Written by Samara Attalla and Raneem Hijazi

The Palestine Diaspora Movement echoes the calls for a permanent and lasting ceasefire that many Gazans across the world have been demanding for the past 7+ months of ongoing genocide. As those of us part of the Palestinian diaspora and its allies, we demand that the violent and murderous onslaught on the people of Gaza be halted immediately so that Gazans no longer have to endure daily Zionist bombardment and massacres at the hands of the Zionist entity, funded by the United States and other Western powers. 

This means the complete termination of arms exports to ‘Israel,’ as well as the insistence that ‘Israel’ and the United States (through their incessant military funding) both completely withdraw from Gaza, which includes the removal of ‘Israeli’ soldiers, checkpoints, and drone flights that are a constant source of anxiety for Palestinians of all ages.

Of course, we at the Palestinian Diaspora Movement understand that this demand alone cannot free Palestine or Palestinians as there are a plethora of systemic issues that make the day-to-day lives of Palestinians full of colonial violence. As such, our demands expand to other aspects of ‘Israeli’ control over Palestinian life.

The Palestine Diaspora Movement demands that the Zionist regieme and other Western governments:

“lift the ongoing blockade and siege imposed on the people of Gaza that has been in place for over 15 years.”

This inhumane siege includes limiting the amount of food brought into Gaza through the counting of calories to ensure Palestinians receive only the bare minimum of nutrition and the refusal of lifesaving medical care to the elderly and sick — causing many to die or have their conditions worsen beyond what could have once been easily treatable. Gazans also experience extreme restrictions for traveling outside of Gaza as part of this siege, meaning their freedom of movement is controlled by ‘Israel’ with little chance of leaving the Gaza Strip for many.

We, at the Palestine Diaspora Movement, call for the end to the siege on Gaza, which has created the largest open-air prison, where Gazans experience periodic bombings and killings at the hands of ‘Israel.’ The freedoms and rights of a people should never lie within the hands of their occupier, nor should the colonial entity of ‘Israel’ be allowed complete control over basic aspects of Palestinian life. Gazans should be free and safe from harm, making this our second demand.

The system of apartheid that Palestinians face both in Gaza and the West Bank, as well as within ‘48 borders, not only limits their freedom of movement but also ensures that Palestinians cannot build a life for themselves through systematic lawmaking that disenfranchises Palestinians across Palestine. The act of lawmaking and border making — through the apartheid walls throughout the West Bank and the segregation of Palestinians within their own homeland — limits Palestinians’ movement and puts pressure on their sense of community and togetherness. 

We reject the harsh and unjust legal system that regularly criminalizes Palestinians of all ages putting them at risk of increased, state-sanctioned violence within ‘Israeli’ prisons, and refuses to allow the freedom of movement across their indigenous homeland of Palestine. This act of apartheid is meant to specifically separate and tear apart families and communities from building futures for themselves as Palestinians, intending to isolate them further.

Therefore, the Palestine Diaspora Movement demands

“the removal and dismantlement of this unjust Zionist system that seeks to destroy Palestinian land and life.”

The right to self-determination requires that Palestinians be given the freedom of movement and the protection from their occupier’s malicious legal system that has — from its inception as a colonial state — only meant to rob, murder, or otherwise disenfranchise Palestinians within their native lands.

‘Israel’ has a strong military presence in Palestine from checkpoints throughout the region and frequent search and arrest raids, often resulting in violence instigated by Zionist settlers. These restrictions on Palestinian movement through the checkpoint system grants ‘Israel’ the authority to determine the passage and flow of people, goods, and resources.

Additionally, the settler colony has full governmental and security control over settlements, as well as extending its influence into areas under the Palestinian Authority. The Zionist military court system continues to operate in the West Bank, further reinforcing the ongoing militarized occupation. Once the brutal military blockade is lifted, we can then restore Palestinian rights. With that said, the Palestine Diaspora Movement demands that the brutal military blockade be lifted and

“for the full restoration of Palestinian rights, including the right to return and self-determination.“

Since the beginning of the occupation, ‘Israel’ has seized Palestinian land and built Jewish-only settlements on stolen territory. This systematic theft and expulsion of Palestinians has led to their confinement in densely populated ghettos surrounded by walls and makeshift borders. This symptom of Zionism, the belief that the “Jewish nation” has an inherent right to the land of Palestine fuels the settler colony’s justification for the annexation of the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the separation of the Gaza strip causing the forced displacement of Palestinians.

‘Israel’s’ colonial tactics include the demolishing Palestinian homes under the pretext of lacking proper permits and restricting Palestinians from accessing their rightful land, violating Palestinian sovereignty over natural resources such as land and water. 

Therefore, the Palestine Diaspora Movement demands:

“the end of Zionism settler colonialism, thereby granting Palestinians self-governance, enabling them to determine their own future and rebuild their communities.”

The irony is that any Jewish person anywhere in the world can move to ‘Israel’ and obtain Israeli citizenship under the Law of Return, a law written by the occupiers themselves. Due to Israeli apartheid policies, over 7 million Palestinian refugees do not have the right to return to their homes, with many unable to even temporarily visit their homeland. ‘Israel’ has put into place strict citizenship and residency laws excluding Palestinians from legal status and denying them rights so Palestinian refugees cannot claim their property that was illegally confiscated from them.

The Palestinian refugees living in overcrowded camps in Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt are denied access to Palestine and have limited opportunities as refugees living in these countries. 

The very core of PDM seeks to address the displacement of Palestinians worldwide, advocating for their rights and return to their homeland. The right of return stands as a fundamental principle of the Palestinian’s right to self-determination.