Yves Smith: What Gives Israel the Right to Annihilate Gaza?

Yves Smith reposts "What Gives Israel the Right to Annihilate Gaza?".

The violence of resistance and the violence of oppression are often equated to give the latter more legitimacy, and to maintain an existing order. Genuine hope for change only comes when public opinion rejects that equivalence. ALL the atrocities committed by the Israeli state – both during the past three weeks and as an occupying power in general – must be condemned every bit as harshly as the actions of Hamas, and by as many people as possible. It is the only way that we can compel Western powers to intervene in this encroaching genocide of Palestinians.

Emphasis Mine

Despite the intentions of the author, they fall for the settler-colonial narrative that the history of events starts with the actions of the oppressed. The actions of the oppressor are hidden until resistance erupts in an orgy of violence. Then everyone is surprised—why are the oppressed so violent? People ask why non-violence is not tried despite massive proetests by the Palestinians. These protests are ignored by the West and violently suppressed by Israel.

The history of Hamas is convoluted as it evolved from a tool of Israeli oppression into the centre of Palestinian resistance. Hamas was encouraged to undermine the PLO in order to derail the peace process. As the PLO evolved into a tool of the Israeli occupation, Hamas has emerged as the focus of Palestinian resistance.