The Israel-Palestine Crisis + 14 Books To Read About It ✦ anika superstar

Note from the author

I learn something new every day. I didn’t think I would have to learn this lesson again, but if you are writing an article or essay, save frequently. Even if it’s late and you’re deliriously tired, save at least once before going to bed. I lost this entire article and am rewriting it from scratch. I hope this is the better version. My corner of the internet is small, but I disclaim that the following is an opinion piece. My goal is to be respectful, and I ask the same of you; please be respectful and keep an open mind.

Introduction

Yesterday marked one month since the surprise attack on Israel by Hamas. Since then, there has been an unprecedented amount of violence in the region. It feels surreal that life goes on in the rest of the world. I still have to submit my work on time, I still have to take my car in for maintenance. I fear that the timing of the holidays will crush the Gaza coverage social media streak . I thank all the creators who have kept me informed so far about the crisis in Gaza.

One creator in particular who I want to uplift is @hippiearab on Instagram. She calls for creators to engage with a form of activism that can endure months of this war. Burnout is real and likely if one posts in an unsustainable way. Furthermore, she claims that sponsors pay influencers to either remain silent or advocate for Israel.

This was interesting to hear because I speculated something similar a few weeks ago. I heard my friends say that silence is complicit, and that resonated with me when thinking about Palestine. It inspired me to speak up about the situation, but it also made me wonder what was going on with major celebrities’ silence. This is what I posted to my personal social media three weeks ago:

I have never been neutral on this issue but it is neither diplomatic nor pacifistic to remain silent anymore. There is plenty of news coverage on this right now. Read about the history and what is happening now and ask yourself what about this resonates with your beliefs. When I see government buildings in my city flash blue and white at night, I realize it is no longer obvious to the public that Israel is the oppressor here, and we still need to make it very clear to our local representatives that they are on the wrong side. Humanitarian aid is necessary, and we need swift and substantial political action taken against Israel.

I still stand with my previous statement. However, I add that humanitarian aid cannot reach the region until a ceasefire is reached. If you are still caught up on the principle of the land politics, then take that out of the immediate equation. Children are dying en masse in Gaza. That is an undeniable fact. The UN secretary says it’s becoming “a graveyard for children” (Reuters). I implore you to support and speak up about a ceasefire, regardless of what you think about the long term political solution. That is the only solution right now.

I understand that it’s a hard world to live in right now. Some people want an escape right now, but there is no such thing for the people in Gaza. It’s hard to believe that Selena Gomez, a celebrity with a huge platform, is exiting the conversation and saying this is all too much. This is a lot, but I hope you are brave enough to keep talking.

Even if social media and the news are overwhelming you, there are other ways to join the conversation. I implore you to come at this from a new angle. I researched and am providing a list of books for whichever genre is best for you. This is a long list, but you as a reader shouldn’t just binge read about the situation and move on. I hope we can take notes from @hippiearab and integrate this into a slow form of activism. I hope that reading will inspire empathy, awareness, and action. If you aren’t already talking about the situation, I hope that one of these books can be the conversation starter.