From 1941-1945 most German civilians were idle and ignorant as their neighbors, friends, and relatives were gradually being phased out of their lives. That is how they lost 6.6 million Jewish men, women, and children. If people don’t put a stop to the atrocity in Palestine now, such a horrific thing will happen again. People are being brainwashed, persuaded, and complacent to barbarism yet again.
A thing that was once horrific history is now a modern-day occurrence. Genocide was once something this generation felt was in the distant past, that happened to a distant people, who were to be honored and remembered from the 1940s. But now that such a tragedy is happening again, history proves to repeat itself as people turn a blind eye. Once again people are blaming the victims of terrorism instead of taking a stance against the terrorists. The parallels of the two conflicts are obvious in the apathy both groups of victims had to/are enduring, both for reasons that are simply unjustified. What happened then was not okay, and what is happening now is not okay. It will never be acceptable to massacre innocent men, women, and children for any reason. One of the most prominent reasons more Americans aren’t supporting Palestinians is that they’re ignorant to what is really happening.
“Ignorance lets you continue buying products from businesses and organizations that support the slaughter of innocent children and Palestinian civilians,” senior Emma Lopez said when asked why most Americans are opposed to supporting the oppressed Palestinians. People also support Israel on the basis that Hamas is a terrorist group, which isn’t true and “everything that they’re doing is allowed because under international humanitarian law you cannot condemn the oppressed for resisting,” senior Matthew Goodwin said.
Many people, specifically of the Christian religion, claim that it is important to stand with Israel in times of conflict because it is the “Holy Land.” Then the question must be asked, are there no limitations to the cruelties and horrendous acts of evil it commits that are too terrible to be supported?
“Not only is Israel green-lighting the erasure of an entire population, they have tortured disabled and elderly men; raped and murdered young girls and injured women, and have mocked the deaths of victims and families,” Lopez said.
If there is one thing this genocide has revealed, it is that some people care more about political revenge and land greed than the lives of innocent children. This issue is a modern demonstration of social issues people have long since claimed to be against including apartheid, Islamophobia, and violence.
Those who are opposed to labeling Israel’s occupation of Palestine as an apartheid state should reference Article 3 of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. Based on this article, the International Court of Justice’s 2024 advisory opinion has found that Israel is in breach of UN international law, including “racial segregation and apartheid.” This disgusting breach of UN Law and moral principles has inspired the creation of numerous Jewish-led, anti-zionism groups, including Jewish Voices for Peace, J Street, and IfNotNow, among others. These are all movements of Jews who have decided that Israel’s terrorism will not be in their name.
Proudly enabling the atrocity of the century are American weapons manufacturers Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and RTX Corp, along with too many others. While some may see their arming Israel as a simple, impersonal business exchange, others see it as it is: ruthless war profiteering. These companies have no shame in turning the innocent corpse of a child into a bank deposit. Included as smaller scale enablers are numerous food chains that people commonly buy from, which is why “[people] should do their own research and be mindful of where their money is going,” Goodwin said.
People have a duty to be a voice for the oppressed or they wear the title of oppressor as well. Standing against social injustice is what makes people retain their humanity. Stand with Palestinians now against “the most documented genocide in history,” (Goodwin) or prepare to create more museums honoring a once wonderful people who are now extinct. Now is the time to be on the right side of history.
