Stan Collymore@StanCollymore
A basic take, if I may so so.
Jews aren't a huge ethnic group. Estimates say around 20 million worldwide, not far off the population of Chile.
They've been abused and killed and demonised pretty much everywhere they've gone, so imagine, just imagine ( we're both black men in the eyes of most) our experience replicated every single place we've gone, only to be murdered and harrased everywhere we've tried to settle for 2000 years.
Palestine is the ancestral home of the Jews. And Palestinians. And until we Brits turned up, as we often do, drawing arbitrary lines, driving conflict between ethno religious groups ( Africa, India, Asia, Ireland), there's a good chance that left alone, some sort of fluid nation, as was Palestine, could have flourished. The Americans have only added to what the British did by using Israel as a strategic tool. Nothing more. Nothing less.
So Jews founded Israel, and yes, in international law which they flout often with many saying justifiably "hold on, where's the accountability for this occupation and land creep?", after 2000 years of being this planet's whipping boy, there are many who see Israel and only Israel as a "safe" ( imagine calling Israel safe, ever) haven for Jewish people.
We of African descent have been shit on for 500 years. Enslaved, demonised, had our "home" continent robbed of gold, cobalt, diamonds, oil, everything. But you and I could "return" to Ghana tomorrow for example, where there is a year of return for diaspora slave communities. And if we did, we probably wouldn't have to live behind razor wire or in fear every day. Jews have had it everywhere from Spain to England to Germany to Poland to the USA to the Middle East. For 2 thousand years.
I hope one day a flourishing two states of Palestinians and Israelis can have a bloody great relationship and look back 100 years at us and our hate and our tribalism and say, "that was then, never again". Let's hope so.
But to demonise Palestinians for not wanting their lands taken bit by bit, which is a just and legitimate claim or to suggest that a people who've been kicked from pillar to post for 2 millenia are all bad, are all evil, are all propping up apartheid is to not add intellect, context, paying attention to YOUR world daily, and frankly, putting yourself on someone else's shoes.
I'll be clear to you and anyone reading this. Jews have a right to a homeland. Palestinian have have a right to a homeland. As in Africa where arbitrary lines destroyed tribal communities and turned them into nation states based on colonial powers land grabs, ancient Palestine and a two state solution will by definition have to have give and take. Or it will not ever work.
So you asked about the Granny who grew up in a Polish ghetto, been forced to wear a star of David and watch her family anhiilated in the most barbaric fashion and asked "why would she live in and support this country that is occupying others land?".
The answer is 2000 years of abuse, stories passed from generation to generation of the need to find "home" , a very human need and sometimes, no, actually often, a mistake filled belief in politicians that we believe that can take us there.
Don't blame individual Jews or Palestinians or Americans or Africans or Britons.
Blame the people they put their trust in to act in their best, moral and honest interests, and who are lied to by their leaders daily, in democracies and non democracies.
A long winded reply, apologies, but unless we add some real empathy towards the people we judge ( we all do it, I do it, I'm not a perfect human being), read history, absorb it and LISTEN to the struggles of others, we'll just continue this cycle forever.
When all most of us want is a fucking chance. To live, work, love and enjoy this one time opportunity.
