View of the Palestinian Struggle from Omaha
Written by the Palestinian Rights Task Force
There is no question as to whether what is happening in Palestine is a genocide because each of the five elements of the Geneva Convention have been met. The acts that constitute genocide are the following: killing members of the group, causing serious mental or physical harm to members of the group, deliberately creating conditions that would physically destroy the group, imposing measures to prevent births within the group (such as involuntary sterilization, forced abortion, and prohibiting marriage), and forcibly transferring children of the group to another group. Proof of each of the elements of genocide were included in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) case, South Africa v. Israel. Judges in the ICJ saw “reasonable grounds for genocide”, meaning that there was enough evidence submitted to continue this case. The ICJ case is ongoing. However, U.N. experts have stated this is a genocide and the International Criminal Court will issue arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. Despite countless images, video recordings, audio, live videos, global outcry, horrid rhetoric from sitting Israeli officials, and whistleblowers, the United States administration—against public sentiment—remains an accomplice in the crimes and atrocities committed against Palestinians.
Since October, Israel has enacted an unprecedented level of violence and devastation on the people of Gaza. Over the last 10 months, Israel has dropped the equivalent of 5.5 nuclear bombs on the Gaza Strip, using American-made weapons funded by American tax dollars. While the context is different, the fundamental human suffering experienced in Gaza today echoes tragedies around the world, from the genocide of the indigenous inhabitants of North America to the current warfare happening in the Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Whether seeking Sudanese gold, Congolese cobalt, or Haitian oil, the U.S. “allyship” with the Israeli occupation has a major part to play in the oppression of inhabitants in several foreign nations in addition to the continued oppression of indigenous peoples and other marginalized groups in the United States. For example, Native land in the U.S. currently has surveillance systems that have been “field tested” in Palestine. U.S. police forces that responded brutally to Black Lives Matter protests have had a working relationship with the Israeli occupation. According to an article from Jewish Voices for Peace, published in March 2022, a draft memo written during the height of Black Lives Matter protests in 2020 detailed how the Anti- Defamation League, one of the facilitators of police exchanges between the U.S. and Israel, was forced to acknowledge that the training exchange program helped militarize U.S. police, which resulted in harming communities of color.
Here are a few facts about Israel’s destructive war against the people of Gaza. When reading these, keep in mind that the total area of Gaza is smaller than Omaha in square miles. Gaza has been under a brutal military blockade by Israel since 2007. It is also the very same Gaza that has been called an open air prison by Humans Rights Watch back in 2022—where no food, water, fuel, aid, or other goods are allowed inside the enclave without inspection and permission from the Israeli authorities.
More than half of the homes in Gaza have been destroyed or damaged by the Israeli military since last October. Most hospitals have been destroyed and the ones that still function are completely overwhelmed, and essential infrastructure, including roads and cropland, has been severely damaged.
The human toll is even more severe. Traumatic stress disorders, malnutrition, and starvation are rampant. Every hour in Gaza, 15 Palestinians are killed by Israeli bombs—six of whom are children—and 35 are injured. Every hour. The destruction extends beyond immediate physical damage, affecting every aspect of daily life, from access to clean water, prenatal care, and food to medical care and education. As of August 6, at least 39,653 people have been killed, including over 15,000 children. More than 91,000 have been injured. A recent research study by the Lancet estimates that the true death toll in Gaza could be as many as 186,000 killed.
Remember, the total population in Gaza is 2.3 million. So 186k are presumed dead, and another 91k are injured. That’s 12% of the population. Every single person living in Gaza is impacted by it and there is no escaping. Gazans have nowhere to flee or get away from the violence as Israel controls all the borders. The relentless bombing campaign has created a situation where there are no safe places left—not schools, not churches, not hospitals, not mosques.
In the U.S., we often think that’s just the way things have always been in the Middle East. Or it seems so removed from us, we can’t see how it affects us. However, it doesn’t have to be this way, and as Americans, we hold enormous power and are complicit in the suffering. In fact, a BBC article in April of 2024, estimated that the United States accounted for approximately 65.6% of weapons sent to Israel from 2013-2023. The U.S. government’s financial and military support to Israel plays a significant role in sustaining the conflict, contributing to the ongoing devastation in Gaza. According to the Council on Foreign Relations in May 2024, adjusted for inflation, the United States has sent over 310 billion dollars to Israel; thus, making Israel the largest recipient of U.S. taxpayer dollars. Despite our citizens potentially funding education, healthcare, and infrastructure here at home, billions are allocated annually to Israel, a wealthy nation that provides free education and healthcare to its citizens. The funding to Israel contributes to the oppression and devastation experienced by Palestinians.
