People inspect the scene where seven World Central Kitchen employees were murdered in Deir Al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Tuesday, April 2, 2024.
AP Photo/Abdel Kaleen Hana
In the Gaza war, Israel recently targeted three vehicles carrying World Central Kitchen (WCK) humanitarian workers, killing all seven.
No excuses. This was clearly intentional. but why? WCK has a special relationship with Israel, even after Israel ousted the much larger United Nations agency UNRWA, which efficiently provided food aid, education, and health clinics throughout Gaza from 1950 until October 7th. This is how WCK was able to continue to feed the people. It even gave WCK permission to build a temporary embankment in the Mediterranean Sea to offload aid supplies.
This was strange given that Israel had barred thousands of aid trucks from entering the country by land, but once they entered the Gaza Strip they were unable to distribute aid to starving people and workers. provided a small amount of food.
So what made Israel oppose this effort? The answer lies in Israel's end goal. I believe the facts on the ground prove that Israel is committing genocide, but what other purpose could there be in depriving an entire population of food, water, medicine, fuel, and shelter? Or? And if the goal is genocide, there is no way Israel would want to simultaneously feed the same people it is trying to kill.
Therefore, Israel used WCK workers as a warning that if you try to feed Gazans, you may be killed. They used this attack to both expose it and make it look like it was a mistake.
To my Jewish friends and neighbors: I am not writing this to attack Jews or Judaism, a religion I respect for its values centered on justice. However, I accuse the Israeli government and its Zionist policies of betraying Jewish values. And I dare to support the aspirations of the Palestinian people, including members of Standing Together, Gush Shalom, B'Tselem, ICAHD, and Women for Peace, despite the government's war against them. Thank you to the Jews in Israel.
Similarly, I salute American Jews who oppose the use of U.S. aid to Israel to bomb Gaza and arm racist and violent settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Masu. Groups such as Jewish Voice for Peace, If Not Now, and Students for Justice in Palestine have been on the streets since October 7th, saying, “Not in my name.”
If these activists don't speak out, how will we know the truth? Not from our government. Not from Israel. And not from mainstream media. The truth-tellers are journalists on the ground in Palestine, and Israel targets them for this role, killing at least 95 people since the start of this war. To counter the Israeli and US government's lies that the attacks on aid workers were an accident, we need to use alternative news sources such as Mondoweiss, Electronic Intifada, The Intercept, Middle East Peace Foundation, and Al. Jazeera.
We need to know the truth in order to stand up for justice, but it is often buried as warmongers continue to waste lives and resources. Let us all know the truth and act to end this war.
Cheryl Haugen of Charlemont is a nonviolent activist, a member of the Kairos/Franklin County Palestine Justice Agency, and a member of Ashfield Christian Church.
