"From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free."

On Oct. 07, 2023, the world was shocked when Hamas and several other Palestinian militant groups have attacked Israel. Rockets that are counted 3,000 were launched into Israel, causing the death of the 1,139 people. For what was seen as an unprovoked attack from Hamas, it was actually the result of an unacceptable agreement that rendered the Palestinians dispossession of their own land.

1948

After the World War II, the Jews were granted to emigrate to Palestine. The request was brought after the survivors and refugees were rendered no shelter after the destruction brought to them by the war. While Jewish people were joyed with the possibility to establish their national homeland, the Palestinian people were maddened, and rightfully so, by the fact that the land they once had control over with is now being taken away from them.

1967

The 1967 war has played a significant part in what we call now as the Palestine-Israel conflict. It was the year where Israel took control of the West Bank through occupying the land. Enforcing restrictions on Palestinian activities and denying Palestinians their rightful claim to the land. Israel launched a full-blown strike against Egypt and Syria, its neighboring Arab states to put forward intimidation. Which what we know today as the Six Day War.

1973

The infamous Yom Kippur War took place on October of 1973 in which the battle between Israel and other Arab states occurred. Ending with Israel successfully occupying Sinai Peninsula and Golan Heights.

1982

Israel conquered Lebanon which resulted for Palestinians to flee by the sea after a 10-week siege.

IS THERE ANY PEACE PROCESS

In 1993, there have been a negotiation that took place between the then Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and the Palestinian political leader Yasser Arafat, to which what we know as the Oslo Accords. The Oslo process was the peace process that aimed to have Israel recognize the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) as the representative of the Palestinian people and to have the Palestine recognize Israel.

The peace process was never pushed through when Rabin was assassinated in 1995 by an Israeli extremist who strongly opposed his peace initiative.

DAMAGE THAT THE CONFLICT HAS DONE

As of June 09, there had been 36,801 total of people killed and 83,680 injured as a result of the war. The death toll in Israel, on the other hand, stands at 1,139.

On June 08, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) attacked the Nuseirat Camp where thousands of refugees temporarily reside. Killing 210 Palestinians and wounding 400 more. According to reporters, the attack was carried out for Israel to rescue the four captives that was held in Nuseirat Camp, in which they succeeded in doing.

This tragic incident is only one of those unfortunate events that occurred and will continue to occur if the conflict is not ceased.

The slogan has been receiving backlash and has been a subject of criticism. How does a slogan that speaks and cries for the liberation of an oppressed people came to mean it aims for the destruction of that of the other country? In accord with Yousef Munayyer, the head of the Palestine-Israel program at the Arab Center Washington D.C., the phrase calls for the freedom of the Palestinian people in the territory between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. It refers to the lack of freedom of the Palestinian people and how that needs to change. Just because people cry for their freedom does not mean they cry for the destruction of the other. A country’s self-determination does not need to be attained at the expense of the other. Some people interpret it as something that calls for the removal of Israelis to the land, some see it as a call to destroy Israel in order for Palestinians to attain a single Palestinian state. I say, it is a call for the freedom and liberation of the oppressed people.

I AM JUST AN ORDINARY CITIZEN OF MY COUNTRY; HOW CAN I HELP?

As a student that also sometimes asked herself this question, how can I help? What can I do to somehow alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people?

Well, one, you can boycott all the companies that are involved in the wrongdoings of Israel. Boycotting is an act of refraining one’s self from purchasing, patronizing, and utilizing a company’s products, services, and system. How? Let me first list down the companies and how they contribute to the Israel’s #GazaGenocide.

1. McDonalds

2. Burger King

3. Pizza Hut

4. Google

5. Amazon

6. Caltex

7. Disney

8. Airbnb

9. Starbucks

“McDonald’s ensures positive employee and customer experience in the Israeli market going forward”, said Jo Sempels, the president of international developmental licensed markets.

Burger King Israel profit off the genocide of Palestinians by providing food and drinks to Israeli militants.

Pizza Hut Israel reposted an Instagram post showing two Israeli soldiers holding Pizza Hut pizza boxes, hinting that the chain provides meals, free meals at that to the contributors to the genocide.

In May 2021, Google Cloud and Amazon Web Services signed a $1.22 billion contract which obligated them to provide cloud technology to the Israeli government and military. This helps the oppressors to easily navigate their way through violating the rights of the Palestinian people. You might say, 'oh no, Google is a need though. I use it whenever I need to search about something.’ Well, there’s an alternative like Microsoft Bing which offers the similar service so there is no excuse.

The multinational corporation of Chevron which includes Caltex is claimed by apartheid Israel. They generate huge amount of revenues which strengthens the Israel’s apartheid system even to the point of depriving the Palestinian people of their power over their natural resources.

The CEO of The Walt Disney Company, Bob Iger said “In the wake of the horrific terrorist attacks targeting Jews in Israel this past weekend, we must all do what we can to support the innocent people experiencing so much pain, violence, and uncertainty.” How ironic.

Airbnb operates in the stolen land of West Bank, which basically means they sustain the illegal settlements of the Israelis, they maintain the ongoing human rights violations. They cannot claim they do not support the genocide by saying the profits generated from their operations are donated to charities. One, there would be no need for them donating those revenues to the victims of the conflict if they do not contribute to the unlawful activities in the first place.

Starbucks. It is undeniable how #BoycottStarbucks have impacted this coffee chain. Despite the company denying the rumors of providing financial support to the Israeli governments, still why does people continue boycotting Starbucks? It is because when the Starbucks Workers United posted in their social media account showing their support for Palestine, the company sued the union stating it damages the company’s reputation. The coffee chain clearly does not support those that support Palestine, they clearly do not support the liberation of the oppressed people.

There are many other companies that do support the genocide of Gaza. It must be inherently within us to know and be aware of each and every single one of them in order to stop contributing to the ongoing violation of human rights in the form of genocide of Israel.

The ordinary citizens from around the globe can either contribute or reduce the suffering of their fellow human being. You can choose to provide something that helps alleviate other people’s sufferings or you can choose to contribute to their sufferings. Nothing in between.

Palestinian people are deprived of a voice that screams for their wellbeing. It is in our power that they can even be helped. The power to stop their sufferings are in the hands of those fortunate enough to let their voices be heard. The Palestinian people does not aim to destroy nor ruin other state like them, but it hopes, sets its heart on, and yearns for a free, liberated, and self-determining nation which they never get to taste even after 75 years.