One of the uglier realities of Western Civilization lies within its rapacious domination of the global south over the previous few centuries. The invention of superior weapons and technology provided an unparallel advantage which it used to invade, conquer, colonize, enslave and/or ethnically cleanse the lessor developed indigenous people of other nations. This repeated pattern of Settler Colonialism was practiced up and through the 20th century when it eventually slammed into heavy resistance in the form of public pressure on governments and institutions who had enabled the practice of blatant injustice. Slowly but surely the tyranny began to dissipate while human rights became a focus of the masses and ultimately, codified into International law.
Fast forward to 2023, the crisis in Gaza and a 75-year struggle of the indigenous Palestinians to retain its sovereignty over a northern occupier. The pattern remains consistent. And as a historical fact, the occupation began, in earnest, when the world expert at colonization, the British Empire, took it upon themselves to carve up the Middle East in an effort to serve its strategic objectives which included a parcel of land for the newly formed State of Israel. Unfortunately, as is the case with all Empires, no one asked the inhabitants if a foreign occupation was going to meet their approval.
But then came the European settlers, fully supported by the British Military culminating in the1948 war, known as the Nakba, forcing 750,000 Palestinian natives off the land they had settled and developed. A land, where they had peacefully coexisted with other ethnic and religious communities (including Jews and Christians) for hundreds of years.
Take a look at the map below. It represents the original United Nations partition plan and subsequent years of forced occupation up to the currently occupied West Bank and fully enclosed, surveyed and controlled Gaza Strip. Ask yourself, how is this pattern of colonial settler behavior any different than those of the US colonies who exterminated the indigenous tribes of North America, the British and their treatment of Aboriginal people in Australia or the Spanish and their brutal conquest of Latin America? And why does the media and our elected leaders attempt to convince us otherwise?
What about Hamas? If Israel, the Occupier, has a right to defend itself, obviously, so does Hamas and the 2.2 million people who are illegally Occupied inside a locked parcel of land functioning like an open-air prison. After all, sixteen years of repression, random shootings and carpet bombings in an area you cannot escape would enrage even the most passive amongst us.
As Americans, did we consider the Patriots of our Militias and Colonial Army Freedom Fighters, or, did we side with the British and default to their terms, Rebels, Revolutionaries and Insurgents to describe the asymmetrical and often brutal form of warfare we employed to fend off and ultimately defeat the Redcoats? Clearly, one man’s Terrorist is another man’s Freedom Fighter. It's all contingent upon which side you are on. And lets not forget Patrick Henry, a founding father of the United States who famously shouted the often-repeated words, "Give me liberty or give me death" upon the opening stages of the American Revolutionary War.
From my observation, October 7th most likely represented the final breaking point of an indigenous people who had been ignored by the international community and left to rot within the Apartheid walls of a Zionist regime who made public statements about its desire to reclaim all of Gaza for their greater Israeli project. A prison break if you will, a last gasp attempt at drawing attention toward their plight and hopelessness in a land that’s rightfully theirs under international law. Was it ugly, murderous and ultimately defined as a war crime? Sure. But in real terms, how was it any different than the 6400 Gazan deaths perpetrated by the IDF during the previous five years, Israel's incarceration of thousands without trial, the continual land theft and murders by settlers in the West Bank and/or the current slaughter of women and children (obvious war crimes) in the thousands?
Propaganda is a powerful force that’s effective and often times necessary to convince the public of an aggressive or illegal act that serves the purpose of those who benefit. When magnified and repeated for decades, lies become truth, ultimately defended by those it was designed to manipulate. After all, how do you explain the the public's belief that an illegal, heavily funded and over bearing occupying force is actually the Victim? Especially when the government of that country pontificates its value for freedom, democracy, property rights and the rule of law on a daily basis.
Law is for all, or its not law at all.
"Colonialism is the cousin of slavery"
Chadwick Boseman
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