There’s a common human tendency to look at official resolutions as a sign that we’re no longer required to give any more effort towards something.
“Racism is over,” many cry. “We no longer have to think about housing discrimination or police brutality.”
“Gay marriage is legal. Why hem and haw about hate crimes and homeless youth and heteronormativity?”
I fear this is the attitude many have taken towards the Israeli-Palestinian crisis.
Most are aware it is still ongoing. Indeed, many have written it off as an “unsolvable” crisis, doomed to perpetuate itself into eternity.
Now that Israel’s U.S.-armed bombardment of the 139 square miles we call the Gaza Strip has ended, the collective American consciousness has officially “stopped caring.” It’s precisely this attitude that allows Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories to continue.
“But, Robert,” you exclaim, “I’m just a little US citizen. What can I possibly do to affect this situation?”
In fact, as a U.S. citizen, you have far more power than you’d think.
As it’s increasingly becoming known, the United States is responsible for the lion’s share of Israeli financial support. The U.S. government awards Israel over $2.5 billion in aid annually.
While in the past this has consisted of both economic and military aid, but recently, with the hawkishness of the dominant far-right Likud party in Israel, this aid has shifted entirely to the military. It is crucial, then, to vote for politicians who do not support the continued Israeli occupation of Palestine.
President Obama, with rhetorical support from current UN ambassador Samantha Powers, has only increased military aid to Israel and became the first president ever to broker a sale of deadly bunker-buster bombs to Israel. Hillary Clinton without fail defends Israel’s every action, including the 70 percent civilian casualty rate of the 2014 bombardment and the Israeli shelling of a UN facility in Gaza. Support the Palestinian people by refusing to vote for candidates that will further this unconscionable support.
Even more vital, however, is your support of the BDS movement.
The BDS movement (short for Boycott, Divest and Sanctions) is a large-scale global program aimed at pressuring Israel to cease its illegal occupation of the Palestinian territories, guarantee equality for Arab-Israeli citizens and recognize the right of return for ethnically cleansed Palestinian refugees. A simple way to support this movement is boycott Israeli exports such as Sabra hummus, for example, or SodaStream, a company that actually violates international law by having one of its factories located in an illegal Israeli settlement. Motorola Solutions (a split company from the Motorola that makes phones but which does produce consumer electronics like laptops and tablets) is notorious for its contract to provide the Israeli military with technology.
Opposing these companies’ actions by refusing to purchase their products is an excellent way to decrease your complicity in the oppression of the Palestinian people.
Academia plays a powerful role in the BDS movement as well.
The American Studies Association, as well as a group of 250 anthropologists, have banded together to boycott all Israeli academic institutions.
Just because Israel isn’t killing Palestinians right this second doesn’t mean you can forget about the plight of the Gaza Strip. Support the BDS movement. Put pressure on your professors and your administrators to join in the academic boycott of Israel.
Robert McAuliffe is an international studies major from St. Louis.
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