This article was originally written for Works in Progress, a newspaper just relaunched in Olympia. Print edition to begin in June. Also included is video of talk I gave at No Kings Rally, March 28, 2026. The article is an expanded version of my talk. It deals more with strategy.
Category Archives: Writings
My End of the Year Letter, 2025
End of the Year Letter December 2025
Peter
December 24, 2025
Dear friends and family,
I wish you happy holidays and a better year for you, humanity and the planet in 2026. 2025 has been a difficult year-so many connected issues. Although I do not see yet, the light at the end of the tunnel, I continue to be active in solidarity with Palestine (Palestine Action of South Sound), in political education (Economics for Everyone) and organizing against Trumpism.
My continued connection to friends, you, and family, especially my kids (also my brother, grandchildren and sisters in law) bring me happiness and fulfillment. Thank You from the bottom of my heart! I miss those of you outside Olympia who I cannot see regularly. Friendships are so important to me. Because of this, I almost never feel lonely or depressed. I remain hopeful that another world. a just one, is possible even though fascism is on the rise and a real threat. I have never been more afraid of a fascist USA than now but also don’t think it is inevitable. It is urgent to resist. I feel alive and usually, youthful and still learning.
Sadly, many close friends are dealing with serious illness or injuries. I was strongly affected by the sudden death of my dear friend, Sayad Khan. on January 10th, 2025. He is missed by me and so many. Sy Khan presente!
I continue to work for the release of my friend, Thomas Afeworki, who has been unjustly imprisoned for 15 years in Washington State. I also keep in touch with a few other prisoners.
My health is good. I exercise every day, including going to the gym every other day for a two-hour workout where I listen to Democracy Now, a few podcasts such as “The Dig” and “Behind the News”, and my new habit of listening to novels on audio. I especially enjoyed historical novels including those by Isabel Allende–Island Beneath the Sea (Haiti), A Long Petal of the Sea (Spanish Civil War and Chile), and The Wind Knows My Name (refugees from El Salvador and Nazi Austria). Beginning in my teenage years and up to the present, historical novels continue to be a source of learning and enjoyment for me.
I have been much less disciplined in writing than in staying physically fit. I am working on a memoir which I approach historically. I include lessons for today from the many experiences I have had. I am only up to 1970 and have already written over 30,000 words. I hope to finish a first draft in 2026 and then begin editing it. My memory about the past is still good. I am also working with my close friend Savvina on a Political Economy book that is accessible. It is a critique of capitalism and the current U.S. and global political economy, an analysis of key social movements, an analysis of attempts at socialism in various countries, and a vision of a participatory socialist alternative. In this book, we are trying to build on presentations that Savvina and I have made in political economy programs we have taught at Evergreen. I need to make writing more of a priority. I haven’t developed a regular schedule.
Most of my writing in 2025 have been edited versions of talks I have given, most commonly on Palestine and anti-Zionism, others on immigrant justice, on global solidarity, on Trumpism, and an analysis of Trump’s regressive budget legislation. I am angry every day by the growing US aggression against Venezuela and share this this in conversations and meetings but have not so far, actively organized against these U.S. war crimes. I incorporate anti U.S intervention and against war with Venezuela, and solidarity with Gaza in my activism in the broader movement against Trump.
I miss teaching at Evergreen, 34 years of my life, but continue to teach informally wherever I am and realize teaching, formally and informally, is an important part of who I am. I increasingly share stories that I hope are both interesting and relevant to people today.
I hope to do more traveling in 2026, such as a planned trip to Ireland, Greece and Italy in the summer of 2026, and one to friends north of San Francisco in January, and maybe one to Mexico. I spent almost two months in Mexico in 2025, over a month in Oaxaca, and shorter periods in Morelia and Mexico City, travelling on one trip with a close friend, and the other one with family. I enjoyed every day there, especially seeing good friends although frustrated about the deterioration of my Spanish. I have spent over six years of my life in Latin America, mainly Mexico but also significant time in Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua. Solidarity with the people of Latin America and visiting there continues to be an important part of my life.
I have done many interviews this year about government repression against me and my life of activism. These requests have increased recently Two recent interviews I did are: 1) a video on lessons for young activists; and 2) a podcast on my life in San Diego, focusing on repression from 1970 to 1975. They are still being edited. Let me know if you want the link.
Free Palestine!
