We Are All Palestinians

Right now, the world is witnessing a systematic massacre on the verge of genocide happening against the Palestinians in Gaza. It is turning more horrific every day. A Palestinian child is brutally killed every 11 minutes. Pregnant women and their babies are dying in unsafe hospitals. Palestinian families are unbearably destroyed, blasted and buried under the rubble with more than 11000 innocent lives lost. Unforgivingly, hospitals, UN schools, refugee camps, religious sites and homes continue to be bombed against international law. Journalists are unjustly killed, threatened and silenced while they bravely fight to get glimpses of the horrific atrocities out to the eyes of the world.

The world is at a stark ethical crossroad and the question is whether we will rise to protect the humanity of others or not?

Humanity Bleeding in Gaza
Living in Gaza has for the past 42 days been a living hell, a nightmare out of proportions that none of us will ever be able to comprehend, endure nor to accept if it happened to us. Yet, Palestinians are bravely, steadfastly and resiliently continuing to fight to survive, fight to exist and fight to save and take care of each other. The humanity of Palestinians is devastatingly bleeding and shining bright at the same time. Let’s remember that Palestinians are people with dreams and aspirations – with families to care for, raise and laugh with – with talents to grow – with a rich culture to enjoy and share – with everyday lives to live and homes to nurture just like the rest of us. Different from us, they have been born into a fight to survive and exist – living on occupied land under illegal siege for 20 years and illegally occupied for 75 years.

Still, we continue to watch horrific and heart wrenching images every day of children, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, parents, loved ones injured, traumatized, starving, fleeing, grieving, scared, dead or buried while the ceasefire is still catastrophically and unforgivingly delayed. Enough is enough.

Time again it is evident that our world starts to crash when we become careless about the humanity of others. The restoring of peace will start when we get in touch with other people’s humanity and suffering – in this case the Palestinians in Gaza.

We Are Bound Together

The situation in Gaza is a matter of the humanity of the Palestinians – how we embrace, protect and value the humanity of others in our interconnected world is on the line in Gaza right now. The horror in Gaza is bigger than Gaza – it is paving a path for a world that is out of touch with the humanity of others, that is out of touch with our common humanity and global interconnectedness. If the world will not rise to protect Palestinians now, who is next?

In fact, we are all Palestinians right now. None of us are free until Palestinians are free. “My humanity is bound by yours cause we can only be human together”, said Desmond Tutu. This is why the people of the world stand with Palestinians, amplify Palestinian voices – and why we will not look away nor back down.

People Power in the Streets

At the moment, the millions of people uniting in the streets across the world demonstrating for a ceasefire and a free Palestine are truly leading the way. Everywhere hearts are bleeding for the Palestinians in Gaza. The civic uprising for the humanity of Palestinians is offering a glimpse of hope for peace, unity and justice right now.

On the contrary, where is the heart and humanity of today´s Western leaders? When will they rise to protect the lives of Palestinians equally to those of others? On our watch Western leaders are allowing the crimes against humanity to continue in Gaza. Even with the Israeli Government confirming that they are “rolling out Nakba in Gaza”. We owe it to those innocent Palestinian lives lost to make this the moment in history when we collectively decide that we will put the humanity of each other first.