We stand firmly against injustice in all its forms. Nothing can justify the current war crimes committed by Israel in occupied Palestine. Equally, nothing can excuse the continued support offered by other nations to this apartheid regime. If you believe in human rights, dignity, and justice, then we urge you to boycott this rogue state. Silence is complicity, do what’s right.
They shone with hope and joy, each in their own way Gaza’s children as they were in life: photographic tributes found on the web
This video shows, along with their name and age, some of the many children killed since Oct 7 in Gaza, drawing on pictorial tributes from their… pic.twitter.com/3vyBAYX6hF
(Scene: A quiet, moonlit night in a devastated Palestinian street. Mo’ath Amarnih, newly released from an Israeli prison, sits on a crumbling wall. His face is gaunt, his body frail, and his prosthetic eye reflects the dim glow of the streetlights. He shivers, not from the cold, but from the memories that refuse to leave him. Handala, the eternal 10-year-old Palestinian boy with his back turned, appears beside him, silent but listening.)
Handala:(softly) Mo’ath, you made it out.
Mo’ath:(bitter chuckle) Out? Am I out, Handala? My body walks these streets, but my soul is still shackled in that cell. I still feel the chains on my wrists, the boots on my ribs, the hunger gnawing at my insides. I hear the screams—theirs and mine.
Handala: I have seen many leave, but they never truly escape. They carry the prison with them. What did they do to you?
Mo’ath: What didn’t they do? They starved us, beat us until our bones felt like dust. They stripped us of our dignity, of our names, of our very humanity. They made us drink water from toilets like animals. They laughed as they smeared our wounds with dirt, as they watched our bodies shrivel. And when the scabies spread, they let it fester, let us scratch until we bled.
Handala: They think they can break you.
Mo’ath:(looking away) They have. My mother wept when she saw me, but I couldn’t even let her touch me. “Stay away,” I told her. I don’t know what filth they left inside me, what disease still crawls beneath my skin. Do you know what it feels like to fear your own mother’s embrace?
Handala: I know what it means to be robbed of love, to be turned into a shadow of yourself.
Mo’ath: They did worse than just starve us. They laughed as they tortured us. They violated us in ways I cannot speak of. Grown men wept like children, praying for death that never came. And they watched. They enjoyed it, Handala. They enjoyed it.
(Silence. The wind carries the distant sound of gunfire. Mo’ath closes his eyes, trying to push the memories away.)
Handala: They think pain will make you forget why you fight.
Mo’ath:(whispers) But it only carves it deeper into my bones.
Handala: And yet, you still speak. You still stand.
Mo’ath: What choice do I have? If I stay silent, they win. If I give up, they win. So I speak, even if my voice shakes. I walk, even if my legs barely hold me. But Handala… I am so tired.
Handala: You are tired, but you are not alone.
Mo’ath: Then tell me, Handala… when does it end?
Handala: When the land is free, when the prisoners return home without shackles, when the children no longer have to carry their fathers’ burdens.
Mo’ath: Will I live to see it?
Handala:(pauses) I don’t know. But even if you don’t, your voice will. Your suffering will not be forgotten.
Mo’ath: Then promise me one thing.
Handala: Anything.
Mo’ath: Never stop turning your back on this world until it finally sees us. Until it finally listens.
Handala:(nods) I never have. And I never will.
(Mo’ath exhales, a breath that feels like the weight of centuries. The night stretches on, but somewhere in the darkness, a new dawn waits.)
Racism is universally condemned, but antisemitism “uniqueness” debate has become sterile and constitutes an “intellectual terrorism”. The question is why? Does suffering from racism have universal or unique feelings?
In contemporary society, racism remains a pervasive and deeply ingrained issue that continues to shape individual experiences, societal structures, and global dynamics. While the concept of racism is widely acknowledged, its uniqueness lies in its multifaceted nature, encompassing historical, cultural, institutional, and individual dimensions. Understanding the complexity of racism requires a nuanced examination of its various manifestations and impacts across different contexts.
One distinctive aspect of racism is its historical roots, which span centuries and have influenced the development of societies worldwide. From colonialism and slavery to apartheid, theft of land, illegal settlements and segregation, the legacies of these oppressive systems continue to shape social hierarchies, power dynamics, and intergroup relations. The enduring effects of historical injustices underscore the interconnectedness of past and present forms of racism, highlighting the need for acknowledgment, reconciliation, and reparative actions to achieve freedom, justice and peace.
Furthermore, racism manifests differently across diverse cultural, ethnic, and national contexts, reflecting unique historical, political, and social dynamics. While overt forms of racism, such as explicit discrimination and hate crimes, are widely condemned, subtler manifestations persist in the form of systemic inequalities, microaggressions, and unconscious biases. These covert expressions of racism often perpetuate structural barriers and reinforce existing power imbalances, making them challenging to identify and address.
Moreover, racism operates at both the institutional and individual levels, influencing policies, practices, and attitudes within various social institutions. Institutions such as education, healthcare, criminal justice, and employment often reflect and perpetuate racial disparities, resulting in unequal access to opportunities, resources, and services for marginalized groups. Concurrently, individual attitudes and beliefs about race shape interpersonal interactions, perceptions, and behaviors, contributing to the reproduction of racial stereotypes, prejudices, and discrimination.
The uniqueness of racism also lies in its intersectionality, as it intersects with other forms of oppression, including sexism, classism, ableism, and homophobia. Individuals who belong to multiple marginalized groups often experience compounded forms of discrimination, amplifying their vulnerability and limiting their access to social, economic, and political opportunities. Intersectional approaches to combating racism recognize the interconnected nature of oppression and advocate for inclusive strategies that address the intersecting dimensions of identity and inequality.
In confronting the uniqueness of racism, efforts to dismantle systemic racism require a comprehensive and multifaceted approach that addresses its root causes, structural dynamics, and intersecting inequalities. This includes implementing anti-racist policies, promoting diversity and inclusion, fostering intercultural understanding, and challenging institutionalized forms of discrimination and above all ending oppression, theft and occupation of others’ land.
Additionally, fostering empathy, allyship, and solidarity across racial and ethnic lines is essential for building collective resistance against racism and advancing social justice.
Recognizing the uniqueness of racism requires acknowledging its complexity, diversity, and enduring impact on individuals, communities, and societies. By confronting racism in all its forms and dimensions, we can work towards creating a more equitable, inclusive, and just world for all future generations without exemption.
On the hand, the exploitation of the concept of the “uniqueness of racism” by certain groups to perpetuate discrimination against other minorities is often regarded as a form of bullying and intellectual terrorism. This manipulation can lead to the intimidation of individuals, risking their employment and stifling their ability to speak out against apartheid, discrimination, injustice, and the fight for freedom.
Discussing the truth about Israeli atrocities in Gaza should be welcomed, respected, and supported as a means to aid the oppressed and hold perpetrators of genocide accountable. Exposing these truths should not be met with punishment or labeled as antisemitism or extremism.
A distinctly Palestinian black-and-white chequered piece of cloth, the keffiyeh is described by some as the nation’s unofficial flag. Long synonymous with the Palestinian cause, the simple square-metre fabric, traditionally folded diagonally into a triangle and worn draped over the head of rural Palestinian men, is today securely fashioned around the necks of human rights activists, anti-war protesters, sports stars and celebrities; transcending gender, religion and nationality. To read more, follow the link:
