How to keep supporting the Palestinian struggle for freedom

Today is the official International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, providing an opportunity for the international community to focus on the fact that the question of Palestine remains unresolved, and that Palestinian people still face violent oppression, and are yet to attain the right to self-determination without external interference.

November 29 was chosen as the date for the annual event – first called for by the United Nations in 1977 – because on this day in 1947 the UN General Assembly adopted the Partition Resolution, providing for the establishment within Palestine of a “Jewish State” and an “Arab State”. However, only one of these states, Israel, has so far come into being.

The Palestinian people now live in the Palestinian territory occupied by Israel since 1967, including East Jerusalem, Israel, in neighbouring Arab States, and in refugee camps in the region. They continue to live without the right to national independence and sovereignty, and the right to return to their homes and property from which they have been displaced.

“Various activities are undertaken annually by Governments and civil society in observance of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People,” according to the UN, includng the “issuance of special messages of solidarity with the Palestinian people, the organisation of meetings, the dissemination of publications and other information material, and the screening of films.”

Here are some ways in which you can help the struggle of the Palestinian people, including current campaigns, places of donation, and protests.

STAY INFORMED

The Palestine Solidarity Campaign is the biggest organisation in the UK dedicated to securing Palestinian human rights. It is a community of people “working together for peace, equality, and justice and against racism, occupation, and colonisation”. Its website is an invaluable resource of information relating to the Palestinian struggle for freedom and includes a library of informative films to watch, factsheets, leaflets and flyers to print off, and information on the historial background of the situation as well as the present.

PROTEST

The ‘events’ section of the The Palestine Solidarity Campaign website lists upcoming protests, fundraisers, and talks on the subject of the Palestinian struggle, including webinars on the

the right of return and the struggle for justice, the winter lobbying of parliament – where you are encouraged to attend a meeting with your MP to discuss the issue of Palestine – and various fundraisers.

Similarly, the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement – which works to end international support for Israel's oppression of Palestinians and pressure Israel to comply with international law – has a newsletter that regularly updates subscribers on campaigns, action alerts, and fundraisers from the BDS movement, so you can make sure not to miss local protests.

ENGAGE IN PALESTINIAN ART AND CULTURE

Investing in the rich art and culture of the Palestinian people is a great way to show solidarity as many young Palestinians are pushing the boundaries of their art in a city, so bombarded by war and chaos, living with no electricity or running water, that makes it near impossible to market themselves to the outside world. Today, Dazed shines a spotlight on six poetic, political, and unapologetic Palestinian designers on the rise, showcasing some of the region’s most exciting up-and-coming creatives including the incredibly talented Ayham Hassan, who won a place at CSM and managed to crowdfund his tuition and relocation costs.

Meanwhile, there’s the Queer Cinema for Palestine film festival launched this month, with the aim of “celebrating global queer realities and standing in solidarity with Palestinians”. The event hosted some of the 190+ filmmakers between November 10 and November 20 who oppose the simultaneous TLVFest, a film festival that QCP organisers accuse of “pinkwashing” Israel’s violent occupation of Palestine.

There’s also the Activestills project, who have been on the frontline of the Palestinian struggle since 2005, lensing everything from the bodies of activists to the anguished cries of its refugees, making their work an important marker for photography as a vehicle for social and political change.

DONATE

If you are in a position to, donating to organisations that are working towards the freedom of Palestinian people is a very helpful way to show solidarity. The Palestine Solidarity Campaign gives the option of sending one-off or recurring payments here, and it accepts cheques, bank transfers, and paypal.

There are also ways to donate directly directly to organisations working within Palestine such as the Palestinian Child Relief Fund – which offers free medical care for Palestinian children – and the United Palestinian Appeal, which offers support to people in occupied territories and refugee camps in Jordan and Lebanon.

You can find a useful list of Palestinian-based charities to donate to here.