The Woke Movement’s Support For Palestinian Violence

Written by Hudson Crozier

What’s happening: Numerous left-wing voices in America, including activists, academics, student organizations, and social media users, have publicly rushed to defend the Palestinians after Hamas carried out the largest attack on Jews since the Holocaust. Their message is clear: terrorist action is morally acceptable because they are fighting “oppression” from “colonial” Israel.

• Catch up: Hamas has fired rockets into civilian areas, shot civilians indiscriminately, taken hostages, raped and killed women and paraded their bodies, and reportedly beheaded babies and burned families alive.

The rhetoric: Leftists describe the extreme violence as “self-defense,” “decolonization,” and “fighting the oppressor,” while some claim that Israel is “entirely responsible.” Students organizing rallies have posted images of paragliders, which terrorists used to ambush a peaceful music festival at the start of Saturday’s massacre.

• It’s extreme: The Democratic Socialists of America were compelled to apologize for promoting a pro-Palestinian rally after drawing criticism from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) — one of the most progressive Democrats in Congress and a harsh critic of Israel.

Why it matters: As part of a broader ideology, this extremism has implications for America, where leftists deem entire groups of people collectively responsible for oppressive systems and Western “colonialism.”

• Excusing violence: Black Lives Matter claimed that there are “parallels between” Palestinians and black Americans, echoing a commonsentiment on the left. When the BLM movement engaged in rioting, looting, and violence in 2020, leaders were either silent or openly supportive.