With a stomach ache, Breda historian and Middle East expert Tineke Bennema follows developments in Israel where Hamas has started a war. “My in-laws live in Palestine and I have many friends there. They also did not see coming the atrocities that are now happening in Israel.”
“The tension has been high for 75 years since the Israeli state was proclaimed. Since then, the Palestinians have felt colonized by Israeli settlers,” Tineke explains. “It has never happened before that Israel has been attacked on its own territory on such a large scale. This is a real humiliation.”
Any euphoria about this surprise attack is likely to be short-lived. “As far as it has not yet happened, a bloody reprisal will follow. My in-laws are in fear and trembling in their homes. This will cost many victims on all sides.”
“It was unthinkable until this weekend that civilians would be randomly killed on the streets.”
Tineke also lived in Palestinian areas with her family for a few years. “Because there was always tension, everyone became hardened. But the horrific violence that is happening now on Israeli territory is unprecedented. That civilians are randomly killed on the streets was unthinkable until this weekend.”
Tineke can explain the enormous anger among the Palestinians. “It has always been the Palestinians who, in their experience, have been humiliated and oppressed. Recently, the tension has been increased by provocative behavior. Jews visited Palestinian religious places to slaughter sheep there. And if there were deaths due to the actions of the military, it was never on the Israeli side. The fact that there are now peace negotiations with Saudi Arabia without involving the Palestinians does not help either.”
“Retaliation will not solve the problem.”
According to Tineke, the Palestinians have nothing left to lose. “That is where this enormous violence comes from. Israel will ultimately win this battle, because they have the best and most equipment. Until that victory, the Hamas fighters want to cause as many victims as possible on the other side. That gives me a stomach ache,” says Tineke. “This will also destroy many lives in Palestine, because what is happening now calls for retaliation. The problem has not been solved and many lives have been destroyed.”
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