In solidarity and friendship,
Trumponomics is Class War
by Peter Bohmer, Economics for Everyone, Talk, October 10, 2025, updated for ZNetwork, October 28 2025
Overall, The Trumpist economic agenda is to make even more unequal, the already obscene inequality of income and wealth. Domestically it is a continuation of Republican administration policies, although more extreme. This project is unstable with a real possibility of higher unemployment and higher prices in the coming period, a serious recession. I will conclude with what is to be done.
My focus will be “Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill”, the budget that Passed July 4th, three months ago, officially, OBBBA (one Big Beautiful Bill Act) and secondly, Trump’s tariff policy.
This horrific federal budget will lower taxes for the wealthy and further reduce social programs for working class and poor individuals and families and documented immigrants, with major cuts in health care programs and will substantially increase the spending for the military and on immigration detentions and deportations. … (see link)
Trumponomics is Dangerous to Your Health
Palestine Solidarity and Building a Left Coalition in Olympia
by Peter Bohmer for the November 15th Round Table, Olympia, WA
This is Peter Bohmer representing Palestine Action of South Sound (PASS) and a member of Economics for Everyone (E4E). I will speak to Palestine and global solidarity, anti-repression and political education. I am a long-term organizer for global solidarity, anti-racism and radical transformation towards participatory socialism and a teacher of political economy.
One important recent change that will affect Palestine solidarity organizing is there is now a cease fire in Gaza but no justice or peace. (Note: Israel may go back to total war by November 15th). The murderous Israeli occupation of Gaza and all of Palestine continues although there is a common perception in the U.S. that the war is over. A challenge we face is that there is nothing that can be done to stop the Israeli and U.S war and aggression against the Palestinian people. Mounting an effective campaign for an arms embargo against Israel has been difficult.
Energy in our group, PASS, has declined although we continue into our third year. We have been somewhat effective in educating the Olympia community about Palestine and the Israeli genocide and US complicity by activism that has continued for over two years and raised significant money for Gaza. As part of the national Palestine solidarity movement, we have contributed to changing public opinion to where a significant majority in the U.S. is now opposed to the Israeli war and U.S. support of it. This is an important step although we have had little effect on U.S. policy. ..,
Solidarity with Palestine in All Our Organizing
Calls and action for cutting off all U.S. aid and military sales to Israel need to be a demand of every group, institution–—church, workplace, union, college, neighborhood association, 50501, Indivisible, etc.
It is important to never ignore what is going on in Gaza. It is a central issue of our time, one that we cannot be silent on. There is the ongoing Israeli destruction of Gaza, the blocking of food entering Gaza causing severe hunger and malnutrition, the stopping of medicine and other necessary goods from getting in, the destruction of hospitals, homes, schools, the water supply, the killing of journalists and hospital workers, making Gaza unlivable. Over 50,000 have been killed in Gaza by the Israeli military. This is equivalent to 8 million killed in the U.S. per capita. The Israeli goal with total U.S. support is to remove most Palestinians from Gaza, permanently occupy part of it, and an increased war against the Palestinians of the West Bank. Occupying more of and possibly annexing the West Bank, the bombing of and occupation of parts of Lebanon and Syria and threatening Iran with the overall objective of a U.S. and Israel dominated and controlled Middle East. …
Solidarity with Palestine in All Our Organizing
Syria, Past, Present and Possibilities
Talk on Syria at Palestine Action of South Sound (PASS) Educational
by Peter Bohmer, peterbohmer@gmail.com
December 16, 2024 (slightly updated. December 24, 2024)
In addition to the link above, the text follows!
In examining Syria today, it is important to begin with the needs, desires, concerns possibilities of the Syrian people, especially the popular classes, women and ethnic and religious groups that have been discriminated against, with the Syrian people as subject at the center of our understanding. Geopolitics matters; Syria’s role in the world and the Middle East is important and should not be disregarded but it should not be the main frame, not at the center of our analysis of recent events.
Brief outline of Syrian history!
1. French colonialism—Syria, part of Ottoman empire, became a French colony after WWI. French colony until end of WWII, independence movement. Syria won independence in 1946 when France withdrew.
2. Demographics—population, 22.5 million, before civil war: 6 million external refugees, majority in Turkey; 7 million are internally displaced.
Ethnicity-Arabs are by far the largest group, Kurds-10%; Turkmen-4%.
