Hamas vs Israel

I understand this was written two years ago, but I can't help but point out that this a very biased and warped perspective, regardless of how you might think it's the opposite. "Palestine or Israel/What does it matter"; it matters very much. If Hamas stop fighting, it just makes the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians easier and worse than it currently is (and was at the time you wrote this); conversely, if Israel stop fighting, everyone stops dying and there's peace.

Framing it as "Both are wrong" is simply unfair; even far prior to 'October the 7th', it had never been a balanced "war". It's not a war, it's a genocide. Israel - the oppressor, and Palestine - the oppressed. There should not be a Jewish ethno-state, especially not where people already live. Nor should there be a two state solution. This is just one of many tragedies the colonialism of the British Empire caused in the middle east, probably the worst one. Palestinians were drived out, massacred, and kicked out of their homes, the same homes that remained but were instead gifted to Jews who became "Israeli citizens". One is clearly at a benefit. How after reading the history of it all can you not see that one is living in luxury at the cost of another. They occupy, set up encampments, and frankly, the IDF are likely the most ruthless and evil militaries to have ever existed - the things they do to innocent Palestinians is unthinkable. After all of this that has happened to them, would not a violent resistance group emerge as a biproduct? Be honest to yourself. I know if I lived under such conditions, was persecuted from birth, had people I knew murdered, and had the land my people had lived on for millenia stolen, I would undeniably be "radicalised". In the end, the Israelis live comfortably.

I also don't mean this in a patronising, hateful, or condescending way. I don't mean to try and lecture nor radicalise. I simply couldn't read this without voicing what I felt were inaccuracies with this. Also, I am new here so I'm not sure how this all works. Since the poem is tagged "Politics", I feel it's surely appropriate to discuss political matters in a comment. I mean this in good faith. Thanks.

I love this.

Nice work!

I like the contrast you draw between the various external, political perspectives on the war and the first hand, personal experience of the people caught up in it. I particularly liked the second stanza beginning "kill, kill, kill"; the repetition here very effectively emphasizes your anger and frustration at the inability of the warring parties to end the conflict and at all the people who are supporting one side or the other as if their 'team' were the good guys (almost like a sports match).

You have made good use of repetition throughout the poem, one instance being "Palestine/Hamas or Israel". The "or" stresses the division and opposition of the two and I like the way you resolve the poem by reminding the reader that regardless of which side secures a political victory, on an individual, human level there are no winners.

The more I read it the more I get the sense that the poem is directed at the bystanders of the conflict rather than Israel and Hamas themselves: to us who look on, participating in the events through the lens of the media while arguing about who we want to win.

Your voice and emotion came through quite clearly and consistently, which I didn't notice at first until I re-read the last two lines of the first stanza, which definitely have a voice of their own.

Keep up the good work!

This is such a neat piece! I love how the short sentences add a sense of urgency and longing.
Despite this being such a hard topic to write about, you did not favor one side over the other which is quite incredible. Rather, the objective fact that peace must be found is well stated. The repetition of "Palestine or Israel" "Hamas or Israel" also brings home the importance of the issue finding resolution. It's almost like a burning question in heavy need of answer. My favorite line might be the one about "kill, kill, kill" it makes one weary of the word as one is weary of the war. The lack of punctuation also adds a nice sense of urgency-so much that there is no time for punctuation. The word choice is also right on! The point that lives and homes cannot be rebuilt is also a deep thought, that even after the end of the war, pain will still exist, that war is never the answer to anything. I very much agree with these points.

Overall, fantastic job here. I dont really have any suggestions for improvement.

-Kaia