From the River to the Sea
Edited by Sai Englert, Michal Schatz & Rosie Warren
Painting the devastating picture of Israel’s genocidal campaign in Gaza and beyond, this collection of texts places the current atrocities in the broader context of a decades-long history of violent settler colonialism.
“Palestine shows us why the liberation of all oppressed people—the wretched of the earth—is truly intertwined. None of us are free until all of us are free.”
MY TAKEAWAYS
What happens to Palestinians now sets the stage for all of our futures. If we are complicit in genocidal violence “there”, it’s only a matter of time before it happens “here”.
Israeli violence against Palestinians extends far beyond the current bombardment and has contaminated all aspects of life for those oppressed within Israel’s apartheid state long before October 7th, 2023.
“…[W]hat’s most remarkable is that anyone in 2023 should still be surprised that conditions of absolute violence, domination, suffocation, and control produce appalling violence in turn.” [Saree Makdisi]
The buzzword “terrorist” is commonly used to discredit those resisting oppression and to shut down any attempt at logically contextualizing conflict.
“Whether or not Hamas survives in its current incarnation is a red herring: Palestinian resistance against Israeli apartheid, armed and otherwise, will persist as long as the regime of domination continues.” [Tareq Baconi]
International solidarity with all oppressed people must extend into our everyday lives, and not be limited to pivotal snapshot moments.
“While oppressive systems may offer conditional protection or temporary liberty to its foot soldiers, it cannot furnish us with real security or real freedom.” [Ashley J. Bohrer]
The experience of oppressed people knows no borders, as systems of violent domination share motives and methods across the world with striking parallels.
“The same tear gas canisters exported from the US to Israel, its imperial satellite state in the Middle East, for use against Palestinian liberation protestors are also used domestically against Black Lives Matter demonstrations.” [Hil Aked]
“Don’t leave us alone. We are making history now. What would you like your children to read about you? That you justified this oppression? Or that you stood on the side of the oppressed people? Every single action counts. Don’t forget us.” [Khalil Abu Yahia, killed in an Israeli airstrike on October 30th, 2023]