Palestine: The Great Return March

Photo from Al Jazeera

Hello everyone. I'm sure you've come across this photo on your social media feed in the past few days. The latest news regarding the man in this iconic photo is that he was injured in an Israeli attack. Unfortunately, his case is not isolated. In the past, you may have come across news about individuals like As Shahid Razan Al Najar, Laila, an eight-month-old baby, journalists, and many more who have lost their lives. This raises the question: What is actually happening? These individuals are not soldiers or members of Al Qassam, so why are they fighting against the Israeli Occupations Forces?

In this post, I will specifically discuss the recent events in Gaza known as the Great Return March (GRM). But before that, let me briefly touch upon the history of the Israeli occupation—when it began and how.

It is a fact that the Jewish people originally did not have their own land. They sought a place to establish a homeland, leading to the World Zionist Movement's demand for land. Eventually, they were granted Palestine as 'their land' through the Balfour Declaration in 1917, during World War I when Palestine was part of the Ottoman Empire. This declaration resulted in Jewish migration to Palestine and subsequent settlement. However, on May 12, 1948, ethnic cleansing occurred—an event known as Nakbah Day or The Catastrophe—and tragically, it coincided with Israel's Independence Day. While Palestine and some countries commemorate Nakbah Day as a remembrance of the harshest day for Palestinians, Israel celebrates it as their freedom in Palestine's land.

Since 1948, Palestinians have endured oppression, and yet some groups call for peace agreements. But what can be expected? Should they sign a peace agreement and let Israel govern their land? Israel has shown no willingness to implement mutual rights. Imagine foreigners coming to our countries, seizing them, displacing us, killing our people, and subjecting our children and women to brutal treatment. Today, Israel exercises complete control over Palestinian social, economic, and political development.

It is no wonder that Palestinians have the strength to stand up and fight against the Israeli Defense Force, even with only stones as weapons. Despite being ordinary individuals without military training, they possess the courage to fight for themselves. Doctors, paramedics, and others have volunteered to join the force in Gaza, particularly in the ongoing Great Return March.

The Great Return March has been ongoing for eight months, starting on March 30, 2018, which is also recognized as Palestine Land Day. It is a continuous protest in which hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees, including men, women, children, elders, and families, march peacefully in the occupied Palestinian territories, primarily in the Gaza Strip. They demand the right to return to their homes from which they were expelled by the Israeli forces, leaving them labeled as 'refugees' by the world. However, this peaceful protest of unarmed Palestinians has been met with brutal Israeli attacks involving live ammunition, tear gas, and rubber-coated steel bullets. Over the past eight months, at least 214 Palestinians have been killed, including 28 children, one woman, two journalists, three paramedics, three differently-abled individuals, and 18,000 have been injured by the Israeli forces.

Palestinian journalist Yasser Murtaja died after being shot by an Israeli sniper. Photo from Al Jazeera

Razan al-Najjar, Palestinian paramedic who was killed by the Israeli Defense Forces while volunteering 

Laila an eight-month-old baby died of tear gas inhalation

This event is undoubtedly a significant and earnest endeavor by Palestinian refugees, driven by their strong desire to reclaim their right to return and break free from the unjust siege imposed on the Gaza Strip for the past 12 years. The Great Return March (GRM) finds its international legal basis in UN Resolution 194, which explicitly calls for the return of Palestinian refugees to their homes and peaceful coexistence with their neighbors. Moreover, various international laws governing refugee rights and universal human rights principles impose an obligation on the international community to support the return of refugees to their land.

GRM also appeals to the United Nations to assume full responsibility for protecting Palestinian refugees and facilitating their return to their rightful Palestinian homeland. After 70 years of colonization and numerous diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict, Palestinians are demanding an end to the oppressive Israeli apartheid occupation. Their impassioned chants echo the sentiment, "We are tired of waiting. We will return under the umbrella of international human rights conventions."

However, with each passing year, their rights seem to fade away, exacerbated by the increasingly harsh stance of American foreign policy. The recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and the official relocation of the American embassy to Jerusalem have further undermined Palestinian rights. Recently, even the Australian government has endorsed this misguided "solution" proposed by the Israeli government.

So, how can we expect the Palestinian to stay quiet?