National
The world was plunged into shock and uncertainty earlier this week as Hamas launched a large-scale invasion against the nation of Israel from the Gaza Strip.
The Palestinian-Israeli conflict is as long as it is complicated. As a very rudimentary summary of events, the conflict is primarily concerned with the two-state “solution,” the status of Jerusalem, and ethnic settlements within the region.
The 1948 declaration of Israeli independence sparked the 1948 Arab-Israeli War which led to the expulsion of Palestinians in the region and the Jewish emigration from the Arab World. The Six-Day War of 1967 saw Israeli forces gain air supremacy in the region against and gain control of the then-Egyptian-controlled Gaza Strip and Sinai Peninsula. This was done in retaliation to Egypt’s closure of maritime passageways to Israeli shipping. The aftermath resulted in the expulsion or fleeing of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians Syrians from the West Bank and Golan Heights, respectively. Israel has controlled the Gaza Strip since then.
The Gaza Strip is a 141-square-mile Palestinian exclave bordering the Mediterranean Sea and Egypt. It is the smaller of the two Palestinian territories, the larger of which is the West Bank, a landlocked territory in eastern Israel that borders Jordan and the Dead Sea. In 2005, Israel unilaterally withdrew from the Gaza Strip, after which the territory fell into the hands of Hamas in 2007 through a civil war. In 2008, Israel resumed military operations against the Gaza Strip after Hamas fired rockets into the Israeli town of Sderot. The most recent Palestinian attacks are the largest attacks against Israel in fifty years. Both the West Bank and the Gaza Strip are currently occupied by Israel.
The “two-state solution” has been a diplomatic bear since Israeli independence. Initially supported by people within the regions and among United Nations members, the support has since declined, as neither country wants to share land to which they claim ancestral and historical rights. Hamas, formerly the Islamic Resistance Movement and the political and military organization currently governing Palestinian territories, is opposed to the two-state solution and is sworn to Israel’s defeat. Israel is only in favor of a demilitarized Palestine state that does not pose a threat to Israel.
Furthermore, many Arab countries deem Israeli development and expansion on land occupied in 1967 as “illegal,” while Israel cites Biblical and historical ties to the land.
The city of Jerusalem, on the other hand, is also claimed by both parties. Palestine wants East Jerusalem, which includes sacred Muslim, Jewish, and Christian sites, to be the capital of their state, while Israel claims Jerusalem to be their “indivisible and eternal” capital.
Finally, many Palestiniains have been displaced since the first war in 1948, leaving millions stateless across Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and the crowded Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Tensions have been at a tipping-point as Israel’s continued expansion and clashes in Jenin, a West Bank city, and Gaza are what Hamas has pointed to as reason for invasion. On October 7, Hamas launched a barrage attack of 3,000 missiles into Israel and launched vehicle incursions into the territory. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared a state of emergency and war. Palestinians also broke through the Gaza-Israel border, killing at least 1,200 Israelis.
Israel has since conducted military action against the Gaza Strip, of which they reported full control on October 9. Israel has since imposed a total blockade on Gaza, which prohibits food, water, medicine, fuel, and electricity into the region.
Hamas’ actions have been condemned by most of the world at this point. The United States has moved a naval fleet to support Israel, to which Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, a Yemeni politician and leader of the Houthi insurgency group, said that any intervention in Gaza by the United States would result in a Houthi intervention. In 2003, the Houthi movement adopted the slogan: “God is great, death to the US, death to Israel, curse the Jews, and victory for Islam.”
So far, fourteen American citizens have been claimed as casualties of the war.
The war now puts Middle Eastern diplomatic relations in an awkward position, as deals previously brokered by the Trump Administration, including peace talks with Saudi Arabia, are now hanging in the balance as Hamas has effectively “torched” Biden’s place to remake the Middle East, according to Bloomberg News.
New York City spared no expense in demonstrating support for Palestine. Members of the New York City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) took to the streets and clashed with Israel supporters in what has been widely panned as tasteless and controversial by elected officials on both sides of the aisle.
Protestors shouted expressions such as “Free Palestine!” and “End all US aid to Israel!”
In some alarming displays, an Israeli flag was burned a Palestinian supporter was seen holding up a photo of a swastika on his phone.
Governor Kathy Hochul (D) condemned the rally, calling it “abhorrent and morally repugnant.”
New York City Mayor Eric Adams said on X, formerly known as Twitter: “At a moment when innocent people are being slaughtered and children kidnapped in Israel, it is disgusting that this group of extremists would show support for terrorism. New York City rejects this. Do not use our streets to spread your hate.”
One member of the New York Chapter of the DSA is Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY-14), who, while condemning the “bigotry and callousness” expressed in Times Square by pro-Palestinian organizers, claimed Hamas’ attacks are “horrifying” and that New Yorkers should also be capable of rejecting the “grave injustices and violence Palestinians face under occupation.”
Congressman Nick LaLota (R-NY-01) said in a statement: “The attacks on innocent Israeli citizens this weekend, committed by Hamas and funded by Iran, were nothing short of terrorism and cowardice. I am proud to join a bipartisan coalition introducing two resolutions condemning the attacks, reaffirming my unequivocal support for Israel, and holding Iran accountable for their role in funding and coordinating these acts of terror. To further hold Iran accountable, I sent a letter to President Biden demanding the Administration re-evaluate current policy towards Iran, as these attacks come just weeks after the Administration signed off on a $6 billion transfer to Tehran. I have also been able to personally speak with a Suffolk County Police Officer who was training in Israel when the attacks occurred. My team and I are actively working with the State Department to bring him and any other Suffolk County residents home to their families. I would strongly encourage any Long Islanders who are in Israel or know someone there to contact my office immediately at 631-289-1097.”
The ongoing conflict also renews concerns of illegal border crossings, which since 2021 has resulted in 264 arrests of suspects on the FBI’s terror watchlist, 151 of whom were apprehended in 2023 alone. However, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) says that 61,000 “special interest aliens” have entered through the border just this year. Nearly 3,000 have come from Egypt, and 659 from Iran, 538 from Syria, 185 from Jordan, and 164 from Lebanon.
State
Democrats landed a top recruit to reclaim New York’s Third Congressional District.
Former Congressman Tom Suozzi (D), who represented the district from 2017-2023, forwent a fourth term in pursuit of an unsuccessful June 2022 primary bid against Governor Kathy Hochul (D). His departure from the seat created an open-seat scenario in rapidly-GOP-trending Nassau County and northern Queens, which, along with the 2022 New York red wave, swept now-disgraced Congressman George Santos into office.
Suozzi has announced he will run to reclaim his seat, setting up what’s likely to be an interesting primary against established candidates who have already raised hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Meanwhile, Santos has just been indicted on new charges alleging that he filed fraudulent fundraising reports in search of additional financial support for his 2022 campaign and stole thousands of dollars from his donors’ credit cards by charging the cards without authorization.
Local
Congressmen Nick LaLota (R-NY-01) and Andrew Garbarino (R-Bayport) have introduced a resolution expressing support for Columbus Day as the second Monday in November.
LaLota said in a statement: “As an American with a deep appreciation for my Italian ancestors’ heritage, I am proud to help introduce two resolutions that honor the legacy of those who came before me and the countless contributions Italian-Americans made to this country. Columbus’ historic voyage opened up new horizons for humanity and serves as an incredible tribute to the Italian-American community. This day and month should stand as a symbol of unity, recognizing the achievements and heritage of Italian-Americans and the integral role they have played in shaping our nation.
