#or I’m met with a thought-stopping cliche like: ‘Oh. So you support genocide.’

[canichangemyblogname]

There are more planned student walk outs in Chicago & the Chicago Land to protest the Biden Administration’s foreign policy in regards to Palestine. And ahead of the protests, the JUF/JFC is sending out talking points to counter the narrative and paint these as “anti-Israel” protests as opposed to pro-ceasefire, pro-peace, and pro-Palestinian.

And they’re using the Republican’s narrative playbook. For the last many years, Republicans have launched a national campaign against the “woke agenda” in schools as a way to marginalize queer voices and black and brown voices, culminating in Florida’s massive book ban. Their main narrative? That teachers are filling our children’s heads with “woke” propaganda to hate the US.

This has been the narrative of conservative media for years now:

But now the JUF is also taking advantage of the “parental rights” fears sweeping the county and the “teachers are brainwashing kids to be woke” narrative. Teachers and “outside influences” (Who? Hamas? Hamas is in CP schools? Who are these nebulous, shadowy “outside influences”? And why does this talking point remind me so much of anntisemitic conspiracies?) are teaching your children to be anti-Israel and are encouraging this protest behavior among the young.

What’s truly insidious, however, is that they are mixing this message with legitimate acts of antisemitism to make it seem like teachers are out here teaching and endorsing antisemitism. “This is extremism masquerading as activism.” This is what these protests looked like last time, btw:

Look at that violent, extreme… *checks notes* sit in at… *checks notes* City Hall. “Peaceful,” in quotation marks, according to the JUF. (BSFFR, please)

(This isn’t to say that there is and has never, ever been antisemitism within any movement. Or to say that antisemitic bad actors cannot take advantage of a pro-peace movement to spread their propaganda. Do not “bean soup” this post.)

And— of course— they’re hammering home the idea “Palestine will be Free” is a call for the genocide of Jews.

These are some of the “contextual” talking points they suggest people use when talking about these walkouts:

Did you know it’s not genocide when— hold up. Let me check something. Okay. 1 in 4 Gazans are starving. Over 33,000 dead and over 61,000 injured according to Euro Med. In 100+ days, 4% of Gaza has become a casualty statistic. At the beginning of Israel’s bombing campaign, they expected 15,000 babies to be born into crisis. We know that some of those 15,000 have been murdered in the occupation. But that seems— and then we have the hike in maternal mortality, the hike in emergency hysterectomies, the hike in uterine infections from a lack of sanitation, and IOF soldiers in the enclave choosing to let newborns die… and— hold on. Yeah, their math isn’t mathing.

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When Israel shoots civilians at point-blank and rounds up unarmed men en masse and bombs UN schools and raids hospitals and bombs residential buildings with non-precision missiles and cuts civilians off from food, water, and medical supplies and destroys water tanks and salts the earth and films itself chanting and cheering and applauding for the death of Arabs, it’s because they care about civilians and are doing EVERYTHING in their power to protect civilian life. Really? Okay, sure, and I’m the King of England.

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Also, did you know that having ancestors in a region 3500 years ago and the existence of Mizrahi Jews gives Israel the right to displace Palestinians whose families have lived there for the same time? It also apparently excuses Israel’s mass killing of Palestinian children. Amazing logic, truly.

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I also want to make it ABUNDANTLY clear that this is a summary of what the ICJ said:

“Alarming signs of genocide in Gaza, and Israel’s flagrant disregard for international law highlight the urgent need for effective, unified pressure on Israel to stop its onslaught against Palestinians. An immediate ceasefire by all parties remains essential and – although not ordered by the Court – is the most effective condition to implement the provisional measures and end unprecedented civilian suffering.”

“The stakes could not be higher – the ICJ’s provisional measures indicate that in the Court’s view the survival of Palestinians in Gaza is at risk. The Israeli government must comply with the ICJ’s ruling immediately. All states – including those who were critical of or opposed South Africa’s submission of the genocide case – have a clear duty to ensure these measures are implemented. World leaders from the USA, UK, Germany and other EU states must signal their respect for the Court’s legally binding decision and do everything in their power to uphold their obligation to prevent genocide. Failure to do so would be a grave blow to the credibility and trust in the international legal order.” X

Yes, the ICJ ruling did not immediately find Israel guilty of genocide as such a decision will likely take years. Yes, the ICJ did not order a ceasefire; it strongly suggested a ceasefire as the court has no enforcement mechanism. HOWEVER, the ICJ found cause for great concern for the Israeli military’s actions and the statements of Israeli political leaders. They found that “At least some of the acts and omissions alleged by South Africa to have been committed by Israel in Gaza appear to be capable of falling within the provisions of the [Genocide] Convention.”

