A Reminder

A Reminder

Palestine is not over. Palestine is not dead. Gaza, the West Bank, the entire region between the river and the sea, and the various countries across the world where refugees have fled to, house a surviving people and surviving culture. Palestine is not dead, and WILL NOT die.

I'm seeing a lot of very valid despair online, but if you're someone like me, living a privileged life in a Western country NOT under active bombardment, and which is actually COMPLICIT to some degree in that bombardment: we don't get to give up. Not now, not ever.

You can still get involved in protests or direct actions (e.g. blocking supply), you can still donate eSims or fund UNRWA on your government's behalf, you can still hassle the crap out of your local MP. No, it won't roll back the harm that's already been committed, but all of those things are STILL WORTH DOING. PEOPLE ARE STILL ALIVE OVER THERE. PALESTINE IS STILL WORTH SAVING.

If you've bothered to read this far, you're probably already aware of what's going on over there right now. If not, check out Al Jazeera's fantastic coverage. But also remember that Palestine, and Palestinian culture, is more than just death and despair. Examples below:

Long live Palestine, from the river to the sea.

Shame on those who support Isr@el, especially if you're a Muslim. The Qur'an, a copy of the holy book that has been around for like what, 1400 years old, even said about Israel doing corruption and you still support them?

And We warned the Children of Israel in the Scripture, “You will certainly cause corruption in the land twice, and you will become extremely arrogant.

- Al Isra, 17:4

"But what about Hamas -- " Hamas existed because of Isr@el. They're a resistance group. It's push comes to shove. Shame on those who support Isr@el, you're an embarrassment to humanity. What a disappointment of a being you are to support the genocide.

Israel wipes out entire families, this is not self defense. This is genocide of the highest degree.

Israel bet that the long-term war would produce this terrible silence, consent to genocide, and getting used to the scene... and frankly, they succeeded in that.

I don't know what the end of all this is, the whole world has let them down and is watching their starvation and displacement

PLEASE DON'T STOP TALKING ABOUT GAZA

‘The Sea is Mine’ (2016) - Sliman Mansour

‘A woman, a girl, and a boy raise their hands high and march along a beach. They hold a pen, a paintbrush, a rifle, an olive branch, and the Key of Return, while a white dove soars above them. The backdrop captures a beach scene where people are engrossed in relaxation and leisure, seemingly oblivious to this determined small demonstration. Mansour ensures the inclusion of fundamental elements of the Palestinian struggle within the painting. While the pen and paintbrush symbolize creativity, the rifle signifies resistance, and the olive branch and white dove represent peace. The key stands as a symbol in the Palestinian struggle for the right of return for refugees. Through this painting, Mansour conveys a steadfast commitment to carry forward the Palestinian resistance in all its manifestations, even amidst the world's self-absorption and inattentiveness to the Palestinian plight.’

- words by Rana Anani