On July 8th, Israel unleashed a brutal and sustained military offensive on the people of Gaza, who have already been confined to an open-air prison by the decade-old Israeli blockade and sealing of Gaza's borders. Bombardment from air, land and sea is killing hundreds, displacing tens of thousands more and targeting hospitals as well as other infrastructure crucial for survival. The reports on the atrocities are horrifying and the resistance and resilience of the Palestinian people continues to provide global inspiration.
In the Palestinian spirit of steadfast commitment to freedom and dignity we call not just for an end of the current Israeli assault on Gaza, but for an end of the Israeli occupation of Palestine along with its Apartheid regime. We are joined in this call by people of conscience around the world, including those in South Africa, where War Resisters International recently held their triennial conference. Last week in Cape Town, 40,000 people took to the streets in solidarity with Palestinians in the footsteps of their own freedom struggle against Apartheid. There have been funeral processions and protests around the world where people are coming together to mourn their dead, restore a sense of humanity to those treated only as either victims or targets, and say that we will not be silent when governments carry out ethnic cleansing.
Mass murder and Israel's use of force is neither defensive nor exceptional. As in all settler regimes, including the U.S., massacre and displacement are more than outcomes; they are a central strategy for Israeli dominance over land and resources.
In the face of this naked cruelty, Palestinian resistance continues, in ways ranging from art to hunger strikes and civil disobedience, to the fundamental resistance of survival with dignity. This resistance is rooted in a generations-old grassroots, nonviolent, civil society movement. It is this civil society that has called for a Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions of Israel, and to which the War Resisters League adds our voice. With the U.S. government's decisive financial, military, and diplomatic support enabling Israel's violence, it is time for a powerful movement response. Take action now to end the siege of Gaza and call for the end of Israeli apartheid.
Things you can do:
1) Take part in Palestine Solidarity demonstrations happening in your local community.
2) Join BDS campaigns that are organizing for the long-haul work of liberation, beyond ending this immediate crisis in Gaza: "9 Ways to effectively support Gaza Through Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions."
3) Watch and spread this excellent short film on the current crisis by Gazan-American Hadeel Assali, "Shuja'iyah: Land of the Brave" just relased yesterday.
