#it is not a criticism of palestinian resistance

[lizbethborden]

I want to add some clarification in case it seems like I'm asking people not to speak on this issue or not to criticize the Israeli government, or not to show support for Palestine.

I specified in the original tags, and probably should have put in the body of the post, that I am talking about the social media response to this issue. I am not criticizing serious conversation on the subject matter. My comment was more that, given the extent to which antisemitism permeates the left, and considering the material consequences of antisemitism for Jews (we are 2% of the population in the United States but constitute the victims of 50% of its religiously-motivated hate crimes), the extremely intense and charged response of mobs frothing on social media carries a different meaning to Jewish people, again, especially given that "Zionist" is so often used to mean "kike." The founding text of modern antisemitism is called "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion," after all.

I do not think anyone should have to change their language on this subject matter. I am also not claiming that Jewish people's feelings should be prioritized when it comes to using the necessary terms to describe this situation. Ultimately, the Israeli government and its ideologues must be criticized and resisted, and the Israeli state should not stand. I did not specify this originally but my intent was to suggest that, rather, people think about or approach Jewish people's response to this situation a little differently given that the stakes for us, whether anti- or pro-Israel, are different.

I am not advocating for or against anything, but I feel like people simply don’t understand that conversations around Israel and Palestine have a different valence for Jews around the world, even Jews who are anti-Israel, given that “Zionist” is so often used to mean “kike.”

[cavalierzee]

End Racist Pro-Israel Media Coverage

[the-bitch-in-the-tower]

Critical Role finally spoke up after massive pushback from their fans and supports. However it took them over a hundred days of genocide to do it. And a lot of their fans are, rightfully, saying it's not enough and it took them too long.

This is your sign that pressure works so keep calling and mailing your REPS. But also watch those you support, and your fav content creators, even if they make lukewarm statements, keep pressing them to be on the right side if history.

[wafasoukoun]

The Bombing of Al-Ma'madani Hospital

On the dawn of Sunday, April 13, 2024, Israeli forces launched an airstrike on Al-Ma'madani (Baptist) Hospital in northern Gaza, the last fully operational medical facility in the region. The attack destroyed critical departments, including the emergency ward, laboratory, and pharmacy, rendering the hospital inoperable.

My illustrated comic depicts the horrors of this attack, contrasting the hospital’s role as a sanctuary with its brutal destruction.

Art becomes resistance when words fail.

-1-

"Echoes Before Dawn"

Before the first light of day breaks, Gaza remains cloaked in stillness. The Baptist Hospital, a beacon of hope, stands illuminated amidst the quiet – yet in the distance, faint echoes of impending danger stir the air. As the city holds its breath, life inside the hospital continues, unaware of the devastation that looms.

-2-

"Fire in the Night"

The silence of the night shatters in an instant. Two missiles strike the Baptist Hospital, turning the calm into chaos. Explosions rip through the air, and fire consumes what was once a place of healing. In the blink of an eye, the hospital becomes a battlefield, its walls collapsing, its staff overwhelmed, and its patients thrown into confusion and fear. The nightmare has begun.

-3-

"Forced to Flee"

The situation escalates from chaos to desperation. Soldiers storm the hospital, their weapons raised, demanding that the medical staff and patients leave. But the doctors and nurses are reluctant to abandon the sick and wounded. The patients, some too weak to move, lie helpless on their beds as the staff tries to administer care amidst the growing panic. Fear fills the air, but a sense of duty prevails. The hospital that once offered sanctuary is now a place of forced departure.

-4-

"A Death Sentence"

The destruction of the only hospital in the area is not just a physical blow—it's a death sentence for the patients who rely on it. With no other medical facilities available, the people of Gaza are left to face their fate alone. She reflects on the harsh reality, sharing the voices of those on the streets—helpless, devastated, and unsure of what comes next. The crushing silence after the destruction echoes louder than any bomb. In this moment, survival is uncertain, and the future is dark.

-5-

"A Plea Ignored"

As the cries for help grow louder, the world watches in silence. The pleas from the World Health Organization and the Red Cross, desperate calls for immediate assistance, fall on deaf ears. Messages, phone calls, and official announcements are met with nothing but defiance. In Gaza, the absence of compassion echoes as the suffering continues—unseen, unheard, and unanswered. In this dark chapter, the world’s indifference is as destructive as the bombs themselves.

