Signs with slogans written on boxes and displayed during the Palestine event on campus, (Brian Neben, Central Nebraska Today)
KEARNEY — Students with the University of Nebraska Kearney held a “Stand Up for Palestine,” event on campus on Tuesday, May 7.
The event was held at the Cope Fountain with a dozen students in attendance early on.
A flyer for the event stated that there have been “213 days of genocide,” and “…in solidarity with the over 35,000 Palestinians killed by the State of Israel.”
The Israel-Hamas War has been taking place in and around the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7, 2023.
It began when Hamas, an Islamist militant movement that has controlled the Gaza Strip for nearly two decades, per the Council on Foreign Relations, launched a surprise attack on southern Israel from the Gaza Strip.
During this attack, 1,139 Israelis and foreign nationals including 766 civilians and 373 security personnel were killed and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage.
In response, Israel declared a state of war and began a large and destructive bombing campaign, later launching a ground invasion with the stated objective of destroying Hamas and freeing the hostages.
Since the start of Israel’s operations, more than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to the Associated Press, quoting health officials in the territory.
Nearly all of Gaza’s 2.3 million population has been displaced and the Israeli blockade has cut off food, water and medicine from the region.
In December 2023, South Africa launched proceeding at the International Court of Justice alleging that Israel is committing genocide, the deliberate killing of a large number of people of a particular nation or ethic group with the aim of destroying said ground.
The war has led to significant international repercussions, including large protests around the world, primarily pro-Palestinian ones calling for a ceasefire and end to Israeli occupation.
A wave of protests across college campuses in the United States when Columbia student protesters built an encampment to call for an end to the Israel-Hamas war.
Other protests have called for their universities to review their investments in Israel or hear calls to stop doing business with the country.
When students did not stand down from protests, some universities officials called in police who have arrested more than 2,000 people across the country. Some officials have chosen dialogue with the protesters, concerned that arrets inflame the situation.
“Israel has called the protests antisemitic; its critics say the country uses such allegations to silence opposition,” the Associated Press stated.
Zach Markussen, a senior at UNK, was present at the event and explained that the students wanted to stand in solidarity with Palestinians, Palestinian-Americans and those students who are protesting at other campuses across the country.
Zach Markussen, UNK senior, speaks at the event on Tuesday, (Brian Neben, Central Nebraska Today)
Markussen said their goal was to bring people in and share information about where to give donations, what has been ongoing in the Gaza strip and how to take part in the cease fire movement.
Voters are encouraged to write-in “cease fire,” on Nebraska’s Democratic primary ballot to show that, “this state does not support the Democratic Party’s support of this genocide on May 14,” per materials handed out at the campus event.
When asked if he feels that Israel’s actions amount to genocide, Markussen said he personally feels so and cited the proceedings the International Court of Justice and that they ordered Israel to take “immediate and effective measures” to protect Palestinians in the occupied Gaza Strip from the risk of genocide by ensuring sufficient humanitarian assistance and enabling basic services.
“At some point we have to recognize that civilians are getting caught in this crossfire,” Markussen said.
Questioned as to what Israel could be doing differently, Markussen said right now Israel seems to be prosecuting its war against all of Gaza in their war against Hamas.
Markussen said they do condemn Hamas and their actions, calling them a terrorist organization.
Israel’s continued response has been, “disproportionate,” Markussen said. He said that several of his fellow students were political science majors and one thing they learn about in warfare is the “proportionality” of response.
Markussen cited the number of children in Gaza killed at 14,000 since the conflict began and said it is an “unfortunate tragedy.”
In closing, Markussen encouraged people to follow the news channels of Democracy Now!, Al Jazeera English and AJ+ online and go give online to Palestine Children’s Relief Fund and other pro-Palestinian causes.
