To condemn colonialism: contextualising the Palestinian struggle

Over the last two weeks, the world has seen an indescribable display of solidarity with the Palestinian people. We have listened to academics, ambassadors, writers, comedians, Palestinian citizens, and members of the diaspora spread the essence of what Palestinians are struggling for—liberation and freedom.

With that, I can cite numerous accounts of the atrocities committed against the Palestinians whose homes lie in the Gaza Strip—not only from this past week but from 16 years of ongoing, belligerent, military occupation and blockade. I can also relay the last 75 years of dispossession, forced removal, and erasure of Palestinians via unjust imprisonment, militarised harassment, and blatant apartheid regulations imposed by the colonial state of Israel. However, the media’s portrayal of this issue has been one- sided and primarily outlined as a sudden and unprovoked conflict—as though it has occurred in a vacuum. Western news coverage has dehumanised the Palestinian narrative, undermined the value of Palestinian life, and improperly framed this 75-year-long colonialist project. An example of this biassed portrayal is the persistent interrogation of Palestinian speakers by Western news reporters. Before Palestinians are provided a chance to speak, reporters ask, “Do you condemn the loss of innocent, Israeli civilian life?” immediately redirecting the conversation away from the Palestinian perspective. This question is grossly insensitive and decontextualised, failing to acknowledge the disproportionate number of Palestinian civilian casualties that have occurred over the last 15 years.

I urge journalists to question why Israeli representatives were not asked to condemn the loss of innocent Palestinian life since the beginning of their brutal bombing campaign and their ongoing blockade on Gazan civilians. I urge journalists to question why there was no condemnation and minimal news coverage for Palestinians over the last 16 years despite this year being recognised as the deadliest year for Palestinians since 2005. Where is the condemnation of the loss and destruction of Palestinian life? Where has it been for the last 75 years? Where will it be when Palestinians begin to rebuild their lives, homes, schools, and hospitals over the next several years? Will there be condemnation for the erasure of 20 families from the Gazan civil registry since October 13? For the family histories and futures wiped within a matter of days? I ask in return: do you condemn ethnic cleansing by an occupying, settler- colonial power?

Given this context, there begs the question of why this has happened and what we can do. Why has the Palestine experience been absent in Western media outlets for the last several years? Why is it that, when it appears, the narrative is conveyed through a rhetoric of Arab barbarism and sub-humanity? The answer to this stems from the dominant Orientalist and Islamophobic characterisation of the Middle East by the West—an elaborate topic I cannot dive into in just one article. However, it ties into an unfortunate reality that Palestinian life is not deemed equal to that of others. This rhetoric encourages a desensitisation of their suffering, and it is a normalised reality to hear of violence, food insecurity, and unequal access to education and employment in the region.

What can we do from here onwards? First, we must take a broader perspective on this issue. The loss of all life is atrocious, and I am certain that all those willing to engage in productive conversation would agree. However, we cannot allow for the dismissal of the Palestinian narrative, whether in Gaza or the West Bank. The aftermath of the events in Gaza will weigh heavily on the shoulders of Palestinians for years to come. Meanwhile, in the West Bank, civilians continue to lose their homes to Israeli settlements and face forced, often violent, removal if they resist. They encounter military presence in areas of prayer, and they are exposed to harassment and bombardment daily in both mosques and churches. Peaceful protests are met with threats, assault, and the mobilisation of excessive force. There is context, and not only must it be recognised by governments and media outlets, but it also must be recognised by you.

So, if I could relay one shared sentiment on behalf of all Palestinians, it would be to keep the conversation going. Please do not stop talking about Palestine.

Yes, we are here, right now—flooding social media feeds, filling the streets in protest, and screaming cries of horror on your news outlets. But the fact remains that while the question of Palestinian occupation, colonisation, ethnic cleansing, and apartheid has been an important discussion topic these past weeks, it does not disappear when the media stops covering it.

For us, Palestine is a family dinner conversation; it is a daily prayer; it is a reflex news search. It is relentless and unwavering, just as its people are. However, the resiliency and determination of an occupied minority cannot overpower dominant, widespread colonial narratives in the government and media alone. Large-scale change starts in social circles, family conversations and personal reflection, here and with you. This individual-level action begets societal reformation, which begets revolutionary outcomes.