On October 7, 2023, many teenagers learned about the killing and displacement of millions in Palestine, and were infuriated. As a way to speak out about it, many have reposted information and statistics about it on social media. However, this is not enough to end the atrocities in Palestine.
The takeover of Palestine has been occurring for 77 years. It is the result of financial, political, and social support from powerful nations like the United States and Britain. Palestinians already lived in the area, but for decades, the takeover has been claiming the land with extreme force. This force ranges from brutal military occupation of Palestinian communities, and recently, bombing and withholding aid from them that would save lives on the brink of death.
It will need collective action and total disruption to take it down. Posting about it online is a necessary way to change the narrative about Palestine and restrict the oppressors’ access to money and resources. However, we need to add more to this to effect more change.
Donating, boycotting, communicating with elected officials, and working with others are some of the ways we can make greater contributions to Palestinian liberation, and I will discuss them in this article.
It is also important that we act on solutions once we know about them. If we say that we want violence to end and we want Palestinians to be treated with human respect, then we need to act on it and contribute to these goals, or else we will become cowardly and have trouble respecting and loving ourselves.
We have a responsibility to ourselves to help free Palestine, and we especially have a responsibility to Palestinians.
First, donations. It is critically important to relocate money to Palestinians. Their opposition is already receiving our money.
The United States government has been funding Israel’s military for 63 years, and from 2023 to 2024 alone, it gave 17.9 billion dollars. Since this is a government action, the money comes from our taxes. On the website, Not My Tax Dollars, users can see how much taxpayer money per city is being used for weapons, and what other community needs it could be used for, like groceries, healthcare, and housing.
Since we cannot directly control where our tax money goes, it is critical that we send money to benefit Palestinians. GoFundMe is a great way to do this. Many Palestinians have created GoFundMe pages to pay for basic survival needs like food, healthcare, and shelter, all of which have skyrocketed in price. The organization Let’s Talk Palestine has a rotating list of GoFundMe pages on their website.
Elected officials play powerful roles in ending the violence against Palestinians. They can vote to stop sending weapons and other financial aid to Israel. People have won campaigns by scheduling meetings with their representatives, sending them letters, and planning protests. On their website, the advocacy group US Campaign for Palestinian Rights has detailed steps of action you can take.
As simple as it seems, talking to another person about Palestine can help too. Many people are not taking action to end the genocide because they do not understand what is happening, or because they have conflicting feelings about taking action. The organization Protect Palestine has a guide for speaking to people we care about. It stresses being understanding and kind while also relaying the seriousness of the situation.
Informing other people about what’s happening in Palestine is a crucial step for them to take action. To help people feeling stuck, sharing our feelings about taking action and how we overcome fear and other challenges can aid them.
We also have the knowledge and wisdom of activists to support us. Current and deceased activists like Bisan Owda and June Jordan have fought against the occupation of Palestine. Their offerings can aid us in our struggle.
Relying on each other is crucial for us to build strength, and that strength helps the movement.
As you work, remember that every step is a sweet one that honors the collective want and need for a free Palestine. Let us work now, so when Palestine is free, our descendants will not ask us why we did not contribute.