Today (Friday, 28th May 2021) marks one week since the Israeli-Hamas ceasefire came into effect. Thank goodness, at least at the time of my writing, it appears to be holding.
Whilst British Jews have been rightfully distracted and alarmed by several anti-semtic incidents across the country, it is also prompting many of us to question why Hamas, and in-turn the Palestinians, continue to garner such wide-spread support across the UK and around the world. Many Jews may wonder why pro-Palestinians rarely critique Hamas’ indiscriminate rocket-fire and the resulting deaths that occur, nor the physical and psychological impact these attacks leave on Israel’s citizens. Rather, Palestinian supporters appear to hold Israel almost solely responsible for events in the Middle East.
One of my acquaintances, frustrated with this narrative, posted on social media that, “People seem to think [Hamas’ actions] are ok [and] regard them as freedom fighters”. He goes onto list a range of reasons as to why Hamas is dangerous, not just to Israel, but to the Palestinians themselves.The best way to support Palestinians, he concludes, is to, “get rid of Hamas. Protest against Hamas and their treatment of their own people.” So why do so many supporters of the Palestinian people focus their energy on critiquing Israel, and not Hamas?
In short, the answer is simple. Those protesting against Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians and those rallying in support of the State of Israel hold different narratives from one another. In a sense this is an obvious statement but, when truly examined, I believe it provides useful insight into why passions run so high, in seemingly different directions, for both parties; and why neither has the ability to make sense of the other’s understanding of events.
One narrative holds that Jews, indigenous to the land of Israel and constantly present since biblical times, have an indelible right to the region as their homeland. Another narrative believes a minority Jewish population supplanted the Arab and Christian majority that had a longstanding, established presence in land. One holds that Hamas uses Palestinian civilians as human shields and are therefore responsible for the deaths of so many innocent people in Gaza whilst the other believes that Israeli policy has created a densely populated, ‘open air prison’ meaning that no one is safe from the IDF’s bombs. One holds that peace will only come about when the Palestinians are liberated from Hamas’s violent rule whilst the other believes peace can only come about once Israel stops building illegal settlements on their land.
I provide the above examples, not to make a point about ‘truth’, but as a reminder that whatever position one holds, they hold it wholeheartedly and without ill intent. Anti-semites and Islamophobes aside, people hold these views in earnest, sincerely believing their perspective to be accurate, necessary and just. Whether one's primary concern is the safety of Israel’s citizens, the Palestinian people or an equal care for both parties, I do know that we must listen to those who hold narratives different from our own. Listening does not have to mean agreeing, and hearing divergent points of view need not be viewed as a threat to one’s own narrative. Rather it is an opportunity for us to directly hear the perspectives, and empathise with the pain, of one whose narrative differs so greatly from our own. We may disagree on the facts, but the pain is real. Whilst we may, understandably, approach such conversations with caution, I believe this to be the only way to establish genuine understanding between groups; the first step required to make peace.
Shabbat shalom.
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Originally written as an 'e-zine' for The Wimbledon Shul.