The conversation surrounding the United States’ support of Israel has caused a rift between Black Americans on social media.
Hashtags like #BlackLivesMatter and #PLM—for Palestinian Lives Matter —have highlighted the struggles between Palestinians and African Americans in the fight against systemic racism. However, some users have repeatedly pointed out that Israel didn’t support Black struggles.
After former President Barack Obama tweeted his stance on the issue, another user reposted it, saying that Israel never showed solidarity for Black Americans against police brutality.
According to ABC News, chaos broke out on Oct. 7 when Palestinian militant group Hamas fired surprise rockets from Gaza into Israel. Armed Hamas militants stormed into restricted areas of the Gaza Strip, shooting at Jewish settlers. Shortly after, surveillance video shows Hamas militants taking Israeli mothers, children, and elderly residents as hostages across the Gaza border.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared war, “We are at war, not an operation, not an escalation, a war.” International leaders have compared the war to the 9/11 attacks, as over 1,000 people have died.
The National Newspaper Publishers Association
Chair Bobby Henry and President & CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. released a joint statement, according to the Dallas Weekly, condemning the acts of violence.“The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), representing the Black Press of America, forthrightly condemns the brutal, fatal terrorist attacks today on the Jewish people and the nation of Israel by Hamas,” the statement read.
“Terrorism against innocent civilians in Israel and in any other place in the world can never be justified, tolerated, or sanctioned. We stand firmly in solidarity with Israel.”
Former NBA All-Star Amar’e Stoudemire, who converted to Judaism, took to Instagram to call out Black Lives Matter supporters for staying silent on the matter.“And for all y’all Black Lives Matter supporters who ain’t sayin’ nothin’,’ or ‘let me figure out exactly what happened before I say anything,’ f*** you,” he said in a now-deleted video. “Figure out what? It ain’t never been cool to kidnap kids and put ’em in cages. It ain’t ever been cool to kill women and elderly, never been, no matter where you from, what you represent, what tribe you from. Don’t matter. It ain’t never been no cool thing, never been nothing nobody supported.”
The National Basketball Players Association has made posts in solidarity with Israel, stating they “condemn these acts of terrorism.” Shortly after, fans reposted, pointing out how Dallas Mavericks star Kyrie Irving was labeled anti-semitic in 2022 for promoting the film Hebrews To Negroes: Wake Up Black America.