council (which featured former Prime Minister of the Palestinian
Authority Salam Fayyad). The Capitol Hill atmosphere itself has enticed me to
stay more informed on current events, resulting in my keeping up to date on
every little detail of the conflict. And of course, as a twenty-year-old
college student, I bear witness to the social media where people share their
fervent views that now more than ever shape domestic and international
politics.
Reflecting on the summer as a whole,
I am in awe at how deeply this war has affected people, at how passionate their
responses have been. There seems to be a certain energy permeating through the
world’s population as their dismay with the seeming eternality of this conflict
degenerates into hatred. I recall at one event someone in the audience called
for the IDF to bomb all of Gaza, and one day I received a call from someone who
yelled, “Damn all the Jews!” However, I have seen that many of the top thinkers
leading discussions have not permitted such ignorance to distract them from understanding
the real issues facing this conflict. At the National Leadership Assembly for
Israel, Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Ron Dermer defended Israel’s right to
prevent further Hamas terrorist activities. At the Atlantic Council, Dr. Fayyad
called upon the PLO to extend its authority and unify as a legitimate governing
body over the Palestinian population. Neither expressed hatred for the other’s
people.
Beyond the policymakers and experts,
perhaps everyday people carry just as much if not more sway in determining the
future of this deeply rooted conflict. As I walked into the National Leadership
Assembly, a protester around my age asked me, “Do you know there are children
dying in Gaza?” During Susan Rice’s speech, another protester stormed in with a
sign yelling, “End the siege on Gaza!” While discussing the conflict with a
friend, he defended Israel’s actions against Hamas. It seems everywhere I go,
people are constantly discussing the issue and of course we see it all over the
news. Anti-Semitic violence has been raging throughout Europe, as have peaceful
pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian protests. During my daily encounters with all
types of responses to the current conflict, I find myself asking, why are
people so heated up about it? I sympathize with both sides tremendously:
Palestinians have the right to their own state and to not feel endangered by
the IDF especially during non-war times, and Israelis have the right to protect
themselves against threats stemming from all around the region. However, are
people not also aware of what’s going on in Iraq? Syria? Nigeria? South Sudan?
I can’t help but wonder if the
overwhelming attention this conflict has received results from deeply embedded
anti-Israel and anti-Semitic sentiments that so many people unfortunately have.
Israel is the only democracy in the region; while it seeks to destabilize a
terrorist organization, it has continuously provided aid to the people living
under Hamas’s cruelty and sends warnings before airstrikes. It permits
Palestinians to serve in the Knesset. It seeks to advance civil rights for
women and the gay community. It is a leading force in technological innovation,
which it uses to help humanity. What other country in the Middle East can say
that? While these facts do not legitimize the loss of innocent life, they do
demonstrate that the Western world should view Israel as an ally that shares
its democratic and humanitarian principles, instead of a Nazi-like regime that
commits genocide, as so many falsely and outrageously claim. The loss of
innocent life is always a travesty, but can Israel really be to blame when
Hamas uses civilians as human shields? When Hamas calls for the destruction of
a country that has fought for its right to exist since its creation? I think
not.
I hope this new ceasefire results in
a lasting peace; I think the world is done seeing outbreaks of violence every
few years. The Israelis and Palestinians deserve better than what history has
shown them.
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