“Palestinian women are at the forefront of protests in their homeland today, from Naqab to Gaza, defending homes, land and people, and struggling for liberation, justice and peace.”
By the Labour & Palestine Team
News attention on Palestine waxes and wanes. But the struggles of Palestinian women for their human rights and liberation cannot, does not and will not, and for this reason Labour & Palestine is organising an online event in the run up to Labour Women’s Conference 2022 to discuss the current situation and how we expand solidarity.
Last year, the international community and labour movement widely condemned Israel’s militarised violence against the Palestinian people, including the attacking of the Al Aqsa mosque, the forced displacements from Sheikh Jarrah and the deadly assault on Gaza. But not enough attention is paid in the media to the ongoing abuses of the Palestinian people’s rights and what the illegal occupation really means.
The seriousness of the situation facing the people of Palestine is confirmed by the fact that the International Criminal Court is holding an inquiry into abuses committed in the occupied Palestinian Territories since 2014.
Now we must speak up for Palestine again – and ensure it doesn’t slip down the agenda.
In this context of ongoing illegal occupation, Palestinian women are at the forefront of protests in their homeland today, from Naqab to Gaza, defending homes, land and people, and struggling for liberation, justice and peace.
But imagining this is a recent phenomenon, as some commentators do, gives a wrong analysis of the role Palestinian women have played historically.
The reality is that Palestinian women have always played a leading role – from the British mandate, to the Nakba, to the blockade of Gaza Strip and the campaign against Israel’s apartheid wall, to opposing illegal settlements today.
And the role of Palestinian women is critical – from leading community groups and political movements, to building international solidarity and awareness of the Palestinian struggle, to educating the next generation of people there on Palestinian history and steadfastness.
As Labour members who stand with the Palestinian people internationally, our job here is to raise awareness of these and speak up in solidarity with the women of Palestine, the Palestinian people as a whole and their fundamental rights, including to self-determination.
In this context, Labour must build on – not step back from – its commitments to immediate recognition of the state of Palestine and an end to the blockade, occupation and settlements as outlined in the 2017 and 2019 manifestos, and in the motions passed by the Party’s annual conferences in 2018, 2019 and 2021.
Labour and Palestine will be facilitating an important online discussion on these issues on March 14th – between International Women’s Day and Labour Women’s Conference – please register and join us!
- This article was originally published by Labour Hub on March 4th, 2021 here.
- Join Labour Women Speak Up for Palestine on Monday, March 14th with live link from Palestine with Samia Al-Botmeh, Birzeit University… Plus Ryvka Barnard, Deputy Director, Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Beth Winter MP & more! Register here.
- You can follow Labour & Palestine on Facebook and twitter.
