"Despite numerous strikes and numerous deaths,
the Palestinian struggle remains strong"
by Kat Ulrike
The recent actions in Gaza between Palestine and Israel has created a new wave of opposition after Israel Defence Forces (IDF) shelled the city both from air and ground over the past four days killing more than 100 Palestinians.
Using the pretext of "response from Islamist group Hamas's rocket strikes" in Tel Aviv and other surrounding villages in southern Israel, Hundreds of airstrikes from the IDF started in May 11 hit residences and crowded areas in Gaza, home to more than 2 million Palestinians. A residential tower housing 80 families was even bombed and reduced to rubble, and a tower where news agencies like the Associated Press and Al Jazeera didn't escape the air strikes brought by the IDF.
This action provoked anger by Palestinians as well as those demand for peace in the region. And despite Israeli authorities justification particularly those of targeting leaders behind the said rocket attacks, those whose families died and homes destroyed sought to exact a heavy price in their actions. Thus, along with those demanding for peace in the "Holy Land" and solidarity with victims, denounces in the strongest terms the armed actions the Zionist-led authorities has brought against them.
However, amidst widespread outcry against the attacks, the orderists, whether driven by a "distorted faith" or "simply politics" continues to defend Israel's move towards Gaza, if not considering the violence as a political strategy especially in maintain Benjamin Netanyahu and his Likud party dominance amidst popular opposition to his rule. In fact, before the escalation, political rivals like Yair Lapid and Naftali Bennett were in talks to form a "government" (including the Arab list) that's meant to unseat the prime minister. However, though the state of "permanent war" and "occupation" against Palestinians this brought stability in Netanyahu's prime ministership, which he has held for the past 12 years. The right-leaning settler movement even supported such aims regarding the conflict, especially those whose settlements in the west bank were once under Palestinian patrimony.
But regardless of the justifications, the actions brought by Israel means intensified resistance by the Palestinians. Be it peaceful or armed, Palestinians from all walks of life is willing to sacrifice their lives to avenge their compatriots died in those bombings despite threats from Zionist authorities. On other side, Expect apologists especially those from the United States, defending Israel by saying "Israelis having the right to defend itself" despite numerous atrocities against Palestinians, even providing military aid, and blocked the UN Security Council from issuing statement regarding the escalating attacks against them and their communities. Expect as well those whose distorted Christian beliefs interpret the conflict as a "good versus evil" struggle- despite reports of radical Jewish fundamentalist actions against Palestinian Christians. Even Jews who disagreed with Zionist aims also can't escape scrutiny from the Zionist establishment with arrests and harassments within their communities. Not surprising that in this escalated conflict also means an intensified call for peace and solidarity between Palestinian Jews and Arabs, all in pursuit of realising a democratic and secular Palestinian homeland through a just struggle for their right to return to their home that has been brutally occupied by the state of Israel. For 73 years, the people of Palestine have borne the continuing Nakba or the catastrophe of their displacement.