We must recognize that the choice is not between two peoples, religions, or nations but between justice and injustice. The principles of freedom, equality, and human dignity that we honor tonight must extend to all people, including Palestinians. Our vision is simple: to see Palestinians enjoying the same freedoms and rights that we wish for all people.
In response to the crisis, the Palestinian Rights Task Force (PRTF) in Omaha has been active in raising awareness and advocating for change. We urge everyone to support the call for an immediate and urgent ceasefire, demand an arms embargo, an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands, and the right of return for Palestinian refugees to their homes.
Since the escalation of violence, the Task Force has organized frequent protests, fundraisers, and community events to address the ongoing suffering in Gaza. Our efforts include raising over $25,000 for Palestinian aid agencies and holding educational events to shed light on the crisis.
We have been meeting with politicians, writing letters, and participating in various forms of advocacy to call for a ceasefire and support for humanitarian relief. The goal of our work is to draw attention to the severe conditions in Gaza and to push for action that can alleviate the suffering and prevent further loss of life.
Join us in our efforts to advocate for Peace and Justice. Participate in local advocacy efforts with Nebraskans for Peace, and call for an end to the violence. Invite us to speak to your church or host a conversation with family and friends. Share information about the genocide on social media. Join the global call from Palestinian society (modeled after the South Africa boycott movement) to boycott Israeli goods and divest from Israeli institutions complicit in the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
Our collective actions can make a difference, ensuring that the lessons of the past continue to guide us towards a world where Peace and Justice prevail. As U.S. citizens, we have a moral obligation to address this.
Follow us on Instagram or TikTok @NebraskansforPalestine or email [email protected] to be added to our mailing listserv.
Works Cited:
March 17, 2022 | REVEALED: ADL’s U.S.-Israel Police Exchanges Militarize the Police
April 24,2022 | Gaza War: Where does Israel get its weapons?
May 31, 2024| U.S. Aid to Israel in Four Charts
June 14th 2022 | Gaza: Israel’s ‘Open-Air Prison’ at 15 | Human Rights Watch (hrw.org)
There is no question as to whether what is happening in Palestine is a genocide because each of the five elements of the Geneva Convention have been met. The acts that constitute genocide are the following: killing members of the group, causing serious mental or physical harm to members of the group, deliberately creating conditions that would physically destroy the group, imposing measures to prevent births within the group (such as involuntary sterilization, forced abortion, and prohibiting marriage), and forcibly transferring children of the group to another group. Proof of each of the elements of genocide were included in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) case, South Africa v. Israel. Judges in the ICJ saw “reasonable grounds for genocide”, meaning that there was enough evidence submitted to continue this case. The ICJ case is ongoing. However, U.N. experts have stated this is a genocide and the International Criminal Court will issue arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. Despite countless images, video recordings, audio, live videos, global outcry, horrid rhetoric from sitting Israeli officials, and whistleblowers, the United States administration—against public sentiment—remains an accomplice in the crimes and atrocities committed against Palestinians.
Since October, Israel has enacted an unprecedented level of violence and devastation on the people of Gaza. Over the last 10 months, Israel has dropped the equivalent of 5.5 nuclear bombs on the Gaza Strip, using American-made weapons funded by American tax dollars. While the context is different, the fundamental human suffering experienced in Gaza today echoes tragedies around the world, from the genocide of the indigenous inhabitants of North America to the current warfare happening in the Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Whether seeking Sudanese gold, Congolese cobalt, or Haitian oil, the U.S. “allyship” with the Israeli occupation has a major part to play in the oppression of inhabitants in several foreign nations in addition to the continued oppression of indigenous peoples and other marginalized groups in the United States. For example, Native land in the U.S. currently has surveillance systems that have been “field tested” in Palestine. U.S. police forces that responded brutally to Black Lives Matter protests have had a working relationship with the Israeli occupation. According to an article from Jewish Voices for Peace, published in March 2022, a draft memo written during the height of Black Lives Matter protests in 2020 detailed how the Anti- Defamation League, one of the facilitators of police exchanges between the U.S. and Israel, was forced to acknowledge that the training exchange program helped militarize U.S. police, which resulted in harming communities of color.
