Contribution short abstract:

Palestinians in the Gaza Strip face multiple forms of humanitarian danger. The massive humanitarian crisis caused by Israeli bombardment and siege of Gaza is clear. It is only possible to understand this threat by also understanding how humanitarianism is used as a weapon against Palestinians.

Contribution long abstract:

This presentation will explore the multiple forms of humanitarian danger that are confronting Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. The massive humanitarian crisis caused by Israeli bombardment and siege of Gaza is a clear danger. The healthcare system has been decimated by attack, starvation is looming as a product of the restriction on entry of food and fuel, the vast majority of the population has been displaced, and a significant portion of its buildings (both public buildings and homes) are destroyed or damaged. It is only possible to understand, and respond to, this overwhelming threat by also understanding how humanitarianism is, and has been, used as a weapon against Palestinians. This weaponization takes (at least) two forms. One is the effort to transform a fundamentally political situation into a humanitarian one, thereby shifting how both cause and response are conceptualized. Another is the argument that humanitarian concerns necessitate actions that are deleterious to Palestinian political and social aspirations (talk of humanitarian resettlement/ethnic cleansing is a clear example). The talk will situate today’s humanitarian dangers within a longer historical context in which Gazans have repeatedly confronted such dynamics.