One of the most confusing and divisive issues going on in on the international stage is the conflict between the Israeli's and Palestinians. It is also one of the most poorly documented. People may have heard about unrest in the region, but few people understand that war crimes are being committed miles away from the bustling cities under Israel's control. Right now, Palestinians who were expelled from the country are trying to get in, and those within its borders are protesting, but both are being met with violent resistance by the Israeli government. This is not to say that Palestinian fundamentalist groups like Hamas have not conducted their own insurgent attacks, but the fact of the matter is, Israel is operating with impunity, committing crimes against humanity, and regardless of what your opinion may be about who has a legitimate claim to the land, we cannot sit by while innocent people are killed in what is on the cusp of becoming a state-sanctioned genocide. Beliefs cannot be allowed to supersede morals.

The conflict between the two groups has been underway since the late 1800's and was essentially caused by the British drawing up borders, growing populations, nationalism, and most importantly, opposing religions. Both Israel and Palestine view Jerusalem as the holy land, which sits squarely in the center of the country, but for decades the Israeli's have been slowly pushing Palestinians out. Because of actions like this, 1 in 3 refugees worldwide is Palestinian. There are over 7 million displaced Palestinians, and they have nowhere left to go, but to the region of the world that they once called home. While the conflict has been violent on both sides throughout history, Israel has crossed a line that is equitable to apartheid.
Right now, though underreported, Palestinian protesters are being shot without cause by Israeli Defense Force snipers. Mortars are being launched at innocent Palestinian controlled areas to discourage dissent and punish the people. Israeli's who have settled in Palestinian territory illegally are menacing and attacking innocent civilians. All of this is done with the full backing of Israeli president Netanyahu. Israel claims that they are only acting to secure their borders from violent extremists, yet there are thousands of videos of the IDF taking extremely violent action without provocation of any kind.

Crimes are being committed, and the United State's only acknowledgment of the conflict has been an endorsement from the president of Israel's right to the region.

This issue divides people because it forces us to look at what is typically a pretty black and white issue. It seems to us, with the US supporting the Jewish state of Israel, and with the post 9/11 notion that people of the Muslim faith are the enemy, to be a cut and dry issue. Clearly, Israel who is a close US ally wouldn't be allowed to act against the Geneva convention without the world police stepping in, right? Well, turns out we give passes to our friends. We took a stand on this kind of inhumanity during World War II, but we haven't done a thing to stop this.

We cannot drop the ball on this. If we continue to sanction the killing of a large primarily Muslim group, anti-American sentiment will take hold. Moreover, we cannot sit by and watch such a large group of people as they are denied the right to exist. We will create the next terrorist organization because we did nothing, it's not exactly a new cycle. Basic human decency must not be another victim of this presidency. The fact of the matter is, Holy Wars stopped being okay since before the Black Plague, so how in this day and age are we turning a blind eye?