Here are a few facts about Israel’s destructive war against the people of Gaza. When reading these, keep in mind that the total area of Gaza is smaller than Omaha in square miles. Gaza has been under a brutal military blockade by Israel since 2007. It is also the very same Gaza that has been called an open air prison by Humans Rights Watch back in 2022—where no food, water, fuel, aid, or other goods are allowed inside the enclave without inspection and permission from the Israeli authorities.
More than half of the homes in Gaza have been destroyed or damaged by the Israeli military since last October. Most hospitals have been destroyed and the ones that still function are completely overwhelmed, and essential infrastructure, including roads and cropland, has been severely damaged.
The human toll is even more severe. Traumatic stress disorders, malnutrition, and starvation are rampant. Every hour in Gaza, 15 Palestinians are killed by Israeli bombs—six of whom are children—and 35 are injured. Every hour. The destruction extends beyond immediate physical damage, affecting every aspect of daily life, from access to clean water, prenatal care, and food to medical care and education. As of August 6, at least 39,653 people have been killed, including over 15,000 children. More than 91,000 have been injured. A recent research study by the Lancet estimates that the true death toll in Gaza could be as many as 186,000 killed.
Remember, the total population in Gaza is 2.3 million. So 186k are presumed dead, and another 91k are injured. That’s 12% of the population. Every single person living in Gaza is impacted by it and there is no escaping. Gazans have nowhere to flee or get away from the violence as Israel controls all the borders. The relentless bombing campaign has created a situation where there are no safe places left—not schools, not churches, not hospitals, not mosques.
In the U.S., we often think that’s just the way things have always been in the Middle East. Or it seems so removed from us, we can’t see how it affects us. However, it doesn’t have to be this way, and as Americans, we hold enormous power and are complicit in the suffering. In fact, a BBC article in April of 2024, estimated that the United States accounted for approximately 65.6% of weapons sent to Israel from 2013-2023. The U.S. government’s financial and military support to Israel plays a significant role in sustaining the conflict, contributing to the ongoing devastation in Gaza. According to the Council on Foreign Relations in May 2024, adjusted for inflation, the United States has sent over 310 billion dollars to Israel; thus, making Israel the largest recipient of U.S. taxpayer dollars. Despite our citizens potentially funding education, healthcare, and infrastructure here at home, billions are allocated annually to Israel, a wealthy nation that provides free education and healthcare to its citizens. The funding to Israel contributes to the oppression and devastation experienced by Palestinians.
We must recognize that the choice is not between two peoples, religions, or nations but between justice and injustice. The principles of freedom, equality, and human dignity that we honor tonight must extend to all people, including Palestinians. Our vision is simple: to see Palestinians enjoying the same freedoms and rights that we wish for all people.
In response to the crisis, the Palestinian Rights Task Force (PRTF) in Omaha has been active in raising awareness and advocating for change. We urge everyone to support the call for an immediate and urgent ceasefire, demand an arms embargo, an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands, and the right of return for Palestinian refugees to their homes.
Since the escalation of violence, the Task Force has organized frequent protests, fundraisers, and community events to address the ongoing suffering in Gaza. Our efforts include raising over $25,000 for Palestinian aid agencies and holding educational events to shed light on the crisis.
We have been meeting with politicians, writing letters, and participating in various forms of advocacy to call for a ceasefire and support for humanitarian relief. The goal of our work is to draw attention to the severe conditions in Gaza and to push for action that can alleviate the suffering and prevent further loss of life.
Join us in our efforts to advocate for Peace and Justice. Participate in local advocacy efforts with Nebraskans for Peace, and call for an end to the violence. Invite us to speak to your church or host a conversation with family and friends. Share information about the genocide on social media. Join the global call from Palestinian society (modeled after the South Africa boycott movement) to boycott Israeli goods and divest from Israeli institutions complicit in the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
Our collective actions can make a difference, ensuring that the lessons of the past continue to guide us towards a world where Peace and Justice prevail. As U.S. citizens, we have a moral obligation to address this.
Follow us on Instagram or TikTok @NebraskansforPalestine or email [email protected] to be added to our mailing listserv.
Works Cited:
March 17, 2022 | REVEALED: ADL’s U.S.-Israel Police Exchanges Militarize the Police
April 24,2022 | Gaza War: Where does Israel get its weapons?
May 31, 2024| U.S. Aid to Israel in Four Charts
June 14th 2022 | Gaza: Israel’s ‘Open-Air Prison’ at 15 | Human Rights Watch (hrw.org)
