The Israeli-Palestinian Horror: We Can’t Just Watch

Only one lesson is clear: Barbarism doesn’t stop barbarity; it breeds a new cycle.

By Jim Hightower, Jim Hightower’s Lowdown

I’m unable to comprehend the continuum of raw hatred and systematic barbarism that the Israeli government and Hamas terrorists are perpetrating, so I haven’t felt I could add anything to the strong voices worldwide pleading (in plain words): STOP IT!

But saying nothing achieves nothing—so I realized I can at least add my voice to the urgent humanitarian call: (1) An immediate, permanent end to Netanyahu’s slaughter of innocent Palestinians in Gaza (70 percent of the casualties are women and children), as well as in the West Bank; and (2) the immediate release of all Israelis taken hostage by Hamas in their savage invasion of October 7, along with the Palestinians held hostage by the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces). Only one lesson is clear: Barbarism doesn’t stop barbarity; it breeds a new cycle.

I’ve been asked: Who are you to tell the Israeli government what their moral responsibility is? Obviously, not being Israeli, I have no vote or voice to influence that government’s decisions—BUT, I do have a moral responsibility to tell my own government what it ought to do… and ought NOT to do. Netanyahu’s corrupt, far-right, racist regime could not stand, much less attack, without your and my tax dollars, weaponry and tacit approval of its relentless ravaging of the Palestinian people. Under both Republicans and Democrats, we Americans have been sending $4 billion a year to Netanyahu, with practically no strings attached. Now, Washington wants us to send an extra $14 billion to him this year—with even less oversight on how he spends our money.