A message to World Leaders:Stop the aggression against Gaza

Since the beginning of the war on Gaza, every day, we lose a precious part of ourselves as the pool of blood expands, claiming more lives of defenceless Palestinian civilians. It is our moral duty to help preserve life and the livelihood of people in our beloved Gaza. Consequently, thousands of events around the world have been organised and continue denouncing the brutal Zionist aggression against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and, to a lesser extent, in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. These events include loud demonstrations with angry chants condemning the world’s silence and lack of aid for the defenceless Palestinian people. Seminars and lectures have been held explaining the crimes of the occupation and the ugliness of the aggression. Additionally, we created documentaries, revolutionary songs, and innovative designs in fashion and food that express the suffering of the Palestinian people and the solidarity of their supporters. Collecting donations and sending them to institutions and individuals in the Gaza Strip has been a cornerstone of the Palestinian people’s legendary resilience that allowed to continue to survive. In addition to these efforts, spiritual supplications to God (Allah) for support and strength were made. Despite the predominantly Muslim population of Palestine and mosques worldwide called upon God to ease their distress, other religious groups, including Christians, Jews, Buddhists, and indigenous peoples in Australia and Latin America, also offered prayers for peace and relief from suffering for the Palestinian people. There has been numerous articles and studies written about the arrogance of the Zionist military machine against civilians, and specific measures that must be taken were discussed with members of the municipal and parliamentary councils, government officials, as well as human rights organizations, medical and relief services. Petitions were written, signatures were collected and sent to the political frameworks in the country. Unfortunately, as the war continues, it led some to negatively assess democracy and the ability of people to influence political decisions, especially in Western countries. This has caused participation rates in demonstrations, fundraising campaigns, and other support activities for the beloved Gaza Strip to fall alarmingly. While we continue to participate in activities supporting Palestine, we also study the experiences of other peoples and learn from them. We re-read Palestinian history to search for creative ideas to help end the war on our people. Recently, I read the book *Documents of the Palestinian National Movement 1918-1939: From the Papers of Akram Zuaiter*, published by the Institute for Palestine Studies in 1984. This book is considered one of the most important sources of Palestinian documents from the British Mandate period. The documents are arranged in chronological order. It also covers the period of British military rule from 1918 to 1922, one of the most complex historical periods due to the scarcity of information sources. What caught my attention most was the activity of Palestinian communities in Latin American countries and the United States. According to these documents, they held demonstrations, seminars, and filed petitions within their countries as early as 1919. Perhaps there are other documents I have yet to see. However, they did not limit themselves to local activities. They recognized the need to do more, and despite the slow communication methods of the time, such as telegrams and postal messages, they used them extensively. The Palestinian community in El Salvador sent telegrams to numerous kings, presidents, and religious leaders. This is detailed in Document No. 9: The Palestinian Community in San Salvador, pages 8-11. The Palestinian community in New York explained the dangers of the Zionist project, arguing that it is contrary to justice and inconsistent with Christian religious texts. They compiled statements from opponents of the Zionist project into a booklet and sent it to important figures in the United States and Western European countries. This is detailed in Document No. 99: The Palestine National Assembly in New York, pages 196-199. The Palestinian community in Chile sent a letter to the Palestinian delegation participating in the London conference, expressing support and urging Western countries to recognize this delegation as the representative of all Palestinians and to assist in achieving its goals. This is detailed in Document No. 151: Telegram from the Palestinian Association in Chile to the Palestinian Arab Delegation in London, page 306. Hence, I call on all associations and individuals from the Palestinian, Arab, and Islamic communities, as well as leftist movements, indigenous associations, human rights organizations, religious institutions, and legal entities, to send a brief telegram to world leaders. To every person you believe can help stop the war, we must send a concise message.