This is not about supporting terrorism. It is about calling for an end to Israel’s ongoing Nakba (catastrophe) against Palestinians, which has been ongoing for 75 years – since 1948. It is about ending Israel’s ethnic cleansing and apartheid policies against Palestinian men, women and children. It is about supporting the Palestinian right to things that we take for granted in the UK, like travel, education and healthcare.

Israel, like every country has the right to self-defence, but that is not what it is doing. Israel is ethnically cleansing Palestinians. In the last 75 years, Israel has murdered 100,000 Palestinians and made over 7 million Palestinians refugees. Since 2007 it has sealed Gaza off from the rest of the world in an open-air prison, trapping over 2 million Palestinians. Israel controls the air, land and sea around Gaza. Food, water, medicine and fuel are all scarce. 97% of water is undrinkable. Since Friday, Israel has murdered 493 Palestinians in Gaza and injured 2750. Under international law, Palestinians have the right to defend themselves against this inhumanity.

No. Israel has been waging war on Palestinians since 1947. In the last 75 years, Israel has murdered 100,000 Palestinians and made over 7 million Palestinians refugees. Israel has demolished over 100,000 Palestinian homes and captured nearly 6000 Palestinians. Since Friday, Israel has murdered 493 Palestinians in Gaza and injured 2750. Netanyahu’s statement is nothing new, but as Israeli aggression increases, it is more important than ever that we take action to stand up against it.

The Gaza Strip is 41km long and 10km wide. It is located along the Mediterranean Sea, with a small corridor to Egypt and the rest surrounded by Israel. It has a population of around 2.3 million and is one of the most densely populated places on earth. 70% of the population are refugees from other parts of Palestine. Since 2007, Israel has imposed an inhumane blockade on Gaza by air, land and sea, effectively cutting it off from the rest of the world. This means food, water, medicine and fuel are all scarce. According to the UN, Gaza is unfit for human habitation. 

Hamas is a Palestinian political group. They won the election in 2006. Immediately after this, Israel and the West put a siege on Gaza and refused to recognise Hamas as the elected representatives of the Palestinian people. Hamas has a military wing that believes in defending its people through military means. 

Israel has already started brutally bombing Gaza, murdering over 300 Palestinians in 24 hours. Most importantly, Palestinians now find themselves in a new political reality. 

Israel has a lot of political power in the West. It is seen as part of the western value system, whereas Palestinians are seen as the ‘other’. This means that many Western media outlets typically prioritise Israeli sources and pro-Israeli perspectives. This paints a false narrative of what is happening in Israel and Palestine. It means that many people are not aware of Israel’s ethnic cleansing of Palestinians, which has been ongoing for 75 years.

As explained above, a lot of reporting on Israel and Palestine is one-sided. This means that many people are not aware of Israel’s ethnic cleansing of Palestinians, which has been happening for 75 years. Since 1948 Israel has murdered 100,000 Palestinians and made over 7 million Palestinians refugees. Although many MPs stood up for the right of Ukrainians to live free from occupation and oppression, they have so far failed to do the same for Palestinians. As constituents, we need to use our political power to ask our MPs to stand up for Palestinian human rights.

Al-Aqsa is the holiest mosque in Jerusalem. Israel has been targeting it for takeover for decades. It illegally occupied it in 1967. Some Israeli groups wish to destroy Al-Aqsa and build a Jewish temple in its place. This used to be a fringe movement in Israel but now it’s a mainstream ideology with support from the Israeli government. Israel severely restricts the Palestinians who can visit but allows Israeli settlers to desecrate the holy site. Al-Aqsa is a very important symbol of Palestinian nationhood and culture and it must be protected.

Yes.  Under international law, Palestinians have the fundamental right self-determination, freedom and independence from their oppressor. In Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions of 1949, wars of national liberation were embraced as a right of occupied peoples, like the Palestinians.

Civil society must stand up against this injustice. The law must be applied equally to all. So, Israel’s occupation, apartheid and human rights violations must be condemned.

The practical steps to help bring about justice include:

1) Boycotting companies complicit in Israel's occupation of Palestine. See boycott list

2) Writing to your MP and asking them to condemn the occupation: Write to your MP now

3) Arranging protests and demonstrations calling for justice and an end to Israel’s occupation of Palestine

4) People of faith praying and making dua

5) Sending medical and humanitarian aid

6) Correcting the biased media narrative by writing to editors

7) Submitting petitions signed by hundreds to the media and policymakers

8) Demanding the ICJ investigate Israeli human rights violations

9) Writing op-eds and opinion pieces