In this edition, we have chosen to focus on October 7 not as a
“terrorist act,” nor as an “act of resistance” by Palestinian
guerrillas, but primarily as a militarized externalization of the class
conflicts running through both societies. Our aim has been to understand
how October 7 came about, viewing it as the culmination of historical
developments. To do so, we need a narrative that looks backward in time
and brings to light the contradictions within Israeli and Palestinian
societies, rather than framing the event merely as part of an
imperialist conflict. A particular concern of ours has been the triumph
of politico-military formations—detached from social struggles—over
class struggle. On the one hand, the military wing of Hamas, and on the
other, the Israeli armed forces, confine the working classes of both
sides within narrow, suffocating nationalist frameworks designed to keep
them out of the way. This brochure seeks to restore the centrality of
class struggle and historical context to the forefront. Hence, we have
decided to examine the internal dynamics of Gaza, the West Bank, and
Israel.
