Allyship Beyond A Ceasefire
As the struggle for liberation continues, so do our efforts. Here are some meaningful ways you can take action and remain committed to principled solidarity:
Amplify and center Palestinian voices above all else. It is important to #CenterThePeople by continuing to share their stories. As allies, it is essential to follow the path of those who are on the ground and the path that the resistance has shaped for us.
Keep learning about Palestinian history and the occupation through vetted resources, such as PDM’s “Palestine 101” and “Resistance 101.”
Reject Normalization of the occupation and its crimes by fighting against sport washing, boycotting companies that have Palestinian blood on their hands and only engage with principled creators and resources
Principled resources and creators are those who center Al Thawabet. Al Thawabet anchors the struggle for liberation in its foundational principles. They are the RED LINES that cannot be crossed for Palestinians to continue in their struggle for liberation.
Reflect often in your solidarity, it is an ongoing commitment. Renew your intentions to the cause, and ask yourself if what you’re doing and saying is reflective of what Palestinians in Palestine are asking of you.
Zionism is a violent ideology that centers around the values of settler colonialism by stealing land and mass incarceration. Mass support for Zionism, unsurprisingly, comes from other countries or groups that have a deep history of colonialism and oppression of other marginalized groups. Zionism has been allowed to proliferate under the guise of protecting Jews and as a solution to preventing another holocaust - but they fail to account for the Palestinian experience in any of these narratives, much like the ethnic cleansing of the Indigenous Peoples on Turtle Island.
An anti-colonial framework aims to dismantle systems of oppression and exploitation due to colonialism. It champions the liberation and self-determination of all marginalized communities worldwide. Colonialism thrives off the erasure and ethnic cleansing of Indigenous populations. Genocide is a direct result of colonialism, with the concept directly aiding in the erasure of the original land stewards.
We know that our liberation is connected to the liberation of others.
We all have a responsibility to decolonize our minds and work towards the ultimate dismantlement of colonialism. The struggle of oppressed peoples is interlinked worldwide: the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa set the stage for Palestine’s liberation much like the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement is linked with the Afro-Palestinian struggle in Occupied Jerusalem. The fight against oppression, injustice, and colonialism is everyone’s fig
Islamophobia has always been a prerequisite for the genocide in Gaza, with Palestinians constantly being labeled with tropes such as “jihadists” and “Islamists”.
The term jihad has been co-opted by Zionists and their Western allies to villainize the Resistance by making it synonymous with terrorism. Jihad means to struggle or strive for something for the sake of Allah, and applies to so many aspects of Islam not only armed struggle. The racist propaganda spread by Zionists always centers on fighting “terrorism” when discussing Palestine, in order to appeal to and champion colonial Western values and de-legitimize Palestinian suffering
Islam is central and heavily connected to Palestine. As Palestinian Muslims, one of the principal motives of this movement is our connection to Al-Aqsa. “Al-Aqsa Flood”, the operation that was conducted on October 7th by the Resistance, was named this way to emphasize the essence of the Palestinian struggle for this holy site.
It is integral to the struggle as the land that Al-Aqsa sits on is what Zionists want, placing it literally in the middle of the fight for a liberated Palestine. Fundamentally, this struggle has always been about defending Al-Aqsa, re-asserting Palestinian rights and liberating our homelands.
