August Palestine Update

Yazan Abu Foul, 2, is held by his mother. (Yousef Zaanoun/ActiveStills)

INTERNATIONAL

In Gaza, the man-made famine imposed by so-called “Israel” has reached a tipping point. A vast majority of malnutrition-related deaths in Gaza this year occurred in July alone. Nearly every single day, headlines emerge declaring dozens of Gazans killed while waiting for food.

In recent weeks, Canada, the UK, and France have announced their intention to (eventually) recognize Palestine as a state. This move is an attempt to save face by some of the very countries that have stood by and supported—with funding and weapons—the genocide’s progression to this point. Unsurprisingly, a vast majority of countries have still not even committed to this bare-minimum act.

Another Freedom Flotilla, the Handala, set sail for Gaza on July 13th with aid. On July 26, all 21 people on board were illegally abducted in international waters, as was the fate of the previous Flotilla. Many of those taken captive participated in a hunger strike in solidarity with those facing starvation in Gaza. By July 31st, all captives had been released.

NATIONAL

While visiting the British Prime Minister in Scotland, Trump told reporters there is “real starvation” in Gaza, and that the US will be establishing “food centers” to address the famine. Even if this were to actually happen—which it almost certainly won’t—the primary cause of the famine is not that there is a lack of aid, but that Israel will not let the aid enter Gaza.

Chris Smalls, founder of the Amazon Labor Union, was released from Israeli captivity on July 31 after being captured off of the “Handala” Freedom Flotilla voyage. Smalls, the only Black person on the flotilla, was singled out and beaten by several Israeli soldiers.

After nearly 2 years of this genocide, US celebrities and politicians have recently started to come out of the woodwork condemning the famine, but fail to acknowledge its manmade nature or the fact that it is occurring as part of a larger genocide. Meanwhile, news outlets are voicing their concerns for their journalists in Gaza who have been unable to access food. We have now reached the point where there is nothing to lose by speaking out about Palestine, which is the only reason these individuals and entities are finally speaking up. These actions are nothing more than calculated PR moves to save face, a “risk” taken now that there is more social risk in staying silent.

LOCAL

Here in Cincinnati, Imam Ayman Soliman—Muslim Chaplain at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital—was detained by ICE on July 9th. He believed he was targeted for his Muslim faith, though it’s likely his affiliation with Clifton Mosque and CAIR, and his political track record as a critic of Egypt’s government, also played a part.

Following his detainment, a peaceful vigil organized in support of the Imam ended with Covington Police arresting more than 13 people, including 2 journalists, and brutalizing some attendees to the point of hospitalization.

Cincinnati Children’s Hospital fired other chaplains after they spoke out against the Imam’s detainment, a stark reminder that even liberal institutions in Democratic strongholds are not immune from the repressive machinery of the state. In capitalist America, there are no safe spaces for dissent—not even a children's hospital.