Religion—Sunni Muslim–74%
Shia Muslim—10-12 %, mainly Alawites. Assad family, most of Shia in Syria are Alawite
Christian—10%
Druze, 3%
Slightly over 50% of Syria is urban, 40% plus rural. Syria today is very poor country
- Government –Ba’ath Party, Nationalist, called itself socialist; initially, mainly public owned industries, similar party in Iraq—although major split. Pan Arab. Ba’ath Party ruled Syria from 1963 until December 7, 2024. Assads, father and son, top down and military dominated but social programs, secular
More women’s rights than many countries in the Middle East,
- 1967 war—Israel seized Golan Heights,
Syria, Egypt and Jordan lost 1967 war to Israel. Besides Israel occupying West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem, it also occupied 2/3 of Golan Heights. Israel annexed this part of Golan Heights in 1981 and occupied the rest after December 7th, 2024. Israel has also announced it will double number of Jew settlers and indefinitely maintain an illegal military occupation there. Israel annexation of Golan Heights, recognized during 1st Trump administration, U.S. only country to do so.
- Assads, Hafez and Bashar
Hafez al-Assad, military leader and leader of Ba’ath Party seized power in 1971—increasingly centralized power under his authoritarian rule—Leaders of military, security increasingly Alawite, a branch of Shia Muslim. Move away from nationalization towards mixed economy. Improvements of standard of living, social programs in 1970’s and early 1990’s; but problem with growing enough food; growing food insecurity. Much higher income in Syria than today. Aligned with Soviet Union until its collapse.
Increasing opposition to Hafez al-Assad led government both by democratic and progressive groups and by Moslem Brotherhood. Assad government killed hundreds in Homs in 1981 who were anti dictatorship; and tens of thousands of civilians in Hama in 1982 in uprising there, led by Muslim Brotherhood. Increasing imprisonment, torture of all opposition. In 1991, Syria supported US and Kuwait in war against Iraq, the Gulf War. Hafez al-Assad died in 2000.
Followed by son, Bashar al-Assad, neo-liberal, cutback in social programs—increasingly brutal; allied with Russia, although worked with U.S. after 9/11/2001 in torturing people captured by US, extraordinary rendition. Nominally Ba’ath Party but like his dad increasingly one person rule.
6. 2011 mass protests in Syria, part of Arab Spring. Major and inspiring and popular uprising, non-violent in 2011, including direct democracy in many places—see the book Burning Country by Robin Yasmin-Khattab and Leila Al-Shami. Non-sectarian, inclusive of all ethnicities, religions. Call for end of dictatorship and for end of Assad regime.
Uprising met by torture and repression and mass imprisonment of youths as young as 13 by the Syrian State. Some similarities to popular uprising in Egypt. Bashar al-Assad reasserted control. Aimed to crush all opposition by murderous violence.
7. 2011-2012 murderous repression. In response, increasingly armed resistance, growing involvement of other countries—Turkey, UAE, Saudi Arabia in supporting armed rebellion and financing Jihadist groups. Assad government almost fell. Growth of Al Qaeda, and later ISIS in Syria.
Beginning 2013, increasing military involvement of Iran and especially Hezbollah in support of Bashar al-Assad and brutal attacks on all opposition, Jihadist, Islamist and secular. Assad government had lost legitimacy and control of a lot of territory even with the military support of Iran and Hezbollah.
2015—Russia began major bombing of Syria, major use of barrel bombs. Syrian military use of poison gas, ordered by al-Assad in opposition cities, (many not Jihadist led), many near Damascus.
Millions of Syrians fled Syria—as I already mentioned and even more internal refuges, many to Idlib, northwest Syria, that was controlled by Nusra Front that broke from Al Qaeda in 2016.
8. 2015-2024-Assad rule by force and terror, declining food availability.
Economic situation, Major continuing decline in output and income, destruction of infrastructure, major decline of oil production.
US and Russia collaborated in major attacks, mainly mass bombing in Syria on ISIS controlled areas in Syria, major fighting against ISIS by Kurdish led group, Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in alliance with U.S. They defeated ISIS. Rojava has been autonomous, uneasy agreement with Assad.
2017—I worked with Syrian refugees in Thessaloniki in northern Greece. They arrived by crossing the Aegean Sea from Turkey where they had migrated to. Many Syrians died en route. They hoped to eventually migrate to western Europe and each week for about 10 weeks in winter, 2017, I taught about a different country where they might emigrate to. My Syrian students were about ¾ Arab and ¼ Kurdish. Many had fled Syria for a combination of economic reasons and the war; others because of repression of the government, I remember in a class in Thessaloniki in January 2017, telling the Syrian refugees about solidarity in U.S. with Syrians and with other Muslim countries by protesters blocking Kennedy and SeaTac airports; some of the Syrians cried in their feelings of appreciation for those in the U.S. who took a stand against the Muslim ban.
