Today, over 5 million Palestinians live under the longest military occupation in history. In Gaza alone, access to clean water and electricity remains at crisis level for 95% of the 1.3 million Palestinian refugees.
At Who is Hussain, we stand with the people of Palestine.
One cannot be anti-racist without being anti-colonial. The beleaguered population in Gaza face the consequences of decades of settler colonisation and apartheid, with unnecessary and excessive force at the hands of the Israeli military and police. State-sanctioned violence and settlement activity including forced evictions constitute a flagrant violation of international law and have no legal validity.
The settler-colonial project has been perpetrated over the past few decades, with Sheikh Jarrah the latest neighbourhood facing dispossession. The last few days have subsequently seen appalling and distressing acts of violence, with the targeting of houses of worship and the bombing of children and schools. As of Sunday, 197 people, including 41 children, in Gaza and ten people in Israel, including 2 children, have been killed in this violence.
The persecution of the Palestinian people is one of the biggest stains on our collective conscience. Until the occupation ends it is impossible to ensure the security that those in Gaza so desperately need, and the realisation of an equal, just and fair society. For the sake of both Palestinians and Israeli’s, the status quo must change. We can no longer continue to bear witness to ongoing human rights violations, deaths and destroyed childhoods. The state of Israel’s longstanding impunity for war crimes and serious violations of international law must be addressed to ensure rules-based order.
As a global grassroots movement for social justice, we urge our supporters around the world to keep the Palestinian people’s struggle in your thoughts. Many of us may be feeling helpless, but there are ways in which we can demonstrate support.
- Educate yourself and others.
We know that education is one of the most powerful tools. Use your platforms to share accurate news, challenge myths and misconceptions and demonstrate your solidarity. Centre the voices of those harmed by violence and oppression, and avoid using racist and inflammatory language.
- Advocate for long-lasting change and solutions.
Ensure that elected officials and legislators in our respective countries end their silence in the face of international war crimes, and instead help facilitate a ceasefire and end to the apartheid regime. Write to your governmental representatives asking them to take action now.
- Donate to causes helping to make a meaningful difference on the ground.
The devastating violence, pervasive poverty and the ongoing Covid pandemic have seen resources stretched and many unable to access the urgent medical assistance they desperately require.
#FreePalestine
