Standing with a placard bearing the words “JEWS SAY CEASEFIRE NOW”, a Jewish woman protesting the genocide in Gaza is verbally assaulted by two other Jewish women, counter-protesting in support of Israel.
The verbal assault is difficult to watch, feeling almost as if the woman with the placard is actually undergoing a physical attack. She not only stands her ground with immense dignity, but also clearly states the truths that the two women attacking her either do not know or have chosen to deny.
As the very disturbing verbal abuse is hurled at her, the woman protesting for Palestinian rights responds by listing the crimes and human rights violations committed by Israel, saying at one point that “Israel controls whether they have water”, before being cut off by one of the pro-Israel supporters who shouts, “we generously give them water.” To this, the woman suffering the abuse simply answers, “It’s their land that was taken from them”, going on to state that 400 Palestinian villages were destroyed in the 1948 Nakba.
If there is anything that shows that Palestinians should not despair and lose hope, it is this woman and the many, many other Jews doing the same, at times with great risk to themselves. Jews who not only know the truth, but speak it, fearlessly and steadfastly. Without the Jewish voice, Zionism cannot be exposed and defeated for the racist, supremacist ideology it is. And if Zionism is not defeated and consigned to the shameful litany of 20th century ethnoviolent ideologies, there will be neither liberation for Palestinians nor peace for all between the river and the sea.
Palestinians need to recognize that their struggle is not simply about liberation and human rights – not even, not at this late stage; it is about defeating Zionism, which is enemy to both them and Jews. Those two pitiful women hurling unrepeatable abuse are indeed not to be hated, and instead should be seen, as no doubt the courageous woman and target of their abuse sees them, as victim-products of Zionism. Palestinians must recognise their struggle is neither complete nor assured of success unless it unites with that of Jews, such that the two are indistinguishable.
And just as Jews fight for Palestinians rights, Palestinians must fight with Jews against antisemitism.