Nakba Day Protests ‘The New Apartheid’: 6 Ways to Help Gaza Today
by Amaliah Team in World on 15th May, 2018
For anyone who doesn’t know, the day of the Nakba, Yawm an-Nakba which translates to the ‘day of the catastrophe’, it is commemorated on May 15th each year, for many Palestinians and supporters of their plight, it is an annual day of commemoration of the displacement that preceded and followed the Israeli declaration of independence in 1948.
The war of 1948 uprooted over 700,000 Palestinians from their homes, where thousands of Palestinians were mass evacuated creating a refugee crisis. It is one of the key issues raised in ongoing peace negotiations. “Today there are more than 7 million Palestinian refugees, defined as people displaced.” Palestinians with this, hold their ‘right to return’, which would mean the Jewish community would become a minority.
Gaza described as the ‘worlds biggest open-air prison’ has been under a crippling Israeli air, land, and sea blockade for over a decade. Gazan’s recently held protests at the border, disputing the move the US government of their embassy to Jerusalem, which has been coined the #GreatReturnMarch on social media. This lead to 60 unarmed civilians being killed in cold blood, one a baby, and over 2,000 injured in Gaza, including 74 children, 23 women, 8 journalists, and 11 paramedics at the hands of Israeli soldiers. As Gazans threw stones in self-defence, they were covered in Israeli tear gas. The Muslim Council of Britain has vehemently condemned the massacre of Palestinian civilians, and the expulsion of Palestinians from their homes 70 years ago.
Harun Khan, Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain said: “Civilians took to the streets to protest against the move by the US government of their embassy to Jerusalem. 55 were picked off by Israeli snipers, with 2700 injured. I hope our government condemns these actions in the strongest possible terms. That this massacre took place on the anniversary of the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from their homes 70 years ago only underscores the realities of this new Apartheid.”
As members of the diaspora positioned in different parts of the world, it is frustrating not being able to do more to help in a practical capacity, if you feel you want to help, here are some powerful solutions from home:
1. Dua
Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah said:”Three supplications are accepted, there is no doubt in them (about them being accepted): The supplication of the oppressed, the supplication of the traveller, and the supplication of his father against his son.” -At – Tirmidhi With Ramadan around the corner, the best way to reach our sisters and brothers is through Dua at Iftar time, during Tahajjud, during the 3rd part of the day on Friday, during sujood, and throughout the day.
2. Protest
Make your voices heard, and stand in solidarity with Palestinians at the demonstration outside Downing Street, today at 5.30pm in London.
#Gaza: Stop the Massacre
Emergency #London Protest
TODAY – 17:30
Opposite Downing Street
FB Event: https://t.co/5RbARIsfO0 pic.twitter.com/JcHDKOD5je— Stop the War (@STWuk) May 15, 2018
Cambridge: drop what you are doing this lunchtime and come to our rally for Gaza and Palestine 12-1, backed by over 15 university groups including @CambridgeUCU https://t.co/olyNlrinUk @PSCupdates @STWuk pic.twitter.com/bStwKqJrlm
— Ed McNally (@edmcnally96) May 15, 2018
A full list of emergency #Gaza: Stop the Massacre protests can be found here: https://t.co/wrjVGuz5k5
Stand in solidarity with the people of #Palestine today. #Nakba70 #StopArmingIsrael #StopTheMassacre pic.twitter.com/T8T78vE1tY
— Stop the War (@STWuk) May 15, 2018
3. Use your craft & engage on a personal level
Whether it is writing about it, making visuals on Instagram, filmmaking, writing on Twitter, speaking about it to family, friends, and acquaintances, it is so important to raise awareness, mobilise, and keep a collective spotlight on Israel’s war crimes in impunity.
4. Write to Theresa May and your local MP
Write to Theresa May, collect signatures, and write to your local MP.
5. Donate to the right charities
It is very difficult to find the right charities to donate to, where there is transparency, so you are reassured your money is going to the right people. Ensure you do your research, and try to source people who are close to the ground who have proven that the aid has reached those who are in need of it.
6. Support the BDS movement
Write to companies, raising the recent events in Gaza.
Twitter has been set alight with commentary:
47 dead, 2000 Palestinians wounded by Israeli soldiers. As the colonised are being massacred, the colonisers and their imperialist sponsors celebrate.
Emergency demo tomorrow outside Downing Street, 5.30pm #GreatReturnMarch #decolonisepalestine pic.twitter.com/jwCGM5x7uC
— Malia Bouattia (@MaliaBouattia) May 14, 2018
Official from @WHO says numbers dealt with by hospitals in the occupied Gaza Strip yesterday were comparable to wartime situations. https://t.co/Z6iCd4v6yz pic.twitter.com/NDibdplxVH
— Ben White (@benabyad) May 15, 2018
Just read about a baby in Gaza that died yesterday, due to inhaling Israeli tear gas. Are we to believe this is proportionately reasonable force? Speak @theresa_may and speak now.
— Rachael Swindon (@Rachael_Swindon) May 15, 2018
The youngest is 14, the oldest 39. If Muslims/Arabs were considered human in the North people would be saying #NeverAgain #SayTheirNames Instead, these deaths are met with silence, or described as though they occurred mysteriously, because their lives never mattered #Gaza https://t.co/4RIlaDVIeM
— Nadine El-Enany (@NadineElEnany) May 15, 2018
In 2014, the UK refilled Israels’ ammunition reserves straight after the massacre. Now, the US normalises Jerusalem’s annexation while 1000s are being shot. Israel pulls the trigger & settles the land. Our gov’ts fill the cartridge & sign the lease. #boycott #bds #ourfightishere
— PerrierCommunist (@PerrierCommuni1) May 14, 2018
While this selfie was taken in Jerusalem, in Gaza 55 Palestinian protesters including children got killed. Makes me sick.
#GazaMassacre #Gaza pic.twitter.com/5JgE8cdqgL
— Nadeem Ahmed (@Muqadaam) May 15, 2018
Years from now, we will turn the US embassy in Jerusalem into an anti-apartheid museum
— Remi Kanazi (@Remroum) May 14, 2018
Left: #Jerusalem
Right: #Gaza(Pictures taken at the same time this afternoon) pic.twitter.com/0ySzaGjQC9
— Patrick Galey (@patrickgaley) May 14, 2018
This is a test of leadership. Will @theresa_may call out Trump blocking UN Security Council resolution and investigation into the senseless and brutal killing of dozens of unarmed protesters in Gaza? Or will she appease Trump and hold his hand again? Silence is complicity. https://t.co/g7bFOV5t9i
— David Lammy (@DavidLammy) May 15, 2018
The last hug .. last kiss in the farewell for the baby Leila al-Ghandour (8 months) who died after inhaling tear gas shot by #Israeli occupation forces on Palestinians at the eastern borders of #Gaza yesterday.#Nakba70 #GreatReturnMarch pic.twitter.com/xgGBvke1aO
— Palestine Observer (@PalObserver) May 15, 2018
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Amaliah Team
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