Ziggy Marley’s Tuff Gong Worldwide Speaks Out Against Hamas Attack On Israel

Ziggy Marley’s record label Tuff Gong Worldwide has called on non-Jews to speak out against the recent attack on Israelis by Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that rules the Gaza Strip, and which has as its mission, the destruction of the State of Israel.

“It is absolutely reasonable and logical to be opposed to the Israeli government’s treatment of Palestinians WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY calling for the protection of Jews in Israel and around the world.  Hamas is a terrorist organisation that is attacking civilians by land, air and sea,” noted an Instagram post on Tuff Gong Worldwide, for which Ziggy’s wife Orly, who is of Israeli descent, serves as president. “The images of kidnapped Israelis are shocking and devastating.”

“Given the thousands of years of persecution of Jews, please know y that your Jewish friends – even if they are not in Israel – are hurting and are fearful when things like this happen and non-Jews are silent,” it continued.

“It added: “I understand many of us are afraid to voice an opinion because the crisis there is so nuanced and hard to understand, and are afraid of saying the wrong thing.  But we can – and must- always use our voices to denounce terrorism and the senseless murder of civilians.”

Hamas launched its latest attack on Israel on October 7, and, according to the BBC, although it was unexpected, “it came at a time of soaring Israeli-Palestinian tensions” as 2023 has been “the deadliest on record for Palestinians who live in the Israeli-occupied West Bank” a situation which could have “motivated Hamas to strike Israel with a spectacular attack.”

“Hamas might also have been seeking to score a significant propaganda victory against Israel to boost its popularity among ordinary Palestinians,” the BBC reported Tuesday.

According to the US State Department, since Hamas launched its assault over the weekend, more than 2,300 people have been killed, at least 22 of whom were Americans, while thousands of others have been injured, a situation which has prompted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to declare war.

Hamas which is the acronym for Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiya, is translated in English, as “Islamic Resistance Movement”.  The group is sworn to Israel’s destruction and wants to replace it with an Islamic state.   Since it took power in 2007, it has fought several wars with Israel. 

According to the BBC report, Hamas’ holding of “so many Israeli hostages captive is thought to be designed to pressure Israel to free some of the estimated 4,500 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons – a highly emotive issue for all Palestinians”.

“There is also speculation that the attack was orchestrated by Iran – Israel’s arch-foe – though Iran’s Supreme Leader has denied his country’s involvement.  Iran and Hamas also staunchly oppose the growing prospect of an historic peace deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia.  This might be thwarted if Israel’s military response to the Hamas attacks provokes widespread anger in the Arab world,” the BBC said.

According to the BBC, Hamas, which has been designated a terrorist group by Israel, the United States, the European Union and the UK, and other powers, has, over the last 15 years, either fired, or allowed other militant groups to fire “thousands of rockets at Israel”, and has carried out other deadly attacks.

It noted, however, that Israel has in turn retaliated, repeatedly attacked Hamas with air strikes, and sending troops into Gaza during two of the wars.

“Together with Egypt, it has blockaded the Gaza Strip since 2007 for what it describes as security reasons,” it said.

The BBC’s international editor, Jeremy Bowen, has also noted that the recent attack is the most ambitious operation Hamas has ever launched from Gaza, “and the most serious cross-border attack Israel has faced in more than a generation”.

“Militants breached the wire that separates Gaza from Israel in multiple places… Details of a massacre in one Israeli community, Kibbutz Kfar Aza, have emerged – with an Israeli general speaking of babies killed,” the BBC noted while adding that some of those killed had been beheaded.