Optimistic Day 16

 

By Mazin Qumsiyeh; reprinted with permission, and originally written for Popular Resistance Blog:  https://popular-resistance.blogspot.com/2023/10/optimistic-day-16.html,  Oct 22, 2023

 I remain optimistic on day 16 of the horrific onslaught on the people of Gaza; optimistic that we can stop large scale US/Israeli genocide in Gaza. So far 1750 children killed but now, water, food run out and thousands will start dying. Why am I optimistic? Gaza people have little more to lose (70% are out of their homes and sought shelter in schools, hospital yards or open areas where they are still bombed).

 Support for resistance is actually growing. But most of all I am optimistic because the Zionist onslaught (targeting hospitals, schools, universities, bakeries, residential buildings, mosques, churches, wiping out whole families) has ignited the global uprising that I and others have been calling for and predicting for a long time. Millions on the street (even the largest demonstration in London since 20 years with over 200,000) of all backgrounds and Jews in the dozens being arrested for civil disobedience even in Zionist-occupied Washington.  I was interviewed over 55 times in the past two weeks. We also see more and more voices insisting to be heard globally. Even the mainstream media and the spineless politicians are starting to worry and even to retreat. The Israeli leaders are in a quagmire of their own making and making even more mistakes (like underestimating what awaits them in Gaza or the depleted level of morale among their own soldiers who do not trust their leaders).  The fact that the US has to come to try to rescue (>$10 billion more in cash + lots of military support in personnel and munitions) the lunatic genocidal regime speaks volumes. A regime that is scared of entering Gaza so it is leveling it and starving its remaining population (medieval!) and by doing so is forfeiting legitimacy as a state! Israel is now openly called by millions as simply a genocidal regime run by a lunatic (Netanyahu) not much different in his outlook on life than a Hitler!  Only difference is Netanyahu has his enablers in the West (Biden, Macron etc). I am also optimistic because millions of Palestinians in exile/diaspora are finding their voice as are millions of others of all background.  Governments are with genocide but people are against it.

And while 200,000 in London and many more in other British cities demonstrate, the partner in crime comes out of a plane bringing more weapons to the genocidal regime.

So I am optimistic because there is no public support for the apartheid regime in any country (even "Israel" itself) only governments supporting genocide against the wishes of their people. I am also optimistic because I know the idiocy of the Israeli military (they even "accidentally" just shelled their ally Egypt). All analysts (including US ones like Scott Ritter) show that Israel cannot really fight, they can only bomb from the air civilian areas.

I was interviewed 55 times in these two weeks and gave several talks. People are changed and the Israel/US efforts to lie are backfiring (again millions on the streets). I am getting hundreds of supportive letters from people from all over the world encouraging us and reporting on actions they have taken. Most important are supportive letters from Jews who reject the Zionist genocide and work for justice and human rights. Here are examples from many letters I received from Jewish friends:

 “I am outraged and appalled by this cruel attack and the unbearable indiscriminate attacks, displacement, and loss of innocent lives. I signed multiple petitions and declarations and am intensely engaged in protecting Palestinian-Israeli students who are currently prosecuted in Israeli universities, as well as freedom of pro-Palestinian speech in US universities.” Smadar (Israeli)

“Adding to the number of positive emails. I am with you 100% in solidarity from here. Thank you as always Mazin for the information and hope and links. Love and solidarity, prayers and action” A Rabbi from the US

“There were demonstrations here today demanding Israel negotiate release of prisoners and hostages. That Hamas is willing to release civilians without negotiations or something in return is a smart move that makes the Israeli government flounder even more. I guess that is why they refused to accept unconditional release of two more hostages. Netanyahu should be removed but I guess he is counting on staying for the duration of conflict so I am afraid he will prolong things as much as possible. It is sad…” Friend from Tel Aviv

“This story reminds me of others from the Nazi Holocaust, where they massacred everyone in hospitals as steps toward liquidation of ghettos.  The town my grandfather was born in - Slonim, Belarus - had that happen to it. The Einsatzgruppen death squads took all the doctors and patients away to be shot in a nearby pit. I’ve long wondered what the Holocaust would have been like if there had been CNN and anti-social media. Now we know. In Schindler’s List, there’s a scene where the Nazis are massacring people in the ghetto and Schindler is watching from a vantage point just outside. Some of the people aren’t killed but are rounded up for deportation to the nearby camp. Schindler is overcome with horror to realize that the survivors temporarily allowed to live are witnesses to the crimes because they are also slated for eventual extermination. In Gaza, the Israelis have no shame for being seen for what they are doing, which needs a new language to adequately describe.  English seems insufficient, perhaps there are phrases in Arabic that are appropriate?   It’s like how in Spanish in Latin America “disappeared” has meanings it lacks in English (to be disappeared) due to the (US backed) dictatorships several countries have endured. I am sorry beyond words.”

“As a healthcare professional - and having just read a story about those doctors, I simply can’t imagine. Genocide indeed is the name I have given to the Israeli response the last week.  Never mind Hamas’ intentions — what are the Israelis thinking? Of course they aren’t thinking, I know…I am aghast and grieve so deeply at the violence, misinformation and wanton hatred that allows this genocidal action to continue.”

“Thank you for the ongaza.org link. There is so much misinformation in BBC coverage and I wrote to them about it (see letter below). But it is encouraging that people get real news slowly and hearts at least of some are opening up including in my own Jewish community. We had a huge and unprecedented demonstration of >100,000 ….”  London Jew

“God bless you and I beg you not to give up.  I have been on your mailing list very gratefully for many years.  That said, at the present moment, you are a lifeline for all of the world, myself included. I am a completely pacifist anti-zionist reform jew  In my entire life i have never before been as horrified at the murderous behavior of both israel and the us as at present. That said, let me offer each of us at least one glimmer of hope:  the Jewish diaspora:  the worldwide population of jews outside of israel:  long despised by the domestic Jewish population of Israel, my prayer is that the current outrage against all Palestinians has now crossed the last red line.  That this may be the one and only chance for the Jewish diaspora to help save the humane world we all pray for. “ American Jew

These messages give us hope that Jews and Judaism will survive zionism in the same way that Germany and Germans did survive nazism. It may be worth reading the account of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising for history repeats itself in the Gaza Ghetto uprising: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warsaw_Ghetto_Uprising

Just need to intensify the pressure because every day the US/Israel are allowed to go on means hundreds more killed. The sooner this nightmare ends, the closer we are to peace and justice. I can't wait to then work harder to strengthen our movement/quest for One Democratic State (see https://onestatecampaign.org/en/ ).

Mazin Butros Qumsiyeh is a Palestinian scientist and author, founder and director of the Palestine Museum of Natural History (PMNH) and the Palestine Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainability (PIBS) at Bethlehem University where he teaches.