Sing this to the tune of “Here Comes The Hotstepper” …
Here comes the hot takers …
Do you remember that song?
No? Anyway. So, yeah, lots of folks have a lot to say about what's happening in Israel, self included.
If you're passionate about something, it is hard to be quiet.
Still, I am taking the time to absorb as much information as I can, and making the effort to go beyond the one-minute opinions of TikTok stars.
Remember influencer ≠ expert.
Here are some of the things I have been reading/listening to lately.
The Daily podcast from The New York Times. I have found this episode and this one particularly eye-opening. Warning graphic violence is described and depicted.
I am reminding myself that although I grew up learning the history of Israel through a Jewish cultural and political lense, my knowledge is limited and subject to bias. I appreciated this overview of Gaza's history. See also this overview of kibbutzim.
I am further grateful for journalists and their attempts to prevent misinformation.
Finally, I loved this piece by Palestinian human rights activist, Yasmine Mohammed.
I never shared my father’s optimism. I never could imagine the two states living side by side. The past 75 years have been delaying the inevitable. These two Abrahamic faiths hate each other, and the only way there could have ever been hope is if both groups progressed beyond their ancient books. But both sides did the opposite. Israel has been pulled further and further into the Orthodox right wing and Gaza has become more and more extremist, electing terrorists who follow a literal interpretation of the ancient scriptures. There could have been hope 70 years ago, when Israel was being founded by secular hippies and terrorists had not yet overrun Gaza, but the writing has been on the wall for a long time now, and the mercury has been rising for decades.