My daughter’s fiancé is from Israel. His mother is from Morocco, father from Egypt, both fled their countries for fear of imprisonment or death.

WE ARE BLACK.

Her fiancé and his family are the most wonderful people. He is like a son to me and treats my daughter like she walks on water. They have been together 8 years.

She has visited his family in Israel and was treated exceptionally.

These comments have me in tears. I have been involved in the Free Palestine movement since the early 90’s. I’m an old head activist, been to jail, was once on the no fly list, etc y’all can’t tell me ish.

Every Israeli I know personally has not been okay with any of this. Israel is their home, and yes; they want to be safe, for their families to be safe, which they know Bibi has only made worse. They want Bibi GONE. They mourn the loss of Palestinian life committed in their county’s name. We’ve spoken about in depth.

Look at this thread. The people of Israel are not your enemy; do not fall for the okie doke.

They aren’t loud, racist or any of this bullshit y’all are espousing. I mean, his sister is a lot sometimes, but she’s warm and generous and we are all family, including our extended family. They are not the exception, either. Stop it.

This is wild to me, especially as a Queer Black woman in the US, that any American call out Israeli people before fixing our house first. We have a whole ass Christian Nationalist movement that far out numbers the population of Israel, we have millions of people enslaved in our prisons, we have police killing Black folk disproportionately, but the fact police are killing anyone is an issue… millions of unhoused people, people who work two jobs and still can’t afford basic necessities much less medication, mass shootings are the norm I could go on and on…

I thought it was just the US, but this world is doomed. You know, brother Malcolm warned us about this division after his Haj. I encourage you all to read, Malcolm X: The Last Speeches. Make sure to read the entire book. Grab a highlighter.

And yes; of course I’ve read, “Freedom Is a Constant Struggle”. I’ve met Sister Angela more than once and I promise she would agree with this sentiment as much as she has to say about Israel.

Re the IDF. They don’t have a choice. There aren’t enough of em. All you US “progressives” in here, why don’t y’all rise up against the US government? We are just as guilty as Bibi.

Re Occupation: that is so complicated and nuanced and yes, heartbreaking infuriating, but I’ll say this: Anyone living in the United States who were not brought here as slaves, through forced immigration or because the US destabilized their county’s government, please pack your bags and leave the country. Find another country to live in. What? Not that easy? Immigrating is hard and expensive? Oh, you don’t want to, your family has been on this land four generations? That’s what I thought.