OPINION: ‘Why won’t the environmental organisations speak out against Hamas?’
search

The latest Jewish News

Read this week’s digital edition

Click Here

OPINION: ‘Why won’t the environmental organisations speak out against Hamas?’

Too many humanitarian groups are staying silent despite championing Black Lives Matter and opposing Russia's war, says the founder of Tipa

Daphna Nissenbaum
Daphna Nissenbaum

Israel continues to live in a nightmare. More than 1,200 people, mainly civilians, were indiscriminately murdered in the 7 October Hamas attacks, many in their homes or while enjoying a music festival.

Hamas and other designated terrorist organisations, like Palestinian Islamic Jihad, then seized roughly 240 hostages who were taken into captivity in Gaza. Among the hostages are the citizens of more than 30 countries and the adherents of various faiths – Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist and Hindu.

Although some of the innocent hostages, including babies, women, children and elderly people, have been released, most remain captive, somewhere in the dark tunnels under Gaza. In addition, Hamas and other terrorist organisations in Lebanon, Yemen and Syria, continue to shoot rockets and missiles at Israel on a daily basis, sending thousands of civilians running to bomb shelters.

This is, no doubt, a global humanitarian crisis, perpetrated by terrorist organisations. But too many international humanitarian organisations have been silent about the death and suffering in Israel, and on the hostages in Gaza. The environmental movement, a cause I deeply respect and which is essential to the future of humanity, is among those whose silence, with few exceptions, is deafening.

I have watched in recent years as the global environmental movement has supported issues outside of its core focus. Recent examples include calling for Russia to end its war in Ukraine and offering support for the Black Lives Matter movement. But I see nothing of this type of widespread outcry directed at Hamas.

Rather, with statements about standing with Gaza, many environmental leaders are sending unclear messages. For example, the well-known climate change activist Greta Thunberg posted on social media a photo of herself with a sign proclaiming  “Stand with Gaza.” I can relate to sympathy for civilians in Gaza, but statements like hers are tremendously lacking in context and problematic. What does it mean to stand with Gaza?

Gaza is currently ruled by Hamas, which shows zero concern for the civilian population there (or to the environment, for all that matter). In fact, Hamas uses civilians and civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, schools and mosques, as a base for planning attacks, storing weapons and even hiding some of the hostages. These actions are all war crimes, leading directly to the murder of people in Israel. Meanwhile, even as Hamas has investments and bank accounts worth more than $500 million, most civilians in Gaza live in poverty and struggle to obtain food, water and other necessities.

How can Thunberg and others simply ignore these facts?

It is also true that there have been some flashes of hope. The German branch of Thunberg’s climate movement Fridays for Future has condemned the Hamas attacks and called for the return of all hostages in addition to expressing solidarity with Israel. But such examples are too few and far between. They should be the norm, not the exception.

More significantly, with the hostage deal that was done, it is becoming more clear that international pressure on Hamas, as well as mediaries like Qatar and Egypt, can indeed be productive. All international organisations that claim to fight for human rights should make note of this and add their voices and any influence they have to the quest to free the remaining hostages.

If it really cares about humanitarian causes and protecting life on this planet, the global environmental movement needs to condemn Hamas and call for the return of the hostages, now. As more days, weeks and months of silence go by, the movement is losing its legitimacy in my eyes, and surely in the eyes of many others. For the future of humanity, the environmental movement needs to raise its voice. This is not about Israel or the Palestinians. It is about supporting human rights in the face of evil.

Daphna Nissenbaum is the CEO and co-founder of TIPA Corp, a leading developer and manufacturer of compostable packaging

Support your Jewish community. Support your Jewish News

Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.

For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.

Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.

You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.

100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...

Engaging

Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.

Celebrating

There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.

Pioneering

In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.

Campaigning

Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.

Easy access

In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.

Voice of our community to wider society

The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.

We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.

read more: