the times they are a-changin'

In Bob Dylan's immortal words...

Come writers and critics
Who prophesize with your pen
And keep your eyes wide
The chance won't come again
And don't speak too soon
For the wheel's still in spin
And there's no tellin' who
That it's namin'.
For the loser now
Will be later to win
For the times they are a-changin'.

Indeed, this time around, in this invasion, public opinion is shifting. Or rather, those who were more reticent to voice their opinions are finding the courage to vocalize their horror. This time around. Increasingly, the words of "holocaust" and "concentration camp"are being applied to the carnage in imprisoned gaza. It took 1,010 dead Palestinians in 19 days, for public spokespersons to find their courage. Now we know at least the level of atrocity that provokes (some) public figures out of their silence. This word of holocaust-- long monopolized by the Jewish community-- is being vocally applied to Gaza. A member of the Vatican recently remarked that Gaza was increasingly resembling a concentration camp. Even the Israeli government, in early spring of 2008, warned of holocaust-like response to Gaza if rocket fire did not cease. This word, a taboo for so long, is finding its way out of the mouths of public figures in response to Gaza, and into public discourse. It is beginning. I recently saw the Israeli film Waltz with Bashir, in which one of the main characters describes the Sabra and Shatila massacres as reminiscent of images of concentration camps. Even within Israeli society there is a shift. Maybe now we can begin to apply this word to other appropriate situations, or dissect its meaning and how we use it. Is "holocaust" synonymous with "ethnic cleansing"? in which case there are a plethora of other historical holocausts. Or does it describe the perversely systematic nature of the experience? To hold the Jewish Holocaust, as horrific as it was, as the singular, apex of human suffering and barbarity is to continuously cast Jews as victims of persecution. And yes, there remains in the world a horrible level of anti-Jewishness. But by constantly evoking this image of Jewish suffering, one regards Jews as the victims of terrible oppression, which they were...but forgets that some Jews are now turning around and becoming oppressors. It somehow exonerates them from treating Palestinians with humanity. This experience, this word, exculpates them in the eyes of the world from gross human rights abuses and war crimes, constantly victimizing them. And that is what pains me so much sometimes, to know that a people who know this suffering...they can then inflict it upon others. But as they say, "history is doomed to repeat itself."

It has taken this level of barbarity for the international community to (sort of) find its voice and say "this time, Israel has gone too far." Not the other times-- 1,000+ dead Lebanese was easier to swallow because it took 33 days to get there. Not when Israel pounded Gaza in 2006, then also killing entire families with one bomb. Now we have an established baseline of outrage-- 1000 in 19 days. An exchange rate of aproximately 53 Palestinians killed each day.

So now some writers are questioning Israel's response and challenging whether this is an "appropriate" level of retaliation. Now they are able to find their voices. Now they are able to say that this is not "acceptable"-- by their standards, for it's always these Western figures who determine the level of "acceptable" numbers of deaths for the non-West, isn't it? How gross. Perhaps, perhaps, a positive outcome of this latest incursion will be that people will be able to voice criticism of Israel's inhumane, illegal actions and not be labeled anti-semetic (which is a misnomer as Semetic describes Jews and Arabs...two people linked from way back. So when you say "anti-semetic" you are refering to discrimination against the Semetic people, who are Arab and Jewish). Maybe standing up for human rights won't mean you are ostracized for your "radical" views. Maybe. I hope so, I hope some positive change comes out of the deaths in Gaza. Maybe the communities fighting for Palestinian rights will become more organized so WE don't let this happen again. Maybe more writers will find the courage to vocalize their condemnation of Israel's actions. Maybe people around the world will continue to see the real images of dead Palestinian children that give them pause to reconsider their inclination of "Israel has the right to defend itself." So keep your eyes wide, though the chance may come again.