Hundreds of thousands were killed in Syria between 2011 and 2024, the majority, civilians by the regime and its backers: disappearances, systematic torture and murder in prisons—worst and infamous, Sednaya in Damascus. Continual support of Assad government by Hezbollah, and Russia and Iran.
Many Palestinian refugees in Syria, about 450,000. Support by Assad regime for Gaza and Palestine in words but not in deeds. However, Syria has been an important conduit for military aid from Iran to Hezbollah which has been used in defending Lebanon and fighting Israel in solidarity with Gaza. This is unlikely to continue in the present.
- Rojava, also called, Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), majority Kurdish, autonomous since 2012. Kurds are in Iran, Syria, Iraq and Turkey, a people without a country. Almost 5 million people live in Rojava. Governing group is political party, PYD (Democratic Union Party) with substantial local rule and power. The PYD is closely allied with PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party), Kurdish left political party in Turkey. In Rojava, support for women’s equality, cooperatives, for the most part, democratic, influenced by ideas of Murray Bookchin and Ocalan—imprisoned leader of PKK, ecosocialist Turkey wants to destroy Rojava and PYD. U.S. has supported Rojava against threat of full-scale Turkish invasion. U.S. has 2000 troops in and near Rojava, and works closely with Syrian Defense Force (SDF), the main military force of Rojava, training and arming them. SDF fought and fights ISIS effectively. YPJ (Women’s Protection Units) is women’s militia, YPG is People’s Protection Units, militia defending Rojava and connected to governing party the PYD. They all deserve critical support. Mainly inclusive of Syrian Arabs, and other groups in Syria such as Yazidis. Much support for Rojava in Olympia.
- Present—Beginning in late November 2024, major offensive against Assad regime, first seizing of Aleppo, 2 million people, second biggest city in Syria, beautiful and old, and then Hama and Homs. Syrian military collapsed, stopped fighting and fled as did Bashar al-Assad from Damascus, December 7 or 8th. Main group from north and leader of forces overthrowing Assad regime is HTS (Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham) led by Ahmed al-Shaara (previously Abu-Mohammad Julani). They have controlled Idlib Province since 2016—authoritarian and Islamist, Sunni, but claim to no longer discriminate against Shia Muslims, Christians and Kurds. Repression in Idlib under their rule but not on level of Assad. Taxed population heavily. HTS and al-Shaara on US and EU terrorist list. Some support from Turkey although not under Turkish control; unlikely support from U.S. and Israel until now. Let us not claim this unless real evidence.
Other main groups—Syrian National Army (SNA), used to be called Free Syrian Army—Turkish backed and armed—uneasy alliance with HTS. With Turkish support and involvement, they have been attacking Rojava and seized at least one city, Manbij. SNA is authoritarian, repressive against population. Also renewed Turkish attacks against Rojava, although Turkey agreed to a cease fire with U.S. on Tuesday, December 10, 2024.
More hopeful are groups, south of Damascus in Druze majority area such as Suwayda, and with local forces in Daraa—some links to popular uprising of 2011. Involved in liberation and fall of Damascus to anti-Assad forces on December 6-8, 2024
Concluding Comments!
- Without the support of Russia and Russian military, and Iran, and Hezbollah fighters, the Assad regime quickly collapsed. Syrian military fled, little fighting. Shows how Assad regime had little legitimacy and ruled because of foreign support and force.
- Since December 7, 2024, massive bombing by Israel, most since 1967 and 1973 wars with Israel. Some ongoing bombing by Israel on Syria before December 7, 2024, but not on this current scale. Israel has seized land, invasion of Golan Heights and murderous and daily bombing, mainly military targets throughout Syria—total violation of Syrian sovereignty. Israel says reason is fear of anti-Israel government, now or in future. Israel’s real reason io further dominance of the region. It is immoral and illegal. HTS has made statements against massive Israeli bombing. Let us strongly oppose Israel bombing and occupation of Syria as we continue to challenge Israeli murderous aggression against Lebanon, Iran, Yemen and the West Bank of Palestine and its genocidal war against Gaza.
