Palestine - Future of young people occupied, solidarity needed
Anke has been an ambassador for our partner project in Palestine, Ayyam Al Masrah (Theatre Day Productions) and Brotherly Sharing, since 2014. Today, she is also a board member and all-round volunteer. Below, she calls for solidarity with young people affected by the occupation of Palestine and the blockade of Gaza.
The project
In 2014, Palestinian youth for whom the world is surrounded by 3 walls and an inaccessible sea were at the centre of our campaign. Belgian youth went to work for one day for children and young people growing up in a hotbed of violence and conflict, with no prospects for the future. Together we worked to create a safe haven. A theatre where a child, is allowed to be a child. Where a young person can experience the freedom everyone is entitled to. A place away from the violence they are solely victims of. Our campaign began with a terrible war in Gaza. Today, the street in front of the theatre is no longer a street. It is a sea of rubble and dust. Seven years after our campaign, nothing seems to have changed. On the contrary, the violence seems crueler and more extreme.
Silence is no longer an option. In a society where we want to decolonise, address unequal power relations and fight for justice, we cannot close our eyes to the prolonged colonisation and expulsion of the Palestinian people. The conflict in Israel and Palestine is always a charged debate. The conversation is often avoided, or people take a 'neutral' stance. But 'neutrality' is also an opinion; it legitimises occupation and violence. It is time to promote dialogue, listen and raise our voices against injustice.
"I lived through three wars, and I can tell you this is the scariest time in my life in Gaza."
But why does this concern us young people in Europe? Ahmad, one of the young people in our project, sent it to me in a message: "No words can describe the brutal aggression against the fragile Palestinian civilians in Gaza right now. Using unbalanced and excessive power of the most advanced military weapons by Israeli Occupation is against all human values and laws. You do not have to be a Palestinian to defend the oppressed humans anywhere, you have to be a true human being". The inequality in this conflict is huge, and mainly in Gaza, people, young people like you and me, are victims of the violence. They grow up with trauma, their freedom is robbed from birth and countless young people die, Israel as a sovereign state is responsible for this.
Raising your voice against occupation and oppression is not choosing one group or another. It is certainly not against any particular group. By raising your voice, you are standing up for basic human rights. You stand up for the rights of Palestinian youth that are violated daily by the occupation. I choose to fight for these rights not only because I believe in them, but also because I hope there are people who would do this for me if I ever need it. I know Ahmad would do this for us. Will you also do this for Ahmad?
"What is Isreali Occupation doing in Gaza? It is destroying every place that gives us hope for development and a better future. They are killing our dreams , memories, and our passion for peace"
