It appears that many individuals have an opinion on the Israel-Hamas conflict. It seems that most of these folks, including politicians and broadcast journalists, are sorely lacking important information. What follows are a few questions that should be investigated prior to communicating an opinion, whether it is pro-Palestinian or pro-Israel.
There is concern for innocent civilians who are trapped in the Gaza Strip and become victims of Israeli weapons. During the Syrian Civil War, thousands of Syrians migrated to camps in Turkey and Jordan, where they were safe from attacks. Currently, millions of Ukrainians have crossed the border into Poland to avoid the war and have been welcomed by the Poles. Why has Egypt not allowed Gazans to cross into the Sinai desert where refugee camps can be set up keeping the refugees safe from Israeli bombs?
Egypt indicates that they are concerned that if residents of Gaza relocate to Egypt that Israel would not let then back into Gaza when the conflict ends. Why can’t the Israeli government proclaim that all Gazans who leave, other than Hamas militants, will be permitted to return once the conflict has ended?
There are strong complaints that Israel is killing innocent civilians, women and children, in its bombing raids and this is a war crime. On the night of March 10, 1945, hundreds of American B-29s dropped 1500 tons of incendiary bombs on Tokyo, killing 100,000, mostly civilians, women, children and old men. A million Japanese were injured and 15.8 square miles of the city were turned to ash. There were no cries of war crime because the Japanese had declared war by attacking Pearl Harbor and civilians are killed in war, as they were in London and Berlin during World War II. Hamas declared war on Israel on October 7 and civilian injury and death in Gaza is due to that attack. Why has the killing of civilians in war not been referenced when they accuse Israel of war crimes?
One action by Israel that is seen as that country’s maltreatment of the Palestinian people is the creation of settlements. Israelis legally buy property in Palestinian territory, create communities and populate these communities with Israeli citizens. This is seen as an illegal attempt by Israel to reduce Palestinian territory. The residents of these settlements continue to vote in Israel even though they reside in Palestine. Why is Israel not challenged to give the settlers a choice; sell the settlements back to Palestinians or return your Israeli passports for Palestinian ones?
Many claim that the land that is Israel was obtained through military victory and Israel is “occupying” Palestinian land. Why has nobody suggested that any American who agrees with this should recommend that the states of the Southwest be returned to Mexico, since they were obtained via military victory in the Mexican American War?
It is vital for proper discussion that these questions be thoroughly addressed before any support for either side is expressed. Otherwise, we have proclamations being made by the ignorant, and ignorance is not bliss, it is ignorance!