- Popular support for overthrow of Assad is overwhelming. I have been moved and cried reading about the opening of the prisons and the release of tens of thousands of political prisoners, like at Sednaya—many with signs of torture and emaciated but alive. This reminded me of survivors of concentration camps. Some of worst prisons in world. Celebrations in the streets in most of the country, less in Alawite areas where Assad still has support.
- Russia has two military bases in Syria-not clear whether they will remain.
- Rojava area dependent on US military for survival, 2000 U.S. troops. They are needed for Rojava to maintain autonomy against Turkish military invasion and growing SNA attacks. SDF (mainly Kurdish) are imprisoning 9000 ISIS prisoners and also 20,000 members of their families. ISIS still exists in Syria, mainly in NE Syria, near Rojava, which is near Syrian oilfields. This is part of reason for U.S. military presence—not clear whether U.S. military will continue to be there with Trump administration. It is a dangerous situation for Rojava and especially, Kurdish population in Syria.
- Ahmed al-Shaara, the leader of HTS, has promised a civilian and inclusive government with elections. The UN has offered to send peacekeepers and support a government that supports women’s rights, religious and ethnic minorities and human rights. I support that. Likely outcome from the top is another authoritarian government with new enemies, bad for women, Alawites, Rojava, workers, Christians, students. HTS and al-Shaara claim they favor Islamic rule but say they are not Jihadist; that they are nationalists with no interests beyond Syria and will not favor Sunnis over other groups. We shall see! Turkey military is in Syria, and likely to play a major and imperialist role.
- Danger of break up or partition of Syria into many areas, controlled by different repressive and authoritarian groups (although not authoritarian in Rojava) and continued mass poverty, Syria has experienced continued economic decline and lack of food, education, health care. Need for economic recovery and growth in a united Syria that is one country, although with autonomy in Rojava.
- Hope for future of Syria is the mass outpouring in the streets all over the country, growth of civil society, of fundamental change from below. Growth of popular grass roots organization and movements and unions and new political parties remerging. Syrian history has been rich in these movements. There will be more of an opening than under the Assad dictatorships and hope that from the bottom up a democratic and progressive Syria will emerge. Not that likely but more possible than in the last 11 years. An opening right now.
- A democratic and progressive Syria would be pro-Palestinian because Syrian people are, and likely to strongly support Gaza and the Palestinian struggle for self-determination.
- Let us demand right of Syrian refugees to stay in Turkey, European Union, U.S., Canada and other countries.
- Let us here in the U.S. act in solidarity with popular movements in Syria and against Turkish domination and intervention in Kurdish areas and all of Syria. Support economic and humanitarian aid to Syria through aid that is not conditional on neoliberal reforms or alliance with Turkey, the U.S. or the Gulf States, rather by the UN and non-neoliberal organization! Need for economic reconstruction including the infrastructure of Syria which has been largely destroyed by 13 years of war. Probably in short run best if US troops stay until Turkish threat is reduced and then withdrawal of all foreign troops, Turkish, U.S., Russian and other.
References: Burning Country by Robin Yasmin-Khattab and Leila Al-Shami, excellent on 2011.
See interviews of 1) Joseph Daher and 2) Gilbert Achar on New Politics website, Newpol.org
Mourn and Organize
by Peter Bohmer, November 22, 2024
https//znetwork.org/znetarticle/mourn-and-organize/
Trump’s victory is a serious loss for most people in the United States and globally. I disagreed before the election and now, that it didn’t matter who won the Presidential election. Let us mourn and grieve but not give up. Elections matter and this one certainly does but being political means building and gaining power, being active to further what you believe in, much more than voting or supporting a candidate.
I don’t know if any campaign would have caused a Kamala Harris victory. However, her pro-Israel, anti-Palestinian positions, her pro fracking and promoting more oil and gas production by the U.S., and especially her promotion of neoliberal economic policies and not promoting raising the minimum wage, or making unionizing easier or advocating for universal, quality and affordable health care for all was wrong morally and tactically (to win). ..(see link above)
End the Israeli War on Gaza and Palestine!
An Analysis of Biden’s Cease Fire Proposal!
Update on Cease Fire Proposals
… On May 31st, Biden made a proposal for a cease fire in Gaza. He claimed he was publicizing a three phase Israeli proposal. In Phase One, in addition to a cease fire by Israel and Hamas, Israel would remain in Gaza but withdraw from population centers there, allow the population to return to cities there, and allow up to 600 trucks of aid daily into Gaza. Some of the Israeli hostages would be traded for a larger number of Palestinian prisoners. This Phase One would last at least six weeks while a permanent cease was being negotiated.