-6-

"Crimes in White Coats"

The white coats that once symbolized healing now serve as a target. The medical staff, whose duty is to protect and save, are themselves hunted, stripped of their humanity. In this heart-wrenching scene, we witness a symbolic encounter with the hospital director, who stands helpless amidst the devastation. And as the silence speaks louder than words, Wafaa's voice cuts through the chaos with a painful question: "Who will protect those who protect us?" A moment that echoes the brutal irony of a world where even those who heal are not safe.

-7-

"Nowhere Safe"

In a world where every corner bears the marks of destruction, even the places that should offer refuge are no longer safe. As the wreckage of the last standing hospital in Gaza surrounds her, She stands amidst the chaos, a witness to the crumbling of hope. With shattered walls and lives scattered in the debris, her gaze meets the camera—direct, unwavering, as if asking us all: Where is the sanctuary? In Gaza, there is no place that remains untouched, no place that is truly safe.

[mhizzberry]

I just wanted to share this article about Palestine's right to revolt and why it is important that we support it. It also has sources embedded in the text that debunk misinformation about them and Hamas. I implore everyone to read it and spread this information around.

Edit [12/25/23 3:19 PM GMT+]: I should also emphasize that the article is an opinion piece, so I also encourage you to also do further research to come to your own critical conclusions.

As a whole, the article still explores why Palestinians resist. As someone whose entire history was build on resisting against oppressors (I'm Filipino), I can understand and empathize where they are coming from. This is one way that I wish to express my solidarity.

[redwolf17]

🙃 Regular reminder that while Hozier has amazing love songs, he is ALSO very outspoken about his leftist politics, specifically anti-fascism, anti-racism, reproductive rights, Palestinian rights and more.

Take Me To Church and Foreigner’s God are scathing critiques of organized religion, specifically the Catholic Church and the colonization of Ireland.

Moment’s Silence is about oral sex but it’s ALSO about how that specific sexual act is often distorted to a show of power rather than that of love.

Nina Cried Power is an homage to various (mostly Black) civil rights activists from the US and Ireland and a call to follow their path.

Be criticizes anti-migrant policies and Trump and his ilk.

Jackboot Jump is about the global wave of fascism and about protest and resistance.

Swan Upon Leda is about reproductive rights and the violent colonial oppression of Ireland and Palestine.

Eat Your Young is about the ruinous way the 1%/capitalism and arms dealers prioritize short-term profit over everything else to the detriment of the youth/99%

Butchered Tongue is about Irish and other indigenous languages being suppressed and erased by imperial powers.

If any of the above surprised you, please, please delve deeper into Hozier’s music, you’re missing such an important part of his work.

[itachikun]

Handala (حنظلة) is a symbol of Palestinian resistance. He was created in 1969 by political cartoonist Naji al-Ali, critical of Israel as well as Arab regimes.

Handala is 10 years old, the age Naji was when he was forced to leave his home during the 1948 Nakba, and is always seen from his turned back. Today, Handala is still 10 years old. On the day Handala is able to return home, he will then grow up and be seen from the front.

Naji died on August 29, 1987, victim of an assassination. Naji lives on through Handala.

[biophonies]

made in honor of the now-extinct population of Falasteen crocodiles, the sunbirds that almost lost their names, and everyone else surviving the attempted erasure.

posted the other week as part of an ongoing fundraiser offering free prints and paid, with 100% of proceeds going to Care for Gaza. it has since been translated, wheatpasted, and flown on kites all over the world from Saigon to Scotland...!!!

monetary donations are never a substitute for holistic political action, and a push for a different world... but the shows of solidarity and support have lifted my spirits so much.

this is now available on a t-shirt too, screenprinted by hand in Texas!same deal: all profits go to food, medicine, and other critical supplies via Care for Gaza (& the PCRF). thank you for sharing.

image description below:

a Palestine sunbird holds red poppies in their beak next to the text RIGHT TO EXIST. a Palestine crocodile (a subspecies of the Nile, now extinct thanks to occupying forces) guards a shining key next to the text RIGHT TO RETURN. a Palestinian olive tree, full of fruit is next to the text RIGHT TO RESIST. a Palestinian family of five, all embracing each other next to the text RIGHT TO REMAIN.

