Eight Dangerous Myths about Israel and Palestine

‘Operation Pillar of Defense’, the latest sustained Israeli assault on Gaza with a headline-hitting name, lasted for eight days. The bombing from land, sea and air lasted from 14-21 November and killed 158 Palestinians, of which 103 were civilians (including 30 children). Meanwhile, six Israelis were killed by Palestinian factions. Israel has been killing Gazans quietly for years, and two days after Egypt brokered a ceasefire they started killing again, shooting dead twenty-year-old Anwar Qdeih. This highlights the absurdity of the situation, which leaves the siege intact and the collective punishment of Gazans undisturbed, albeit without an all-out onslaught. The UK continues to give diplomatic support to Israel as well as selling arms and co-operating militarily and economically.

Here are eight key myths – and many more misconceptions – perpetuated by Israel and its supporters, which are used as a smokescreen on the current situation and hinder justice for Israelis and Palestinians.

1. Hamas uses human shields, but Israel does everything it can to avoid civilian casualties

Both of these messages were repeatedly pumped out by pro-Israel PR units during ‘Operation Pillar of Defense’, just as they were during ‘Operation Cast Lead’ four years ago. In both onslaughts an extremely high number of civilians were killed, despite Israel claiming that its ‘targeted missiles’ would be capable of executing the desired extra-judicial killings with pinpoint precision. When innocent civilians were killed, their deaths were dismissed by Israel’s supporters with the claim that “Hamas is using human shields” at the same time as assurances were provided that Israel was “doing everything possible to avoid civilian casualties”.

Both of these claims are untrue. Despite the lack of evidence, let’s assume that the claim about Hamas using human shields is true. If it is, then the second statement – that ‘Israel does everything it can to avoid civilian casualties’ – cannot be. If it knows so well that the targeted militants are surrounded by civilians, why does it proceed to bomb them anyway? Military command must simply have decided that these people were ‘collateral damage’. If it is not true that Hamas uses human shields, the possibility is raised that civilian casualties are so high because Israel is deliberately targeting civilians. Ariel Sharon’s son stated: “We need to flatten entire neighbourhoods in Gaza… The Americans didn’t stop with Hiroshima – the Japanese weren’t surrendering fast enough, so they hit Nagasaki, too”.

2. There are fewer Israeli casualties because ‘Israelis place greater emphasis on the value of life’

This shockingly racist statement was spelled out explicitly in one article on the Independent’s ‘Independent Voices’ comment blog (Joanna Lowy, Israel, Hamas, and why the idea that journalists pretend it’s an even battle in Gaza is nonsense, 22 November 2012). It is also often insinuated by many of Israel’s propagandists. Yet this emphasis on Israel’s life-affirming values is contradicted by the billions (7% of GDP) that Israel spends on its army, navy and air forces, by the massive levels of US military aid, and by the conscription of its population. It’s an absurd lie.

3. Hamas broke the ceasefire

This is just factually inaccurate. While it was not widely reported, Reuters did note that on 4 November the Israeli army killed a mentally ill man in the buffer zone, the first casualty in the recent episode of violence. On 8 November Israeli soldiers shot and killed a 13 year old boy, Ahmad Abu Daqqa, who had been playing football near Khan Yunis. Palestinian fighters retaliated two days later and the situation escalated.

4. Hamas is the main problem

Hamas has been in power in Gaza since June 2007. But Israel has been occupying the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 1967 and a high proportion of all Palestinian refugees have been waiting to return to their homes since 1948. Israeli discourse has promptly embraced Hamas as a scapegoat for most things to try to avoid the questions it can’t answer about its historic human rights abuses and about violations of international law in other areas such as the West Bank, Lebanon and the Golan Heights. Hamas is a symptom, not the cause of the problem.

5. Supporters of Israel and Palestine all complain about BBC coverage, so it’s probably fair

A common pronouncement from people who consider themselves ‘sensible centrists’ and prefer to dismiss the serious problem of media bias by concluding that when opinions on an issue are so polarised, a journalist is doing their job as long as both sides are unhappy. Actually, the fact that large numbers of supporters of both ‘sides’ complain means only that they are all aware how vital media narratives are to public perception and action – or lack of it – and that they are constructed in a contested space which can be shaped and influenced by outside pressure. It bears no reflection on the extent to which those narrative outcomes actually reflect reality. Scholarly research has demonstrated the pro-Israel bias at the BBC and its failure to tell the Palestinian truth.

6. International law is up for debate

News reports, especially from the BBC, frequently finish with a crucial contextual fact followed by a swift undermining suffix. It typically goes like this: “Almost half a million Israelis live in West Bank settlements which are illegal under international law, although Israel disputes this.” The frequency with which this formula is trotted out by the BBC suggests it’s included in their ‘How to report the Middle East’ guidelines for journalists. Yet in no other circumstances in which one party has contravened international law would a rejection of that law be treated with such credibility. When a war criminal in the dock refuses to recognise the court (as Slobodan Milosevic, for example, did) their dismissal is treated with the contempt and ridicule it deserves.

7. Most people are apathetic

Apathy means showing a lack of interest, especially about something important. But most people are confused, not uninterested; or they don’t know enough, especially about Britain’s historic role. Partly this is because of the problems with media coverage. Generally, the more people learn, the more moral outrage they feel, especially because the horrific truth was previously hidden from them. Apathy is manufactured, not inherent.

8. There’s nothing we can do

This is the most pernicious and paralysing myth of all. We can educate ourselves, visit Palestine and participate in campaigns. By far the most useful form of international solidarity is to heed the 2005 Palestinian civil society call for BDS (boycott, divestment, sanctions) and to get involved with this dynamic, effective and global grassroots movement for justice wherever you are.

By Hilary Aked (@hilary_aked)