In Phase Two which would begin after a permanent cease fire was negotiated, Israel would withdraw from Gaza and all the remaining Israeli hostages, including Israeli soldiers, would be released for a larger number of Palestinian prisoners. It isn’t specified how Gaza would be governed.
In Phase Three, the remains of Israeli hostages who had died would be returned, the rubble would be cleared and there would be a three-to-five-year reconstruction period financed by the U.S., European Union and international institutions.
If this plan were enacted it would be a major step forward although neither the underlying ongoing Nakba nor the Israeli occupation and Zionist domination are being addressed…
A letter to Young Activists
by Peter Bohmer. May 14, 2024
“If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom and yet deprecate agitation are men who want crops without plowing the ground. They want rain without thunder and lightning. They want the ocean without the roar of its mighty waters.” Frederick Douglass
I have been an activist for reform and revolutionary transformation since 1967. For me, being an activist has meant directly involving myself in activities groups, and organizations in order to change policies at a local and national level and to raise consciousness about the causes, consequences and solutions to poverty and the inequality of income and wealth, police brutality and repression, U.S. militarism and intervention in other countries, climate justice, for quality health care and housing for all, and for reproductive rights. This in addition to solidarity with liberation struggles and ending capitalism and ending capitalist alienation, exploitation, and oppression. Being anti-racist has also been central to my theory and practice since the 1960’s, strongly influenced by the Civil Rights and Black Freedom Movement and in the 1970’s, the Chicano and American Indian Movement (AIM).
What follows is link to my letter!
A Jewish anti-Zionist Perspective on Palestine, Revised and Updated!
A Jewish anti-Zionist Perspective on Palestine!
by Peter Bohmer, Economics for Everyone
January 16, 2024
My background causes me to support the Palestinian struggle against the Israeli occupation of Palestine including Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Since 1967, I have actively opposed the U.S. military aid and ideological support for Israel, and in solidarity with Palestine.
I mourn the deaths of 26,000 people murdered in southern Israel and Gaza over the last three weeks (as of January 15, 2024), 1200 in Israel, mainly by Hamas and over 24,000 Palestinians in Gaza and 350 Palestinians in the West Bank by the Israeli military and settlers. More than 20 Palestinians have been killed for one Israeli.
My parents grew up in Vienna, Austria. The German military and Nazis were welcomed by much of the Austrian population when they invaded in spring 1938. Germany immediately annexed Austria. My dad was 22 when he was incarcerated in Vienna by the Austrian Nazis and frequently beaten. According to Nazi records, he was imprisoned for being “political” and Jewish. He was released after four months. My parents escaped a few days later to France.
My parents wanted to leave Europe because they expected an imminent Nazi invasion of France. They were denied visas to Australia and Canada because of these countries’ antisemitic immigration policies. After a few rejections, my parents were admitted to the U.S. in June 1939. My grandfather and at least four other relatives were gassed to death in concentration camps.
Antisemitism, as anti-Jewishness, has been prevalent all over Europe and to a lesser but real extent in the U.S. It continues today although less systemic. Many Jewish people as a response have seen their liberation and fair treatment as integrally connected with the liberation of all people, e.g., Karl Marx, Rosa Luxemburg, the many socialist Jews, in the civil rights and anti-apartheid movement and in the Palestine Solidarity movement.
Because of this history of oppression, I grew up believing Jewish people would not oppress others. I was naïve. A majority of Jewish people in Israel and around the world support a Jewish dominated state. A Jewish state where Palestinians are systematically displaced from their land and are treated less than equal within the Israeli state formed in 1948; and less than human on the land Israel seized in 1967: the West Bank Gaza, and East Jerusalem. When you take someone’s land or enslave them, as what also happened in the U.S., there is a strong tendency for the dominant group to justify it.
In addition, Zionism means the right of return for anyone around the world who is Jewish while hundreds of thousands of Palestinians and their millions of descendants who were expelled from Israel’s 1948 created borders are not allowed to return. Most of the population of Gaza are Palestinians forced out of Israel in 1948 and their children and grandchildren. A Jewish dominated State where Palestinians have lived for millennia is Jewish supremacy.
I am anti-Zionist which is fundamentally different from being ani-Jewish. The Netanyahu led Israeli government, many leaders of the Republican and Democratic Party and some Jewish groups in the U.S. try to undermine criticisms of Israel and support for Palestinian self-determination and justice by calling criticism of Israel, antisemitic.