That is an incredible preliminary blow to Israel. The court ruled that South Africa has standing and that the case can proceed as Israel’s actions could constitute genocide (only further pursuance of South Africa’s case can lead to a verdict).

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Hamas has also offered yet another ceasefire proposal that was rejected by Israel. They both keep rejecting each other’s ceasefire proposals. But the JUF’s rhetoric conveniently ignores the fact that a ceasefire and exchange has been the only measure successful at getting the hostages home. This is not some Hamas apologia. It’s admitting that this single-minded and narrow focus on Hamas, their war crimes, and their ideology has given many organizations tunnel vision when it comes to solutions to get Israelis home. They’ve been so blinded by anger and grief that they forget you do in fact have to negotiate with terrorists to get hostages home. It also purposefully ignores Israel’s culpability and responsibilities in all of this. It’s a “whataboutism” fallacy.

“Israel needs to stop carpet bombing Gaza.” “What about Hamas? That ignores Hamas’ crimes.”

First. No, it doesn’t. Second. What about Hamas? No. Seriously. Let’s talk about it. After 100+ days of bombing, Israel clearly has not prevented them from continuing to rule the enclave. They still have the means and forces to engage militarily and diplomatically. This “total eradication” campaign has been a complete failure (only 7% of terrorist organization globally have been quelled by military force, ever; you cannot “war” against a tactic, no matter how brutal the tactic or the response). So, what about them? They’re still militarily capable and still holding onto power. The carpet bombing has not worked. Israel is once more failing to “eradicate” a threat to Israeli Jewish safety, as it always will.

“But if we negotiate and Hamas remains in power, Israeli Jews and Palestinians will not be safe.” Yes. And if Israel— the country that long funded Hamas and let them gain power and train in Gaza— also remains in power, both Israeli Jews and Palestinians will not be safe. Israel has proven that the Zionist project is a failure. Oct. 7th proved that Israel is categorically incapable of doing exactly what it was (supposedly) established to do: protect Jews from pogroms. And rather than admit that Zionism will not protect Jewish people— because that would mean admitting Israel has no ideology to continue standing— Israel would rather massacre Palestinians in retaliation. They’d rather continue their 75+ year campaign; their settler colonial project, of ethnically cleansing the region of its inhabitants.

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Zionism will continue to fail to protect Jews in the levant and will continue to lead to Jewish and Arab death and radicalization. For fuck’s sake, Zionism— and the Israeli settler project, specifically— is why Hamas exists. Both literally and politically. And it is what is ultimately responsible for the plight of the Palestinian people.

The world needs to help this region work toward implementing a completely new system. There needs to be a ceasefire & humanitarian aid, first and foremost. There needs to be hostages exchanged, too. Bibi needs to step down. There need to be serious deradicalization programs in Israel for parties like the Likud and their supporters. And— yes— there would need to be deradicalization programs in Gaza and the West Bank; these would primarily focus on resilience, rebuilding, and addressing the Palestinian mental health crisis (deradicalization among a disenfranchised people is oft best achieved by meeting their needs). There needs to be a global effort to rebuild Palestinian enclaves FOR the Palestinians who were living there. There needs to be a global effort to facilitate the right of return. There needs to be mega constitutional reforms to ensure Palestinians have the rights they MUST have and Jews immigrating to and living in the levant have the security and recognition as a people that they want. It is *impossible* to have one without the other. This reform will require a “dismantling” of the Israeli state as it currently exists. That reform *is* a “radical” revolution. The parliament and national bureaucracy will cease to exist in its current form as a new one will replace it. Hamas will not remain in power (before or) after this. Neither will Zionism. <<This is all a very simple summary of a way forward, as none of this addresses Iran’s influence on regional militias.

This is complex in the sense that a solution will not be easy and there are many powers and interests at play. This is not complex in the sense that carpet bombing civilians is wrong.

And this is not so complex in the sense that— no— Chicago teens are not calling for the Genocide of Jews. Please use common sense as opposed to inflaming tensions and fears. They are clearly marching because they want violence to stop. And, no, the reason they’re opposed to violence has nothing to do with teacher “woke” propaganda, but thank you for spreading right-wing conspiracies among traditionally progressive voter bases. This is a generation of kids who grew up with mass shooters. They’ve been conducting walk outs over violence and weapons for years now. They are staunchly opposed to weapons manufacturing and sales *because* of their history of suffering under the onslaught of gun violence. And— shit— they see Gaza and are reminded of Tulsa. They see IOF soldiers and citizens filming themselves stopping and harassing Palestinian children and are reminded of Trayvon Martin, Tamir Rice and Elijah McClain. They hear of Palestinians being shot dead in their sleep and are reminded of Breonna Taylor.

This isn’t some grand conspiracy, but it’s easier to argue it is than contend with your worldview. You’d rather silence speakers and ban books than challenge power.