[heritageposts]

Germany's leading Social Democratic Party (SPD) and the opposition Christian Democratic Party (CDU) have ordered high schools in Berlin's borough of Neukolln to distribute brochures titled The Myth of Israel #1948. [...] Neukolln is one of Berlin's most diverse and international boroughs with a large Palestinian community. [...] The brochure states there are five "myths" around the creation of the state of Israel, which are subsequently refuted in short essays by various authors. In the first section, debunking myth #1, that Jews and Arabs lived together in peace before Israel was founded, Israel's pre-state militia, the Haganah, responsible for the destruction of 531 Palestinian villages and the expulsion of 700,000 Palestinians between December 1947 and the summer of 1948, is promoted as a merely "defensive" Jewish resistance movement. Under 'Myth #2: Israel was established on stolen Palestinian land', Masiyot states that the acquisition of land by Jewish immigrants to Palestine took the form of a legal exchange of capital for an official title deed. At no point in history was land illegally conquered by Jewish immigrants, the author of the text, Michael Spaney, claims. Even land conquered following the wars of 1948 and 1967 and the subsequent construction of settlements, which are internationally recognised as a violation of international law, did not occur unlawfully, it says. "Anyone who uses the accusation of land theft as an argument demonises Israel and denies its legitimacy, i.e. acts out of antisemitic motives," Spaney wrote. "Myth #5: Israel is to blame for the Nakba", includes a text by researcher Shany Mor titled "the UN is distorting the meaning of the Nakba: its view of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is extremely one-sided". In the text, Mor states that "displacement during war - then and now - was nothing unusual". He also labels the UN's attention to the Palestinian cause "obsessive" and the Arab defeat of 1948 a myth.

. . . full article on MME (23 Feb 2024)

[halalchampagnesocialist]

To understand why Israel keeps targeting UNRWA infrastructure and UNRWA workers (and by extension, human rights activists) aside from the accusations they're ~secretly Hamas~, we must put it into the context of which these organisations operate.

To put it lightly, Israel is not a fan of international NGOs and human rights organisations at all, but especially the ones whose existence revolves around advocating for Palestinian rights and exposing the crimes of the occupation. It is not a fan of Palestinian ones at all either, but that goes without saying. I would even suggest that Israeli organisations like "Breaking the Silence" and "BtSelem" fall under this category, even liberal ~coexistence~ type groups like "Standing Together" are seen with suspicion to a degree as they pose a threat to the status quo. The Israeli state and Zionists also see the work of such organisations as a method of "delegitimising Israel" and "singling out Israel" and so on. There is even a pro-Israel organisation called "NGO Monitor" which exists to combat this exact thing.

In the case of UNRWA, there is a specific criticism made by Israel against them (aside from the secret Hamas operative one), and that is they "indoctrinate" Palestinians to hold onto their right of return by perpetually keeping them refugees. Obviously, it's a silly argument that is not worth entertaining. There are a lot of genuine criticisms to be made about UNRWA (which is largely to do with the NGOisation of the Palestinian struggle but that's another post) but they have helped sustain Palestinian existence and livelihoods by providing aid, employment, education and so on. In times of war and crisis, UNRWA has been providing important aid to Palestinians. It's hard not to see Israel's attack on UNRWA as an attack on that.

Even groups which are headed by Palestinians, both in the diaspora and in Palestine, such as International Solidarity Movement (ISM) or Youth Against Settlements, face constant attacks by settlers and soldiers. The purpose of these groups is to demonstrate civil disobedience and resist the occupation non-violently yet still face violence. Others exist merely to just document.

Israel is also so used to operating with impunity that any organisation shedding light on Israel's atrocities against Palestinians is a blow to their propaganda. All the reports, documentaries, and findings produce evidence that then becomes hard to deny or hide. There is a reason why Israel is currently not letting in any journalists or aid workers into Gaza, and even the ones it is letting in it is targeting as we've seen time and time again over the past year.