Some criticisms of Israel are motivated by hatred of Jews, e.g., white supremacist groups in the US, and we should never ally with them in opposing the Israeli occupation.
Zionism means a Jewish State where the laws, educational system and major institutions favor Jewish people, and that Palestinians are second class citizens or non-citizens. Don’t allow Zionists to define you as antisemitic because you are Anti-Zionist.
Apologists for Israel claim that the focus on Israel’s human rights violations of Palestinians is antisemitic because there are other countries that commit as bad or worse violations than Israel, e.g., Saudi Arabia. My response is that this is not antisemitic; it is important that Israel be strongly criticized. Rather than lessening our condemnation of Israel, let us increase our denunciations of other violators. In addition, no country today is a worse violator than Israel. “The number of people facing possible starvation in the Gaza Strip in the coming weeks is the largest share of a population at risk of famine identified anywhere since a United Nations-affiliated panel created the current global food-insecurity assessment 20 years ago (Stephanie Nolen, New York Times, January 12, 2024). According to Robert Mape, a military historian, “Gaza is one of the most intense civilian punishment campaigns in history” (Julia Frankel, Associated Press, January 11, 2024).
It is urgent that we in the U.S. oppose the ongoing and growing Islamophobia and racism towards Palestinians and the repression of pro-Palestinian voices in our government, universities, and mass media. Let us support all those whose jobs are being threatened because they are speaking up.
It is not an exaggeration to call the Israeli occupation, apartheid; and Gaza an open-air prison that has become a concentration camp. Violence and displacement by Israeli settlers and the IDF of Palestinians have also increased in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, as has the blockade of Gaza even before October 7th. Groups such as Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, the U.N. Secretary General, and the Israeli human rights group, B’Tselem use these terms although we seldom find them in the mainstream media or by U.S. politicians.
This does not justify the killing of Israeli civilians in southern Israel but let us understand history did not begin with what happened on Saturday, October 7th but with British colonialism and the 1948 Nakba (forced removal of Palestinians) and Israeli occupation of the rest of Palestine after the 1967 war. Moreover, Israel’s revenge, mass murder, starvation and collective punishment of Palestinians including the 16-year blockade of Gaza is a war crime that is wrong and will not bring security to Jews.
All Israeli governments, Labor, Likud, Netanyahu, and the recent mass Israeli social movement that had opposed the Netanyahu government’s increasing authoritarianism towards the Jewish population, are rejectionist. This means they do not accept Palestinians as equals, nor Palestinian self-determination, neither in the past nor present.
Whether it’s one state or a real independent two state solution, it must center economic and political justice and equality for all, especially but not limited to Palestinians. This includes the right of Palestinians to return to inside the 1948 borders that Israel imposed. I believe most Palestinian groups, including Hamas would accept this (see, Hamas Contained by Tareq Baconi).
Since 1967, the U.S. has unconditionally supported the illegal, immoral occupation of the West Bank, the annexation of East Jerusalem, and made more than a dozen vetoes in the UN security council of resolutions critical of Israel. The U.S. has since October 7th, vetoed UN resolutions calling for a cease fire and negotiations. The U.S. provides $3.8 billion dollars of military aid annually and has committed to continue this through 2029. Biden has proposed an additional $14 billion of military aid to Israel, and there is little opposition in Congress. His administration is also sending additional weapons without even getting congressional approval.
Rather than supporting a cease fire now and negotiations, the Biden administration is also sending Israel military advisers, and given Israel carte blanche to continue its invasion of Gaza and commit the murders of tens of thousands and further ethnic cleansing. The Biden administration has carried out the bombing in Yemen of Ansar Allah (the Houthis) on January 11th and 12th. The Houthis have been attacking ships going to and from Israel and will stop attacking them when Israel stops attacking Gaza. It has become an Israel and U.S. war against Palestine and its allies.
The more we actively support the end of the Israeli occupation and U.S. support for Israel, the more we have the right to criticize the Hamas killings and taking of more than 200 hostages. The hostages should be freed but so should the ten thousand Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
I differ from the few groups and individuals who justify the October 7th murder of Israeli civilians by the Hamas led attack. They claim because the Palestinian struggle is anti-colonial and for self-determination all actions are justified. The killing of Israeli civilians, especially those and their descendants who fled the Nazi control of Europe is wrong. Many of them were not granted permission to immigrate to Great Britain, the U.S., Canada, Australia and other countries because of antisemitism and had no place else to go but Palestine. This does not justify the forced displacement of Palestinians but makes Israel somewhat different from other settler colonialists.
