Jewish News is gathering and presenting some basic facts to equip readers during this difficult time with the confidence needed to engage in conversation about Israel and antisemitism.
Genocide
This word is being used by protestors on campuses to describe Israel’s actions. According to
merriam-webster.com, Genocide is “the deliberate and systematic destruction of a racial, political, or cultural group.”
It is ironic that Israel is being accused of Genocide when it was Hamas who attempted just that on October 7 with its callous killing of whomever they could just because they were Israelis. Rather than deliberately kill innocent Palestinians, Israel broadcasts where it is about to bomb, telling the civilians to move – the opposite of Genocide.
From the river to the sea.
This phrase refers to the land between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, basically Israel. Various origins of the phrase exist, and its meaning has shifted over time. In 2017, Hamas used the phrase in its charter, with the current interpretation being a call for the end of the State of Israel.
Poverty in Gaza.
Approximately 80% of Gaza’s population lives in poverty, while Hamas has a $500 million investment portfolio and a $350 million military budget, according to juf.org. Hamas’ political leadership lives in luxury in Qatar.
Since Hamas seized control of the coastal strip in 2007, Gaza has been under an Israeli blockade, backed by Egypt, according to the New York Times. The blockade prevents most people from leaving the territory and restricts the import of goods, including electronic and computer equipment, that could be used to make weapons.
Yasser Arafat and peace.
In 1988, Yasser Arafat said that the Palestinian Liberation Organization had ‘’accepted the existence of Israel as a state in the region’’ and “declared its rejection and condemnation of terrorism in all its forms.’’ (vox.com)
Jerusalem
Palestinians want East Jerusalem, which includes sites sacred to Muslims, Jews, and Christians, to be the capital of their state. Israel says Jerusalem should remain its “indivisible and eternal” capital, according to reuters.com.
As president of the United States, Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital – without specifying the extent of its jurisdiction in the disputed city – and moved the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in 2018.