The world’s eyes are on Gaza and Hamas. Hamas is an acronym in Arabic for the Islamic Resistance Movement. Here’s a bit of history, usually ignored. Gaza came under Israeli military control in 1967. That continued for thirty-eight years until 2005. Since 2007, it has been subjected to a punishing Israeli-imposed siege and blockade and a series of bloody wars. Israel says it acts in self-defense responding to Hamas rocket attacks. But nothing compares to the death and destruction of the current war. Tens of thousands of Palestinians and 1200 Israelis have been killed. Without a knowledge of history, we are susceptible to manipulation. To give background is not to condone or excuse war crimes on either side. It’s to provide an understanding of the origins of the conflict. As UN Secretary-General Guterres said, “The attacks by Hamas did not happen in a vacuum.”

Speaker: Norman Finkelstein

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