Politics Is Downstream Of Palestine
What the political class fails to understand about the pro-Palestine left.
Growing up Irish Catholic in Massachusetts, I heard much about Ireland’s struggle for independence. Seeking to satisfy my curiosity, in 2019, I traveled to Belfast, where a local showed me around the city. The guide, who made no attempts to hide his IRA affiliation, took me to the famous Falls Road murals and proudly celebrated those commemorating Palestine. One in particular caught my eye. Depicting a Palestinian man in a wheelchair, it read, “Nil saoirse go saoirse na Palestine,” which roughly translates to: “No one is free until Palestine is free.”
At the time, I found the slogan a puzzling overstatement, so I didn’t give it much thought. Only years later, when I had become educated on the issue, did I realize this phrase was not a flippant decoration but a statement of fact.
Over the last ten months, the activist left has been laser-focused on Palestine. As we approach a year of sustained marches, protests, and student encampments, this is arguably the most concentrated anti-war campaign since Vietnam. This activism has struck a nerve in the political class, who have derided anti-genocide activists as young and gullible, only joining in because solidarity with Palestine is a fad among their peers. Hillary Clinton, who will be speaking at the heavily protested Democratic National Convention, claimed student protestors “Don’t know very much about the history of the Middle East, or frankly, very much about history.” Similar ridicule has come from across the political spectrum.
You Don't Need a Doctorate to Say "Genocide is Bad."
Well, she’s back. Despite blowing the most winnable election in American history, Hillary Clinton returned to the media circuit to scold young people for Not Knowing Politics. Last week, the former Secretary of State appeared on Morning Joe to claim college protestors
While this derision attempts to dismiss criticism of Israel’s crimes, I’ll accept (for a moment) that there are good-faith actors puzzled by the left’s heightened interest in this particular issue. While establishment politicians have resorted to outlandish conspiracy theories about China using TikTok to turn every teenager into a Manchurian Candidate, the truth is that many progressive-minded individuals see Palestine as a political wind vane. Whatever else a politician claims to believe, their stance on Palestine shreds the Washington facade and reveals their true values.
Don’t You Care About Domestic Issues?
Given the threat of a second Trump presidency, many Democrats are confused as to why pro-Palestine activists are protesting Kamala Harris. “Don’t they know Trump will be worse for Palestine?” they ask. “Do they not care about abortion rights? They should protest Trump, not Harris!”
I cannot fathom how any President could be worse for the Palestinian people than Joe Biden. However, if there’s anyone who can find a way, it’s Donald Trump. Contrary to the straw men Democratic pundits have imagined us to be, pro-Palestine activists are not fools. We know Trump would be horrible for Palestine, and we also prefer a Harris-Walz domestic agenda to that of the slum lord billionaire. However, by permitting Israel to continue its genocide of Gaza, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and every other “warm-hearted” Democrat is revealing their true nature to the American electorate. Democrats may promise us more affordable homes, better organizing conditions, and less restricted healthcare. But, if they are actively depriving Palestinians of these rights by supporting Israel’s genocide, then rational individuals will question if these politicians sincerely hold these values or if they are cynically claiming them to win elections.
Given his Palestine policy, it’s comical to claim that Joe Biden profoundly believes in a woman’s right to independent reproductive choices. More than any non-Israeli, President Biden has solidified the blockade of medical aid to Gaza, forcing Palestinian women to endure cesarean sections without anesthesia. One cannot claim to be a champion of reproductive rights, but only in a specific area. If Joe Biden’s espoused values are afforded to some people but not others, then they are not values.
A similar conundrum has appeared with Biden’s second in command. Kamala Harris recently proposed financial assistance for first-time homebuyers. Yet, she has not clarified if she would break with her predecessor’s policy, which has destroyed over 80,000 Gazan homes and forced upwards of 90% of the population into homelessness. The United Nations estimates that if Israel stopped bombing today, Gaza’s housing would not be rebuilt until the next century. Tell me, Kamala Harris: will you offer financial assistance to young Palestinian families trying to replace the homes demolished by American bombs? Will you protect a woman’s right to make her own medical choices, regardless of whether her autonomy is threatened by Christo-Fascist Republican lawmakers or Israeli snipers targeting her delivery room? Are reproductive justice, accessible housing, and workers’ rights a belief you hold deep and dear in your soul? Or are those platitudes you use to win elections? If you’re willing to deprive the Palestinian people of these things, why should anyone believe you won’t take them from us the moment it becomes politically expedient? Your campaign launch ad claims people have a right to live without fear of gun violence. Does that right apply to the Rajab family, who was shot dead at close range by the Israeli Army? Their 6-year-old daughter Hind Rajab survived the bullets, but perished alone and afraid in the wreckage, with only the corpses of her family beside.
So please tell us, Vice President Harris: Does a child’s right to grow and play absent gunfire apply to Hind Rajab and the thousands of other Palestinian children facing a similar threat? Or is that comfort limited only to the American children whose parents’ votes you seek?
Personally, I don’t need a politician to share my values to receive my vote. I’m hiring them to do a job. I could give a damn if their heart is in it as long as they deliver. However, when Democrats like Kamala Harris, Joe Biden, and Barrack Obama claim they are the torchbearers for a more equitable, progressive world, the believability of their claims stops at the West Bank Barrier. Keen observers notice, and rightfully demand the truth.
The pro-Palestine movement currently marching on the Democratic National Convention does not see itself as a foreign policy advocacy group. Its self-identity is rooted in a deeper, sacred belief that all people, not just Americans, deserve joy, peace, and justice. When politicians claim to share this ethos but place an asterisk upon those who live in Palestine, those who hold the value dear will rightfully call bullshit. When it comes to human rights, there are no exceptions. Therefore, no one is free until Palestine is free.
If Democrats aren’t willing to make even the most modest attempt to bring their espoused values to Palestine, then don’t be surprised when those who genuinely yearn for universal justice cast blank ballots in November.
If you appreciated this article, please like (click the ❤️), subscribe, and forward it to a friend. Thank you. In Solidarity — Joe
Excellent article, Joe! I would add this: far from being ignorant, many of us protesting this war are aware of little things like the Leahy law. We want our country to respect and obey international law AND our own laws. Right now, the United States, through its proxy, Israel, is acting as a rogue state—a lawless robber and murderer. As a U.S. citizen, it’s both my right and my duty to oppose this.
"If Joe Biden’s espoused values are afforded to some people but not others, then they are not values." Powerful