The speakers were mostly students — one from UMass and a couple from Amherst. There was a female Amherst student from Palestine who spoke movingly about her views on Israel’s actions. She was disgusted by Israel’s war tactics, such as the use of skin-burning white phosphorus and the destruction of schools and hospitals. She was not the only speaker from the Middle East at the protest. One man referenced the Qur’an, stating, “To save one life is as if you saved the world” to emphasize the peaceful nature of Islam. The powerlessness of Palestinians, in comparison to Israel’s monetary and political power, is another reason why many believe that the fight is unfair.
The female student argued that the issue is a simple one that has been made complicated. She mentioned oil and land grabbing — is that why all these people are suffering? Because of greed, disguised hoarding and fighting over resources?
What gives one group the privilege to have resources instead of another? Skin color, race, precedence, seniority, money, power, weapons, brute force, my God is better than your God, you don’t even have a God: The list is endless, and throughout time it repeats itself, seemingly anew but covering the same pattern of selfishness, resulting destruction and suffering.
The speakers spoke of humanity and everyone’s right to live and “live free.”
What they didn’t talk about was a solution. Awareness is important, but it only points out a problem. While they spoke about how ugly the situation truly is, there were no words on what to do about it. They pushed for the reduction of American aid, starting with colleges who support Israeli businesses (they pushed for divestment, something Hampshire College has already implemented) and spoke about giving scholarships to Palestinian students.
One may ask: Is this any of our business? Why are we involved? What motivates us? Oil and money? We as a nation have deeply involved ourselves economically and diplomatically in the affairs of the world, but many individuals in communities outside of the West are simply tired of Western and U.S. interference. They would prefer to live their lives their way, on their own, without our “help,” which often is not helpful at all. In fact, we have a very inventive way of helping others that often helps ourselves. One member of the Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) who participated in the protest explained why we are involved by examining the long history of colonialism and postcolonial projects in the Middle East. She said that the projects began during World War I with Western Europe and became American and Russian projects after World War II; now it’s pretty much just a U.S. project.
A project? Something about the word “project” is tellingly disturbing.
SJP has proactively organized a multimedia exhibition on Gaza and issues Gazans are facing. It will be open all day in the Campus Center Tuesday, Feb. 24th, from 7-9 p.m. with refreshments. They are also planning to have a speaker for the event around 8 p.m. Their memorial for the Gazans killed during December and January will be open all week (the week of the 24th) in the Campus Center. If you don’t know anything about the issues in the Middle East, want to learn more, or happen to be hungry, in the vicinity of the campus center, and interested, you should come. This organization, made of your peers, students and friends, has a lot to say and is definitely worth being heard.