A Year of Agony and Consolation

The events of the past year have been unspeakably gut-wrenching. War is proliferating across the Middle East. Israel is carrying out a genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon. Those speaking up against this injustice are being violently harassed, oppressed, arrested and silenced across the Western world.

To make matters worse, we all saw this coming.

We knew Israeli apartheid was unsustainable, that Palestinians would never acquiesce to the status quo of injustice. We all knew that unwavering U.S. military and diplomatic support for Israel was only fueling a Frankenstein that would draw the U.S. into war, threaten global security, lead to tens of thousands of civilian deaths and make American taxpayers complicit in war crimes and crimes against humanity. We’ve watched Israeli leaders across the political spectrum dismiss the notion of a Palestinian state and boast of plans to seize more Palestinian land and resources. We knew they viewed Palestinians as less than human, as undesirables, and were unafraid to kill, kidnap and torture Palestinians of every age, even if the cameras were rolling. We knew that confrontation with Iran has long been in Israel’s playbook, and have watched Israel methodically set the pretext for war with Tehran. We’ve watched the Israel lobby pay politician after politician to undermine the U.S. national interest. We’ve seen our First Amendment rights gradually rolled back in order to shield Israel from criticism.

Simply put, this was all predictable. A fanatical, militant and racist nation armed by the world’s superpower was never going to choose peace. Systems of oppression were being transparently built to criminalize dissent.

Yes, we all saw this coming. However, there is little vindication in being right. In fact, there is nothing but agony as we watch our family, friends and colleagues—fellow human beings—being systematically targeted by weapons we pay for.

Yet, amid all the horrors, there are reasons for consolation. While they do not outweigh the pain, they are worth pointing out. Since Oct. 7, our staff has tangibly seen overflowing support for Palestine. Our bookstore has sold countless books to people wanting to learn about Palestine for the first time. Solidarity items such as keffiyehs, pins, stickers and flags are flying off our shelves. Some of these items have been used at protests inside Congress, or to confront President Joe Biden at campaign speeches. People are flocking to us, wanting to learn and show support.

We are proud of the role we have played to help educate Americans since Oct. 7. We have supplied books and educational information to the local student encampment at George Washington University. Our bookstore has become a hub for solidarity, welcoming countless visitors in person and shipping items across the country and world, from Singapore to Norway, from Canada to Barbados, and many places in between. Our numerous fundraisers have raised thousands for humanitarian non-profits and brought members of the community together for much needed solidarity. Copies of our magazine have been handed out at countless conferences, protests and tech-ins. We have published dozens of personal testimonies from Gazans, letting their voices break through the blockade. We continue to publish reports showing how much money each member of Congress has received from the Israel lobby and how this money impacts their votes on key legislation. Our extensive archive of videos has received hundreds of thousands of views from those wanting to learn about how the Israel lobby works. We are part of the massive movement for change.

It’s clear that people, in numbers we frankly never imagined, care about Palestine and want to learn about its culture and history. They want Palestine to live. An entire generation has spent a formative year of their lives watching atrocity after atrocity unfold. The compromised mainstream media is meaningless to them; this genocide is broadcasted to them, unfiltered, through social media. They will not forget what they have seen when they vote or when they become leaders in business or politics. Change is coming, and we must not abandon our efforts, despite the heartbreak and anger.

Palestinians have shown they will not quit their struggle for justice, even amid the travesty of genocide. Likewise, the Washington Report and Middle East Books and More remain firm in fighting for a U.S. foreign policy that upholds human rights and protects our national interest. With your support, we are bringing about a new reality in this country.