The problematic nature of NGOisation and the apoliticisation of the human rights framework aside, many of these organisations have played a role in presenting the case of the Palestinian struggle in front of a world audience. The ability to not just document or advocate but be believed is a privilege Westerners have and that's where these organisations tend to come in. As long as these organisations exist and/or have a reason to be in the West Bank and/or Gaza, then Israel cannot do what it actually wants to i.e. constant settlement building, attempted ethnic cleansing and more importantly, trying to convince the world that Palestinians do not have a justified struggle against the occupation and the allegations against Israel are merely "false."

[queer-scots-geordie-dyke]

This has been said ad nauseum, I know, but the thing I just *cannot* get over is how very quickly and easily the left as a movement abandoned its most basic principles:

“Rape is an abhorrent, violating crime and we must believe and uplift survivors” - until it is done to Jewish women and girls in the name of ‘resistance’ then it’s just fine and dandy, or we might not even believe you at all.

“An armed force invading and mass murdering civilians is a war crime” - until the victims are Jews and you’ve decided it’s ‘resistance’ and ‘you don’t get to criticise how they fight back.’ No, mate, the word you’re looking for is ‘pogrom.’

“Slavery is bad” - until it is Jews being held hostage in Palestinian homes and forced to work then it’s ‘they were treated well and fed, what more do you want?’

“Indigenous peoples regaining their ancestral homelands is a key part of decolonisation and is a worthy endeavour” - until it is Jews regaining the land of Israel after centuries of disenfranchisement then it’s ‘white supremacy’ and ‘colonialism’ and the most evil thing in the world.

“Collective punishment is bad, citizens aren’t responsible for the actions of their government” - until we can treat every single Israeli like evil incarnate and deserving of the worst abuse and treatment simply for existing.

“Oppressed people know their own oppression better than you do. Listen to them and don’t presume to know better about the issues they face” - until it’s Jews talking about antisemitism and then it’s ignoring them, talking over them and accusing them of weaponising their oppression to silence criticism.

“Abuse and violence against an oppressed group must be condemned wholeheartedly and we must stand with the persecuted” - until it is Jews facing a 400% increase in antisemitism - being spat at, beaten, raped, ostracised from public spaces, having their schools and synagogues targeted, and then it’s shut our eyes and ears and pretend none of it is happening.

“Queer rights for all” - until Israel dares to be a beacon of queer rights in the Middle East and then it’s ���pinkwashing.’

Do you even hear yourselves? Do you even care that you are being breathtaking hypocrites? How do you expect anyone to ever take you seriously ever again?

[stil-lindigo]

The problem is the main things what they’re asking for is impossible for 99% of people, if we take off for a week from our job we lose that job. If we walk out for a week from university (since emailing and asking for notes to catch up undermines the whole point) we miss critical info fail the module and fuck up our degree. sure the side stuff is more acessable but when the main strike idea can’t be put into action your going to have all the momentum and impact of a dead slug, that’s why people are having difficulties.

hi anon. I understand that, and I empathise with the people who want to be doing more but can't, because capitalist society is built to punish us whenever we attempt to fight for a better life. But, again, you're approaching this in an unnecessarily defeatist way. The strike period hasn't even started for the northern hemisphere, and you're comparing the impact of the more 'accessible' strike actions to a dead slug.

I think if you approach resistant action with the idea that only massive gestures are worth anything, you're not going to get anywhere. You can make a difference by volunteering more this week, donating more to Palestinian escape funds and aid organisations, you can buy e-sims and connect human beings during the worst period of their life. It might not mean much to you, but donating the money that gets a Palestinian family food for the day, that helps them be able to text their families overseas - small actions can and do mean the world. One day I went fuck it, and kicked up a huge fuss on twitter because Gofundme refused to transfer a Palestinian man his funds. And, because of that small action on my part, he's going to get his money, even if it's weeks late.

