Israel Palestine Basics
Kathryn Shihadah | Essential facts and stats about the Hamas-Gaza-Israel war: The current situation in Gaza and Israel did not come out of the blue. Critical background left out of U.S news | On Oct 7, the resistance group Hamas did not invade a peace-loving country. To Israelis, it may have felt tranquil and carefree – they were dancing, raising families on tree-lined streets, planning vacations abroad. Palestinians are pretty much invisible, locked as they are behind high concrete walls and electrified, fortified, barbed wire barriers. ■ Israelis have never experienced the kind of invasion they got that day. The roles are usually reversed. This time some Palestinians were killing, kidnapping, and causing panic, trauma, and unconscionable violence. Usually it is some Israeli soldiers and settlers that perpetrate such acts. ■ The Israelis’ experience – and that of their loved ones – is real and significant. ■ But many of us are dismissing Gazans’ experience out of hand. ■ If we believe in equality, in the presence of the imago dei in everyone, we ought to be troubled by this. Are Israeli sins forgivable, but Palestinian sins somehow unforgivable?