Issues Under Fire: Palestinians: Give Us Liberty or Give Us Death

Issues Under Fire: Palestinians: Give Us Liberty or Give Us Death

Many in the international community are scratching their heads, trying to understand why Hamas refused to accept a ceasefire with the Israelis. One would think, watching entire neighborhoods along with men women and children that live there being obliterated daily has to strain one's resolve eventually.

Since this was a difficult question to answer without getting closer to the story, it was necessary to hit the streets to find out what others are saying and thinking. Fortunately, this is New York and you can find somebody from just about anywhere in this city. Within four square blocks of where we hang, we were able to round up one Turk, one Egyptian, two Jordanian-Palestanians and one big mouth Nigerian who forced his way into the conversation.

Amazingly, all were of the opinion that Hamas did the only thing Hamas could do to keep the world focused on Gaza. If a ceasefire were agreed upon too hastily, the international community's attention would be redirected elsewhere and the hellish conditions Palestinians exist under would remain unchanged.

From "the street's" perspective, many in the occupied territories feel this is finally do or die time. This is give me liberty or give me death time. This time, many Palestinians won't settle for anything less than the freedoms the rest of the world enjoys. Well, that's what the said.

Just because the United States and its Western pals have declared Hamas a terrorist organization, many around the world see them as freedom fighters. If someone is locked up for life when they've committed no crime and punished daily for refusing to accept their situation, some would say that person has every right to fight for their freedom.

Considering generations of Palestinians have lived and died in the occupied territories never knowing what it means to be truly free, it might be time to rethink the label of "terrorist organization" when referring to Hamas. After all, if Hamas were in conflict with anyone but Israel, many in Congress would clamoring to arm them.

Bottom line: After decades of an unjust incarceration, some would say the Palestinians would be justified in using any means necessary to free themselves. If that means drowning their Israeli jailers in buckets of their own blood, it was made made clear, the Palestinians feel their freedom is worth that sacrifice.

Podcast Below!