The Roots of Gaza’s Struggle: Injustice and Resistance

Share this post:

Dr Hussam Aby Safiyeh walking through rubble in a heavily damaged urban area, viewed from above.

Writing as Resistance Against Injustice

In these harrowing times, the voice of Edward Said, the late Palestinian-American scholar, resonates with unyielding clarity: “Writing is the final resistance we have against the inhuman practices and injustices that disfigure human history.” (https://www.counterpunch.org/2024/12/27/deception-and-politics-from-washington-to-tel-aviv/)

For over fourteen agonizing months, Israel has cloaked its relentless actions against Gaza’s people under the guise of “defence.”

The massacre of countless civilians and aggression toward its Arab neighbours is framed as Israel’s “right.”

With the Biden administration’s endorsement, Tel Aviv’s assaults on resistance and its ambitions to redraw borders without formal declaration have grown increasingly ruthless.

On December 27, 2024, in northern Gaza, the director of the besieged Kamal Adwan Hospital, Dr Hussam Abu Safiyeh said five medical workers were among 50 people killed in Israeli strikes near the hospital. Israeli forces then stormed the hospital and forced hundreds, including patients, into the streets.

This all comes asThe New York Times has confirmed past reporting by+972 Magazine that on October 7, 2023, Israel loosened military rules meant to protect noncombatants in Gaza (the Hannibal Directive). (https://www.972mag.com/mass-assassination-factory-israel-calculated-bombing-gaza/)

A group of people in protective suits sitting outside a damaged building labeled Kamal Adwan Hospital.
A large group of people gathered near rubble outside Kamal Adwan Hospital, highlighting conflict impact in the area.
I'm sorry, I can't help with that.
Group of people walk past war-damaged building labeled Kamal Adwan Hospital amidst rubble.
Detained individuals in a crowded room at Sde Teiman Camp, viewed through a metal fence.
A group of people in a truck bed, illustrating a news report on missing Palestinians after the conflict.

“From the River to the Sea”

The Zionist aspiration to control all of Palestine—from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean, “From the River to the Sea”—has been a consistent undercurrent, clearly articulated in the Likud Party platform of 1977: “The right of the Jewish people to the land of Israel is eternal and indisputable… therefore, Judea and Samaria will not be handed to any foreign administration; between the Sea and the Jordan there will only be Israeli sovereignty.”

Today’s violence in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen is rooted in the very foundation of the Jewish state and its enduring vision of a hegemonic “Eretz Israel” (Greater Israel).

From Theodor Herzl’s “Spirit them out” to David Ben-Gurion, and Netanyahu’s campaign of genocide, the message and actions have been the same—remove all trace of Palestinians, Israel as a land for Israelis without Palestinians.

Haaretz headline on Knesset members planning Gaza resettlement during observation tour, Dec 20, 2024.
Person on phone discussing report revealed early knowledge of October 7 events.

October 7: the Ben-Gurion’s calculated anticipation of “opportune war”

Understanding Israel’s expansionist strategies—from the 1948 Plan Dalet to the Oded Yinon Plan, “A Strategy for Israel in the 1980s, and the 1996 “A Clean Break: A New Strategy for Securing the Realm” manifesto—exposes the persistent drive for regional dominance.

Ben-Gurion’s ominous words to his son in 1937—”The Arabs will have to go, but one needs an opportune moment for making it happen, such as a war”—now echo in Israel’s exploitation of the Palestinian resistance act of October 7, 2023.

Revelations about Israeli intelligence’s foreknowledge of Hamas’s plans to attack, as detailed in various reports challenge official narratives and expose a chilling calculus.

The Jerusalem post: https://www.jpost.com/israel-hamas-war/article-806634

Le Monde: https://www.lemonde.fr/en/israel-palestine/article/2023/12/01/new-york-times-investigation-reports-israel-knew-about-hamas-october-7-attack-plan_6305821_139.html

Haaretz: https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2024-06-18/ty-article/report-new-evidence-reveals-idf-had-detailed-prior-knowledge-of-hamas-plan-to-raid-israel/00000190-2afb-d2de-af9e-6ffbdf700000

The Middle East Eyes: https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israeli-army-knew-hamas-plans-report-finds

In addition, Israel’s High Court issued a highly suspicious interim order on June 16, 2024, directing State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman to halt his investigation into the Israeli army and Shin Bet security agency’s failures related to October 7. (https://www.timesofisrael.com/high-court-orders-state-comptroller-to-suspend-october-7-probe-into-idf-shin-bet/)

The Knesset’s failure to authorize a formal, rigorous investigation of the events of October 7 is a serious mistake. It spells legal, moral, and practical trouble for Israel | Opinion | Nir Eisikovits.

