| by Jonathan Kuttab Those looking for signs of Hope in this dismal situation of Palestine/Israel must often take the long view and seek to understand long-term trends and forces that point towards justice. Such trends may not get the attention of pundits in the media, but eventually they will explode on the scene with suddenness such that the pundits will later say everyone should have seen it coming. In seeking signs of hope, we need to identify these long-term trends, the limitations of what seems to be overwhelming military force, the power of public opinion, and the desire for justice by ordinary people. We look for these trends as we look out for little signs and indicators that point to their presence even in the midst of our currently abysmal reality. Last week, I asked the FOSNA community to share with me signs of hope. Among those signs we collectively observed are the following: → To begin, Rev. Naim Ateek sent me a long list of signs: first among them is the fact that Palestinians, seven decades after the Nakba, have not forgotten their cause. This is in spite of the fact that every possible element in the equation has been conspiring towards their destruction and erasure, including dispossession, dehumanization, exile, and oppression. We continue to speak out, advocate, and tell our stories. The steadfast Sumud of the Palestinian people is infused with a hope that is not static, but dynamic, and grounded in faith and prayers as well as action. → There is a growing number of Jewish scholars, activists, and writers, who often at great cost to their tribal and family ties, are openly speaking out for Palestinian rights, challenging the Zionist narrative as well as the actions of the state of Israel. → Millions worldwide have engaged in massive protests, which are now consolidating into actions of BDS and challenging the ties their countries have with Israel and its policies. This includes the Gaza flotilla and the reactions to the kidnapping, arrest, and humiliation of the activists who sailed their boats to try and break the siege of Gaza. → I point as well to the legal activities of the Hind Rajab Foundation and others, as they use local and national courts as well as international tribunals to arrest, interrogate, and indict Israeli war criminals when they travel in Europe and other countries. Beyond not being welcome to visit, Israeli soldiers as well as generals and politicians now face the real prospect of accountability and even prison in many jurisdictions. → The political landscape is changing, even in the United State Congress. Two years ago, only five senators voted with Bernie Sanders to cut off or condition weapons to Israel. Recently, 40 senators signed on to a similar bill and the numbers are increasing. → In Minnesota, the Isaiah organization is a multi-faith organization working for peace and justice, and it mirrors thousands of similar organizations that have sprung up throughout the country which openly advocate for Palestinians and are not afraid to publicly say so. One reader from rural Northwest Michigan also reported unlikely successes for Mid-East/Just Peace organizations promoting justice for Palestine. In fact, few credible civil society organizations working on any topic can afford to ignore the plight of Gaza. Just a few years ago, most civil society organizations would not dare to touch this issue for fear of losing funders, supporters, and public standing. → The UN Committee on sexual abuse recently added the Israeli Army, the Israeli Prison Authority, and the Police to the list of countries and organizations who systematically use sexual violence and rape in war zones. In fact, there is currently a consensus among all human rights organizations, international, regional, Palestinian, or even Israeli, that Israel is a systematic abuser of human rights and international law, and that its leaders are committing egregious war crimes, including genocide, apartheid, torture, and ethnic cleansing. While a few, particularly those in high positions, are still reluctant to use the word “genocide” there is no credible scholar or authority in the field who still maintains that genocide is not being undertaken in Gaza. → As many of you have pointed out, more Senators are speaking out on Palestine and calling for an arms embargo on Israel than ever before, and many progressives in the recent primary elections have won in the face of established party favorites. Many more are expected to win in the upcoming midterm elections, even in districts that were heavily favored to be won by recipients of AIPAC funding, which itself is becoming a liability now for politicians. → In Kentucky, one of our supporters wrote: “The senior USA senator, Mitch McConnell, who is a big supporter of Israel and the genocide, is not running for another term. Many Democrats and Republicans were running to be the Democratic or Republican nominee. Of seven candidates for the Democratic nomination, Charles Booker won. He clearly supports Palestinian rights and opposes the genocide. Hardly any of the others spoke clearly on the issue. Now, he has to beat the Republican nominee, Andy Barr, who is endorsed by Trump and will be hard to beat. AIPAC will put in a lot of money for Andy Barr. But I intend to do everything possible to get Charles Booker elected. Charles Booker’s win is a good sign.” → One person responding to my question indicated that he saw the successful challenge by Iran to Israeli and US aggression to be a sign of hope. Despite the suffering, deaths and destruction—and without supporting the Iranian regime—he saw the end of the Iran war without the collapse of the regime or the success of the Israeli-US onslaught to be a significant sign of hope for the future, in that it indicated the limitation of the overwhelming military power that the US and Israel wield. → At great risk to their careers, students, actors, and athletes continue to wave the Palestinian flag and declare their support for justice in Palestine at their graduation ceremonies and other events, in the face of opposition by the powerful establishments. → Globes, an Israeli newspaper, reported that Microsoft fired the head of its Israeli subsidiary and other managers over their surveillance of Palestinians and the storing of information on them in the cloud. This came after a report by the Guardian on the subject and after fears that the EU may impose sanctions on Microsoft for allowing its software (Azure) and AI programs to be used for surveillance of Palestinians in Gaza and the Occupied Territories. → Perhaps the most significant signs of hope come from stories of changed positions and opinions in unlikely places. Individuals in communities and sectors that have traditionally and uncritically supported Israel are now having second thoughts; Evangelicals, Republicans, Germans and the Dutch, and others come to mind. One person wrote to me that she frequently wears a Kefiyyeh in public and is now getting more smiles and nods of approval, rather than scowls and derision, in her particular community. → Last week, I joined a group of Muslim and Arab constituents to visit Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick in Pennsylvania. Despite his record as a conservative Republican, he greeted us warmly and showed openness to our message. He responded that he did, in fact, consider what is happening in Gaza to be a genocide, and he expressed willingness to join with other congresspeople to visit the West Bank/Israel, in a bipartisan tour where they could see for themselves and learn about the Palestinian perspective. I went to that meeting not expecting much, but I was pleasantly surprised to see openness and empathy by a politician who in the past may have refused to even speak to us. |