I am critical of those who ignore or even worse, support the mass killing by Israel in Gaza, directly by massive bombing and the ongoing military invasion. But also, indirectly by blocking most food, water, electricity, fuel and medical supplies from getting in. To defend Israel’s genocidal policies by calling it self-defense is horrendous. The Israeli starvation of the population in Gaza, the forced displacement of 90% of its population and the resulting spread of contagious diseases and the destruction of hospitals will cause far more deaths this year of Palestinians than even the bombing and shootings. It is an Israeli war on the people of Gaza, not only Hamas.
On Thursday, January 12th, South Africa presented its strong case charging Israeli with genocide against Gaza to the International Court of Justice (ICJ). South Africa documented in great detail the various elements needed to make the legal case that Israel’s policy was genocidal, i.e., 1) Israel’s intent to destroy a group of people; and 2) Physical acts that carried out this intention. The ICJ is likely to make a finding soon that there is a real possibility of genocide and therefore, Israel must end its war against Gaza until the full case is heard. This ruling won’t get Israel to begin a cease fire but can help to strengthen our movements to work towards this end. For the full text, see Jewish Voice for Peace. Also see the Center for Constitutional Rights, a major U.S. law organization, providing legal analysis of Israel’s genocidal polices in Gaza and U.S. complicity.
Israel claims a Zionist State is the only security for Jews around the world. Long run security cannot be based on the oppression and domination of another people. People will rise up. Israel is developing formal relations with and recognition by some of the conservative Arab states in the Abraham Accords. That will not further security in the long run, as the population in Egypt, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, etc. strongly support the Palestinian struggle.
The Hamas attack of October 7th shows the limits of this immoral strategy of Israel. Even if Israel destroys Hamas, oppression breeds resistance and Israel will eventually be defeated. Moreover, this security state strategy moves Israelis further to the right.
For moral and political reasons, the security of Jewish people and Palestinian people requires the end of the Israeli occupation, the end of U.S. support for Israel, and justice for all Palestinians.
The goal of a Palestinian socialist organization, the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, DFLP, is, “a people’s democratic Palestine, where Arabs and Jews live without discrimination, a state without classes and national oppression, which allows Jews and Arabs to develop their national culture together”.
A global movement in support of a permanent cease fire now and ending the Israeli siege of Gaza is growing rapidly. There were coordinated protests all over the world with this demand on January 13th, 2024. In the United States 400,000 protested in Washington DC on this date and in addition calling for the end of U.S. military aid to Israel. In Olympia, many hundreds marched in spite of the cold weather. Very hopeful is the growing social movement against the Israel war on Gaza and U.S. complicity and in support of Palestine self-determination. Contact me to get involved in the Olympia area if you are not already, peterbohmer@gmail.com.
Let us get involved and do what we can in the streets, in letters to newspapers, by pressuring politicians to oppose U.S. military aid to Israel including proposed increases, and for ending U.S. support for Israeli aggression. Israel could not continue its war on Palestinians without U.S. government military support. Expose and challenge US corporations like Boeing, Raytheon, and Lockheed-Martin that have profited from the sale of billions of dollars of weapons to Israel, paid by our taxes. Support the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) Movement against Israel.
Educate yourselves, friends, family, workplace and community about the colonization and ethnic cleansing of Palestine. Speak up! It’s our responsibility to do what we can to change U.S. policy so that it is more in line with popular sentiment all over the world including majority U.S. support for a cease fire now. A minimal demand is for an immediate cease fire, an end to the Israeli siege of Gaza and no increase in U.S. military aid to Israel.
I often hear that Palestine-Israel is too complicated to take a position on, or there is no solution because Israelis and Palestinians are equally victims. An insightful response in a talk at Evergreen by Khader Hamide, a leading Palestinian activist who the U.S unsuccessfully tried to deport, “Palestinians are losing their land, and their lives and Israelis are losing their humanity.”
A common slogan among Jewish people and Israeli leaders is “Never Again”, which they usually restrict to Jewish people. The holocaust against Jewish people is horrendous but so is the holocaust against African people, Native and indigenous people, and others. Let us mean by “Never Again” for All People. That is both the moral and strategic position.
Thank You!
Thank You!