I am reluctant to even write on Palestine, because of how inconsistent and hypocritical it feels to write now. Nothing is new. Nothing has changed. The indiscriminate arrests and violence that came with Zionist occupation has been ubiquitous for more than 70 years. The colonization and invasion of Palestinian land has been going on for more than 7 decades. I am reluctant because I feel I do not do the people of Palestine justice by remembering them every time they make headlines with their blood and tears.
This easily reminds me of excuses not to write but inaction is the greatest form of action. Inaction is a stance. Inaction is a statement. Our civil and criminal laws even recognize inaction as a form of action; there is a moral duty to aid someone in distress. We would not pass by someone injured in the street, and keep walking. Our nature, as selfish as it maybe, inclines towards the good of helping someone in need. Silence before injustice carries the same weight as the perpetuator of injustice. We cannot afford to condemn Israel with our hearts and thoughts. We must take our disapproval to voice, to hand and ultimately to change.
“ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنَـٰتُ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَآءُ بَعْضٍ ۚ يَأْمُرُونَ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ ٱلْمُنكَرِ وَيُقِيمُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ” وَيُطِيعُونَ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥٓ ۚ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ سَيَرْحَمُهُمُ ٱللَّهُ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ “
The believing men and believing women are allies of one another. They enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and establish prayer and give zakāh and obey Allah and His Messenger. Those – Allah will have mercy upon them. Indeed, Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.
Al Quran 9/71
The Quran in Surah Al Tawbah verse 71 orders us quite literally to “enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong”, having understood this how can we be stagnant. How is it that we can choose ignore what is happening in Palestine. I know for the past fews days we all flooded and shared news from Palestine on our stories and changed our profile pictures to maps of Palestine before 1967. We can’t afford to remember Palestine from Intifada to Intifada from one massacre to another from one Sheikh Jarrah to another. We WILL NOT have a Palestine left if we are reactive in our response and action. We can not react. WE must actively protest and take action against the pervasive assaults of settlers and the Israeli government. Palestine is not land to be conquered or settled on. We will not stay idle and watch as our lands are taken through deceit, forgery and violence.
We must live and breathe Palestine. As individuals we often downplay the impact we can have on international politics. We live in a time of hyper information. Every individual can have an impact when we have information and global out reach within our fingertips. Our politicians are accessible and our voice can be heard by thousands upon thousands through the internet.
I do not want to complain and criticize without giving any tangible solutions so I researched 5 ways we as individuals can help Palestine today.
- Donate: Simplest form of action. You don’t even have to leave your house. Donate whatever your heart feels comfortable parting with.
- Here are some places to donate to:
2. Boycott Israel: We don’t all have the luxury to donate but everyone can boycott Israel
- The BDS movement is a good place to start on how to boycott Israel
3. Write to your local MPs
If you live in Europe or the US you can write formal letters to your local members of parliament to express your concern with your countries support for Israel. Public diplomacy is the strongest form of diplomacy. There is a public opinion that politicians must consider if they wish to stay in power. If enough people write there will be a shift in public opinion even if minimal. Any support taken away from the colonialist Israeli government is progress.
4. Visit Palestine
This might even be a controversial to some but visit Palestine. Go to the west bank. Visit Al-Aqsa and the dome of the rock. Let the Palestinians and the Israeli’s know that Palestine is not forgotten and that the world is watching. If you are a Muslim pray there. Pray as a congregation together, and show the occupiers that Palestine is not alone. I would even suggest recording the entire time you are there. The world needs to see how Palestinians live.
You can find information about visiting Palestine on here.
5. Educate yourself and others: Information is the strongest weapon in the 21st century
- Add yourself to the Palestinian Centre for human rights mailing list; by emailing “Subscribe” to request@pchrgaza.org. Read their releases and share them. Their website.
- Read on the history of Israeli occupation. Here and also here.
- ISRAEL AND OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES
- Chomsky: On Palestine
- Also Chomsky
- Learn and remember the people that gave their lives for Palestine.
- Share the information you have and share the information that you find.
Start today. I hope this post inspires at least one person to take action today. If I can move one person to take action then in my heart I am content.
Bayt Al-Hikma 