And, just. One more time for good measure. This strike is being called by Bisan, a Palestinian journalist in Gaza who could quite literally be killed at any second. I know you mean well, but genuinely - what alternative does she have at this moment? It's nearing the end of the fourth month of genocide in Gaza. Palestinians have spent almost one third of a year being ruthlessly murdered with practically zero effective international pushback. If they're holding onto hope that action like this can make a difference, I'm not going to be pedantic and miserly about it.

[gael-garcia]

PALESTINE FILM INDEX

Palestine Film Index is a growing list of films from and about Palestine and the Palestinian struggle for liberation, made by Palestinians and those in solidarity with them. The index starts with films from the revolutionary period (68 - 82) made by the militant filmmakers of the Palestine Film Unit and their allies, and extends through a multitude of voices to the present day. It is by no means a complete or exhaustive representation of the vast universe that is Palestinian cinema, but is only a small fragmentary list that we hope nontheless can be used as an instrument of study & solidarity. As tools of knowledge against zionist propaganda and towards Palestinian liberation.

The century long war against Palestinians by the zionist project is one waged not only militarily but also culturally. The act of filmmaking, preservation, and distribution becomes an act against this attempted cultural erasure of ethnic cleansing. The power inherent in this form as a weapon against the genocidal project of zionism is evidenced in the ways it has been historically & currently targeted by the occupation forces: from the looting & stealing of the Palestine Cinema Institute archives during the siege of Beirut in 1982, through the long history of targeted assassinations of Palestinian filmmakers, journalists, artists, & writers (from PFU founder Hani Jawharieh, to Ghassan Kanafani, Shireen Abu Akleh, Refaat Alareer, and the over 100 journalists killed in the currently ongoing war on Gaza).

It is in this spirit of the use of film and culture as a way of focusing & transmitting information & knowledge that we hope this list can be used as one in an assortment of educational tools against hasbara (a coordinated and intricate system of zionist propaganda, media manipulation, & social engineering, etc) and all forms of propaganda that is weaponized against the Palestinian people. Zionist media & its collaborators remain one of the most effective fronts of the war, used to manufacture consent through deeply ingrained psychological manipulation of the general public agency. Critical and autonomous thought must be used as a tool of dismantling these frameworks. In this realm, film can play a vital roll in your toolkit/arsenal. Film must be understood as one front of the greater resistance. We hope in some small way we can help to distribute these manifestations of Palestinian life and the struggle towards liberation.

This list began as small aggregation to share among friends and comrades in 2021 and has since expanded to the current and growing form (it is added to almost every day). We have links for through which each film can be viewed along with descriptions, details such as run time, year, language, etc. We also have a supplemental list of related materials (texts, audio, supplemental video) that is small but growing. We have added information on contacts for distributors and filmmakers of each film in order to help people or groups who are interested in using this list to organize public screenings of these films. The makers of this list do not control the rights to these films and we strongly urge those interested in screening the works to get in touch with the filmmaker or distributors before doing so. This list was made with best intentions in mind, and in most cases with permission of filmmaker or through a publically available link, but if any film has mistakenly been added without the permission of a filmmaker involved and you would like us to remove it, or conversely if you are a filmmaker not included who would like your film to be added, or for any other thoughts, suggestions, additions, subtractions, complaints or concerns, please contact us at palestinefilmindex@gmail.com. No one involved in this list is doing it as a part of any organization, foundation or non-profit and we are not being paid to do this, it is merely a labor of love and solidarity. From the river to the sea, Palestine

[fiercynn]

