Supporting Palestine: What people are doing

This is another issue where we have frequently seen people protesting, and where there has been consistent dissatisfaction with the progress made.

(That is probably why you don't see protests so much anymore, the way you did before the election. Or, you know, maybe some people didn't think enough about not worsening harm.)

Honestly, in the United States, I am not sure where you could protest to have an impact that would save lives. Certainly getting Netanyahu out of office would be a good start, but that is a matter for the Israeli people and it would not automatically fix everything. 

Regardless, there are different ways to help, and that is worth something.

One of the central repositories of information is Operation Olive Branch:

https://linktr.ee/opolivebranch 

The navigation can be a little tricky as they keep adding more, but there are links to GoFundMe pages for various individuals and families. 

If you go through, you will notice some requesting aid to get out and some trying to continue living there. Remember that these people do not have easy choices.

You can also see some campaigns for people who have gotten out, people who are imprisoned, and links to information.

One of the campaigns listed is eSims for Gaza. Electronic Sim cards are tied to the device, so carrier changes and adding time can be done via software. Contributing to this allows people in an unstable situation to maintain connection to the world.

If you are more comfortable working with an NGO, charities coordinating aid to Gaza include Oxfam, International Rescue Committee, and World Central Kitchen, who have given not just time and money but lives.

https://wck.org/news/gaza-team-update 

You may notice that WCK also has options for volunteering. That might seem like too much to take on. Consider that they serve in many locations; your time somewhere else might help overall.

The situation in Palestine is one where there is a lot of ignorance. One could argue that one value of the protests was trying to bring more awareness, but I don't believe that was done successfully. Sadly, many people seem to think of Palestinians as only terrorists, or move beyond that by devolving into antisemitism. Criticism of Israel is then labeled as antisemitism, which is not automatically true, but does not change that antisemitism is still a thing. 

How do we navigate this quagmire?

Inculcating anti-racism is going to be a big part of that, but perhaps more education is the best start.

I can recommend this reading list, which I am working on but not quickly:

https://www.todaysauthormagazine.com/genre-explorations/20-books-to-read-on-palestine/  

Of those that I have read, a good starting place might be 10 Myths About Israel by Ilan Pappé. However, not on the list but good for its balance is The Lemon Tree: An Arab, A Jew, and the Heart of the Middle East by Sandy Tolan.

It won't give you easy answers; there are none.

What we need is to be able to hold compassion and space for multiple people. Knowledge can help, but there is a change of heart too. That's why I mentioned anti-racism, but that won't be enough either. 

Still, please at least start.