Israelis for Peace@israelispeaceny
There are a million reasons for everyone to do anything in their power to prevent another Trump presidency, but as Israeli peace activists in the US, we would like to focus on these elections regarding Israel-Palestine.
This statement is not directed at Palestinian-Americans, nor is it directed at Jewish Americans who for some inexplicable reason think Trump is better for Israelis. This statement is targeted at those in the leftist community, who might have a hard time voting for Kamala right now but still absolutely need to.
To be clear, Biden should’ve conditioned military aid many months ago, in lieu of that, all of his dismay at Netanyahu has been toothless. Conditioning military aid would’ve forced Netanyahu into a deal - stopped the war, saved tens of thousands in Gaza and brought the hostages home alive.
So as people with loved ones in Israel and in Palestine, we feel the pain and the rage. As people who spent the last year begging the Biden admin to stop Netanyahu, we share the frustration. But we do not have the right to be punishing the entire planet, including the Palestinians and the Israelis, to stick it to Joe Biden.
Are Biden and Harris, regardless of their intentions, culpable in the mass killing and ethnic cleansing in Gaza? Absolutely. Will we - the citizens of the US, Israel, Palestine and planet earth - be paying a much steeper price for punishing them than they will? One million percent.
Voting is neither a prize nor a punishment, it’s picking the candidate you think can be pushed to do better, does anyone really believe that candidate is Donald Trump?
So while we usually encourage ourselves to exercise our political imagination for hope, it is equally important, maybe even life-saving, to apply a tiny bit of that same political imagination to how things can also get worse.
What could be worse than tens of thousands dead and the hostages languishing and dying in captivity? Morally, nothing. Nothing is worse than that. But realistically, an even higher death toll is worse. Morally there is no difference, but for those who would be saved - it will literally mean the world, and we truly believe the future death and destruction toll, in both Palestine and Israel, would be worse under Trump.
As Alon-Lee Green from Standing Together, who got arrested for protesting last night by the way, once said - Activism isn't just about condemning reality, it’s about changing reality. So even if you’re deeply disappointed in the Democratic party on this topic, you still need to ask yourself - who do you want at the negotiation table after a ceasefire and hostage deal is achieved? Is it Bernie Sanders or is it Jared Kushner? Which party do you think can be influenced more from within, pushed to do better? - the one that contains AOC or the one that contains Stephen Miller?
Not sure? Ask Netanyahu, Smotrich, Ben Gvir and their voters who they want to win the elections. The answer will be unanimous - another Trump presidency is their dream: if Trump gets elected, we can expect him to actively support the re-settling of the northern Gaza strip, the annexation of the West Bank and the escalation of war with Iran.
If Trump, backed by tens of millions of evangelicals - who believe Jews need control of the holy land so the second coming can happen, (the jews then go to hell by the way) - gets elected, then we are not even looking at a possibility of diplomatic solutions anymore. The hope for peace negotiations will be dead. If Trump gets elected we are looking at an eternal holy war, where one Godless man will join arms with another Godless man, and together they will do whatever needs to be done to stay in power forever. And by then it will be too late for us all.
As Israelis, we know first hand what it feels like to have our country destroyed by its own government, no matter how loud we protest. We know what it feels like to have not one term, but over 20 years of our Trump, of a craven narcissistic psychopath who will do anything and kill anyone to stay in power. We know democratic institutions are fragile because ours are crumbling before our eyes, so hear us when we tell you that a candidate who tells you that if they win that would be the last election, is not lying to you. This is the one time that they are truthful. Listen to them. Listen to them now and do everything you can to stop them now. It might be your last chance.
