The public opinion worldwide has been split into Pro-Israel and Pro-Palestine. After Hamas, a Palestine militant group, launched an attack on Israel on Saturday October 7, 2023, Israel and Gaza, home of the Hamas group, have either received hate or support from different countries and their citizens. Protests for the lives lost on either side started shortly after the attack occurred.
Countries like the United States and France have stated that they stand with Israel and give their full support for Israel to respond to the attack by Hamas to protect their citizens. On October 10th, President Biden, in an announcement at the White House, declared that Israel would get what it needed to protect their citizens, which meant that Israel would get additional aid then what they usually get annually: a sum of $3.8 billion dollars. The additional aid that the United States is providing for Israel is military assistance, ammunition, interceptors to replenish Iron Dome (missile firing unit). Steps have also been taken to add U.S. Air Force F-35,F-15,F-16, and A-10 fighter aircraft squadrons in the region. The President of France, President Emmanuel Macron, supported that Israel respond in a “strong but just” way to the attack by Hamas. President Macron stated that France stood with Israel and had its full support because the attack by Hamas was a “murderous hatred, an outburst of absolute cruelty.” Public opinion refers to how people feel or think about certain issues, and the Israel and Palestine issue has caused a very prominent opinion to arise in different countries, but most strongly in the United states causing sides to split and fight over which side is the victim and which is correct.
On the other hand, protests have started in solidarity of Palestinians. Demonstrations have taken place in Bahrain, Morocco, Turkey, Yemen, Tunisia, and even in New York. Protests and rallies in New York Times Square have taken place and it has risen tensions between pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian groups. On Friday October 13, 2023, a protest was organized where hundreds of people gathered to wave Palestinian flags and show that they stand with the people of Gaza after Israel launched an airstrike attack on Gaza and completely put Gaza under total siege,cutting off food, water, fuel, and electricity. The United Nations Humanitarian agency announced a flash appeal, a tool used to secure funds for the United Nations and support a government’s response to an emergency, of $249 million to help 1.3 million Palestinians in Gaza.
The public’s opinion has been very mixed in New York since the attack took place but especially after biased accidents took place. Protests were organized on the Columbia University campus after an Israeli student was assaulted. Many pro-Palestinian protesters said that they needed to be the voice of Palestine, that they needed to stand up to what they thought was right. Some pro-Palestinian protester referred to the pro-Israeli protesters as “terrorists” and “idiots.” On the pro-Israeli side, many protesters said that seeing people being part of the pro-Palestine group was very disturbing to watch and many believed that it was a time of moral clarity meaning that people needed to realize Israel was the victim in the conflict.
My personal opinion on this whole situation is that both sides have caused extreme harm and terror on civilians. After Hamas attacked Israel there were over 1000 deaths reported and many taken as hostages. Israel responded by launching airstrike attacks on the Gaza Strip causing over 1000 deaths as well. While the attack Hamas brought onto Israel was outrageous, Palestine has been oppressed for a long time. Israel caused extreme poverty and isolation to the Gaza Strip that caused some Palestinias to be extremely hateful of Israel. I do think that both sides have done things that caused the inevitable and horrific attack but the civilians of both sides did not have to pay the price for the actions of their leaders.
-Dayrin Camey
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/12/nyregion/columbia-university-israel-hamas-protests.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/09/world/middleeast/mideast-palestine-support-gaza.html
https://www.npr.org/2023/10/12/1205484240/israel-gaza-bombardment-humanitarian-crisishttps://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3551716/statement-from-secretary-lloyd-j-austin-iii-on-us-force-posture-changes-in-the/
1 comment:
There is so much horror and suffering in the world right now, and I hope for safety and support for anyone in Israel and Palestine, and anyone with family in Israel and Palestine.
This is a very difficult topic to cover, and I think this article does a great job of summarizing public opinion related to both sides. A couple things to mention -
1. Hamas is not just a militant group, it is a terrorist organization whose only goal is death and destruction of Jews and Israel, completely disregarding how many Palestinian lives are lost in the path of destroying Israel. There is a HUGE difference between being Pro Palestine and being Pro-Hamas. Most Palestinians in the Gaza strip hate Hamas, as Hamas is the organization causing havoc and destruction in their communities. Hamas uses Palestinians as human shields, and Hamas prevented and continues to prevent Palestinians in Gaza from leaving their homes after Israel warned to evacuate before an air-strike. In no world does Hamas represent the interests of Palestine, it only represents the interests of those who want Israelis and Jews dead. Hamas is not liberation, it is terror and destruction.
2. This debate in the public sphere is a war of information. Depending on sources, you will see extremely different takes on what is happening and why. I highly encourage anyone interested in what is going on right now to escape the echo chambers of certain sources/communities (including mainstream media) and look at sources that are openly pro-Palestine and pro-Israel. It is also tempting to stand to the side and just say "I hope there is Peace in the Middle East," but looking at the issue from any side, it is clear to see there is no peace coming anytime soon. There will only be more casualties and destruction on both sides, and I hope that eventually, a strong solution will emerge that protects the rights and life of everyone involved.
Although this is a difficult issue to discuss and often involves a lot of complex history, that doesn't mean we can't talk about it. I believe that the best thing society can do right now is talk about the conflict and do our best to see both sides. Again, I wish for safety and healing to all those affected by the Israel-Hamas war right now.
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