Coming and Going: On the issue of borders and fences
alicerothchild.substack.com
This reflection was written three weeks before Hamas’ surprise assault and the onset of Israel’s massive bombing campaign on Gaza. As the mainstream media talks of this “unprovoked attack” and Israel’s “right to defend itself,” it is critical to understand the 75 plus years of unresolved oppression, occupation, death and destruction that has led us to this tragic place. I think it is also useful to think about borders and fences, restrictions of access, and the realities for Palestinians as well as internationals who seek to stand in solidarity. This essay is a glimpse into one aspect of that process. For me, it is also quite shocking that Palestinian militants were able to break down the fences, occupy a major military checkpoint, invade and wreak havoc in Israeli towns, and that the vaunted Israeli surveillance system was caught unawares and unprepared, a deadly mix of hubris and the failure to understand that brutally oppressed people will resist their oppressors however they can.
Coming and Going: On the issue of borders and fences
Coming and Going: On the issue of borders and…
Coming and Going: On the issue of borders and fences
This reflection was written three weeks before Hamas’ surprise assault and the onset of Israel’s massive bombing campaign on Gaza. As the mainstream media talks of this “unprovoked attack” and Israel’s “right to defend itself,” it is critical to understand the 75 plus years of unresolved oppression, occupation, death and destruction that has led us to this tragic place. I think it is also useful to think about borders and fences, restrictions of access, and the realities for Palestinians as well as internationals who seek to stand in solidarity. This essay is a glimpse into one aspect of that process. For me, it is also quite shocking that Palestinian militants were able to break down the fences, occupy a major military checkpoint, invade and wreak havoc in Israeli towns, and that the vaunted Israeli surveillance system was caught unawares and unprepared, a deadly mix of hubris and the failure to understand that brutally oppressed people will resist their oppressors however they can.