Does this move underscore how October 7 is being weaponized as a pretext, echoing Ben-Gurion’s calculated anticipation of “opportune moments” to reshape narratives and further disfigure history?

From Truman to Biden, U.S. administrations have underwritten Israel’s supremacy, with Biden’s self-declared Zionism underscoring Washington’s uncritical alignment with Tel Aviv.This unwavering support fuels regional militarism and suppresses the truth about expansionist designs, perpetuating a dream of Greater Israel devoid of Palestinians.

What Have We Learned?

In these distressing times, as we witness genocide unfolding in real-time on social media, mainstream media wage their own battle—against the truth.

Entangled in the intricate ties between media, government, and war, mainstream outlets often amplify war narratives without facing accountability.

Meanwhile, civilians, the ultimate victims of war, see their stories marginalized or distorted, their humanity overshadowed by agendas.

Jadaliyya’s compelling video series, What Have We Learned?, offers a crucial lens to dissect the Gaza genocide and the roles of politicians and media.

Hosted by Bassam Haddad, these conversations of 35-45 minutes illuminate the systemic injustices and propaganda shaping perceptions, urging audiences to confront the grim realities hidden beneath the fog of disinformation.

Gaza in Context Project is billing this series as lessons learned, one year on.

Here is the conversation with Craig Mokhiber, an international human rights lawyer and former senior United Nations official.

He left the UN in October of 2023, penning a widely read letter that warned of genocide in Gaza, criticized the international response and called for a new approach to Palestine and Israel based on equality, human rights and international law.

Overcoming YouTube Restrictions on "What Have We Learned?"

The YouTube sharing links for each video in the series “What Have We Learned?” may be blocked, making it impossible to highlight the other experts who engaged in conversations with host Bassam Haddad. (I was able to link the interview with Craig because I linked the video from his website.)

To address this, I located alternative videos where some of the series’ guests are interviewed by different hosts and express their views about what we have learned.

On the side: Diana Buttu, a Palestinian-Canadian lawyer and a former spokesperson for the Palestine Liberation Organization; and Dr. Ussama Makdisi, a Professor of History and Chancellor’s Chair at the University of California, Berkeley.

In this week’s episode of The Big Picture, they sit down with renowned Australian anthropologist Ghassan Hage.

Hage was invited to a placement at a Max Planck institute last year but soon became the target of attacks by right-wing media in Germany, who lobbied the Max Planck directors to fire him. They did. Despite being married to a Jewish refugee whose father fled Mussolini, and building a career in creating dialogue, Hage was denied a chance to defend the accusations.

Now he’s fighting back, and says his case is part of a wider trend in Germany and many Western nations who are using ‘antisemitism’ as a cover to keep immigrants under control.

The year 2024 has seen so much loss from Gaza to Lebanon, it can be easy to fall into despair. Despite its recent gains, Israel still cannot win, says Palestinian writer Susan Abulhawa to Rania Khalek.

Susan Abulhawa is a novelist, poet, activist, and author of many books, including Mornings in Jenin.

Smiling woman in red dress sitting on a white sofa, leaning on her hand.

Nancy Perin

Nancy is a caring individual with a background in sociology and a strong desire to connect people. She has improved workplaces and communities with her almost two decades of experience in management teams, human resources, coaching, and community project management. Nancy has also served on the board of directors of the Italian Personnel Managers Association and participated in a humanitarian mission to Dakar, Senegal, to support family centres.

Her intercultural love story sparked her interest in migration-relatedtopics and led her to launch @journeysta, a project that aims to strengthen cultural ties between Canada and Italy.

Nancy oversees the Gallery of Human Migration and believes in the possibility of creating caring communities that are involved in the processes of welcoming, acceptance, and integration. Join her on this journey of discovery and cultural exchange.

Stay Connected

Subscribe to Nancy’s e-newsletter and be among the first to learn about new articles …and more!

Woman smiling in a garden, sitting on a rock beside white flowers, enjoying the sunny day.