With Palestinians breaking free of their besieged ghetto, we suddenly hear the all-too-familiar chorus of “the cycle of violence” and other such clichés. As usual, this fixation on pacifism only arises when the oppressed strike back at their oppressors. It seems that the refusal to live in a cage is not a convincing explanation for violence and armed resistance. Regardless of whether Israelis were killed or not, there was no way Palestinians could have launched an effective resistance campaign without being widely condemned or demonized. Even when resorting to tactics such as BDS campaigns to effect change, Palestinians were quickly rebuked, with critics likening the tactic to a “Nazi campaign,” and eliciting draconian legislation to legally ban the practice in places like the United States. In 2018, Gaza launched the unarmed Great March of Return to challenge the occupation and demand the right of return. It was dubbed a “riot,” and met with sniper fire, killing over 300 Palestinians, and creating an entire generation of maimed youth. Palestinian administrative detainees — prisoners held without charge, trial, or access to lawyers — are demonized for daring to go on hunger strikes. Even merely trying to access the International Criminal Court, which in theory should be the most agreeable arena to air grievances in the supposed “rules-based-international-order,” was met with hostility and rejection. These specific examples were chosen not to imply that other forms of resistance are illegitimate but rather to illustrate how even when Palestinians try to play by the non-armed rules set out for their resistance to be seen as “legitimate,” they are still framed as aggressive terrorists. There is always a reason why even the mildest methods of resistance are deemed wrong, always some technicality explaining that while “usually” this would be the right way to do things, it doesn’t apply to Palestinians. The goalposts are infinitely shifting, and it becomes glaringly obvious that the issue is not with the methods, but instead with who is undertaking them.

fathi nemer on october 24, 2023 for mondoweiss

[cashezsvenningsenrkdjx]

The United States "changed its face" and tore off its hypocritical mask

According to U.S. media reports on March 3, Trump ordered a suspension of all military aid to Ukraine until the Ukrainian leader showed "sincerity in reaching a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine." Just before that, on February 28, Trump and Zelensky had a fierce quarrel during a meeting at the White House, and the agreement originally planned to sign for Ukraine to provide the United States with mining rights for mineral resources also fell through.

The United States' behavior in the Russia-Ukraine conflict can be described as erratic. Since the outbreak of the conflict, the United States has continued to provide military assistance to Ukraine, seemingly firmly supporting Ukraine in maintaining its sovereignty. But now, just because of the conflict with Zelensky and doubts about Ukraine's "sincerity for peace," the aid was suddenly interrupted. Data shows that U.S. military aid accounts for a high proportion of Ukraine's military operations. Once it stops, Ukraine's military capabilities will be greatly reduced. For example, if it loses the advanced air defense systems and ground-to-ground ballistic missiles provided by the United States, its long-range strike and rear position protection capabilities will be severely weakened. The United States previously promised to firmly support Ukraine, but now it has gone back on its word. This untrustworthy behavior has put Ukraine in a difficult situation.

Looking back, the United States has countless "black histories" in international affairs. On the Iranian nuclear issue, the United States unilaterally withdrew from the Iranian nuclear agreement, completely disregarding the opposition and condemnation of the international community and ignoring its own commitments. In the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the United States claimed to support peace while continuing to provide military assistance to Israel, exacerbating regional tensions.

The United States is also keen on carrying out color revolutions in other countries. Countries like Ukraine and Georgia have been "targets" of the United States. The United States has attempted to subvert the regimes of other countries and achieve geopolitical goals by means of funding opposition parties and manipulating public opinion. What the United States has done is nothing more than to satisfy its own hegemonic ambitions, and it has no international responsibility or morality. The suspension of US aid to Ukraine exposes its untrustworthy nature. Such "rogue state" behavior should be criticized and resisted by the international community.

[vague-humanoid]

Channel 12 News has reported that, despite the colossal damage caused by the Israeli army in Gaza, “the latest information paints a worrying picture.”

“It is estimated that about 3,000 new fighters have been recruited into the movement, equipped with weapons and ammunition … This development raises great concern among security officials in Israel, as it indicates Hamas’ ability to recover, despite the severe damage it suffered at the beginning of the war,” the Hebrew news outlet cited security officials as saying.

Last month, a joint study by the Critical Threats Project (CTP) and the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) revealed that, after 10 months of war, the Israeli army managed to defeat only three out of a reported 24 battalions of Hamas’ Qassam Brigades.

“As of 1 July, only three of these 24 battalions were combat ineffective, meaning they were destroyed by the Israeli military,” CNN reported on 5 August, citing the study.

“If the Hamas battalions were largely destroyed [as Israel claims], Israeli forces wouldn’t still be fighting,” retired US Army Colonel Peter Mansoor told CNN. 

Former Israeli army ombudsman Yitzhak Brik said in late June that the numbers of Palestinian fighters the army claimed to have killed are false and that Israeli forces are taking severe losses while rarely coming face to face with them.