By Micha K. Ben David
Why are Israel’s actions in Gaza a climate justice issue in Boulder County?
As I write this, over 1,000 Israeli civilians have been murdered by Hamas militants and over 130 Israeli hostages have still not returned home. An unfathomably disproportionate number of nearly 40,000 Palestinians have been murdered in Gaza, thousands more locked up in Israeli prisons. Several villages have been depopulated in the West Bank, and whole cities have been leveled to the ground in Gaza. Millions face famine and are left homeless, some for the third time in as many generations.
As an ex-Israeli combat soldier who served at checkpoints across the West Bank, I am personally familiar with the brutal realities of the occupation of Palestine. Those who tell the story starting with the Oct 7 Hamas attacks either ignorantly or deliberately omit the historical context of decades of occupation, subjugation and apartheid, not to mention Prime Minister Netanyahu’s motives for prolonging the attacks on Gaza (which are more about avoiding corruption trials and securing political power than ensuring security).
Yet over 60% of Israelis support these actions, turning a blind eye to the suffering they cause. We’ve become our worst nightmare.
As a descendant of refugees who fled pogroms and gas chambers in Europe, I relate with my Palestinian friends today. My family, too, has experienced a near-complete obliteration of whole family trees. As a result, I have come to believe the solution to imperialism isn’t nationalism, apartheid and exclusivity but diversity, inclusivity and equity.
Folks have asked me, “What does this have to do with us here in sunny Colorado?”
Starting in the heart of Boulder County, undocumented immigrants often find themselves living parallel lives reminiscent of the apartheid system imposed on Arab Palestinians in Jerusalem where I grew up. Despite being over 30% of the immigrant population in Colorado and essential contributors to our economy, undocumented people here navigate a separate legal system and face systemic barriers that perpetuate inequality and exploitation. These similarities echo the discriminatory policies, practices and cultures that deny Palestinians equal rights and opportunities in their own land.
Moreover, as we confront the legacy of settler colonialism in our own backyard, it’s imperative to acknowledge the haunting parallels with historical injustices. The Sand Creek Massacre stands as a stark reminder of the violent displacement and ethnic cleansing inflicted upon the Indigenous nations — Arapaho, Ute, Shoshone, Cheyenne and others — in the Boulder County region. The City is still seeking input for what to do with the land formerly home to Fort Chambers, where soldiers trained to annihilate Indigenous nations. Just as Indigenous Palestinians continue to endure the loss of their ancestral lands and the erasure of their cultural heritage, so too do Indigenous peoples here grapple with the enduring trauma of dispossession and genocide.
It is also no mere happenstance that the Black population of Boulder has stood at 1% for decades. Colonialism and white supremacy are part of the imperial genetics of our communities still today. Police departments across the country send their officers to the West Bank and Gaza to learn from the Israeli military how to control a civilian population and bring these practices back to Black and brown zip codes here, where folks face higher levels of air and water toxicities as a result of industries that others profit from.
In the face of such profound historic and ongoing injustices, it's disheartening to witness the silence of our local rabbis, priests and elected representatives on the global stage. Though Boulder City Council has historically taken principled positions on international issues, as council member Taishya Adams reminded us during a Feb. 15 meeting, their refusal to advocate for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas speaks volumes. This selective silence not only undermines our commitment to human rights and peace but also perpetuates a dangerous double standard that prioritizes some lives over others based on political expediency.
I was raised with the mantra “Never again” — not just to us Jews, but never again to anyone. Here in Boulder County, I’d hoped we’d wave the flag to say, “Not us, not here, not now, and not ever!”
There is nothing antisemitic about criticizing Israel: It may well be the most Jewish thing you can do. With this awareness, I implore my fellow Israelis to break the silence and confront the reality of our actions. We cannot continue to turn a blind eye to the suffering of others without losing a part of our own humanity in the process.
The cycle of violence and oppression perpetuates trauma that threatens to consume us all. As U.S. citizens, we must acknowledge our complacency. We are, indeed, complicit. It’s April, and this has been going on for six months. I no longer want just a ceasefire — I want sanctions, arms embargoes, settlements dismantled and reparations for Palestinian families.
As we stand together in solidarity with oppressed communities worldwide and organize toward a paradigm of climate justice, it’s essential to recognize the intrinsic link to all forms of injustice. Just as we demand accountability for U.S.-backed Israeli actions in Gaza, we also confront the systemic inequalities and environmental injustices that exacerbate the impacts of climate change on marginalized communities in our neighborhood.
Collective action is not only necessary for addressing the violence and oppression we witness but also for tackling the urgent challenge of climate change. By standing together and amplifying the voices of those most affected, we work toward a future rooted in justice, equality and sustainability for all.
Micha K. Ben David is co-lead of the Climate Justice Hive at Naropa University.
This opinion does not necessarily reflect the views of Boulder Weekly.