Palestinians: A Struggle for Survival in a World Turned Away
By: Rifat Kassis
The Palestinian people, like many nations throughout history—Americans under British rule, the French during Nazi occupation, Indians under British imperialism, Algiers under French occupation, and others—find themselves under the iron grip of ruthless military occupation. Israel, the occupying power, imposes a regime of oppression and apartheid that denies Palestinians all their fundamental rights, among them to live in dignity and freedom.
For decades, Palestinians have employed every method in their pursuit of liberation. They have taken up arms in resistance, but violence has led only to further devastation.They have committed to non-violence, hoping that the world would recognize their humanity, yet the global community remains largely indifferent. Appeals to the United Nations and international community have been met with hollow promises, resolutions that remain unenforced, and a paralyzed institution incapable of holding Israel accountable. They have turned to international courts in search of justice, only to discover that these courts are designed to prosecute the powerless, not the powerful.
Today, the situation grows increasingly dire. Israel now targets cities like Jenin and Tulkarem with the same military force it uses against Gaza, using starvation, tanks and launching airstrikes that violate international law by targeting protected civilian populations. The Palestinian Authority, weakened and powerless, cannot defend its people. Israel, as the occupying power, shirks its obligations under international law, choosing instead to deepen its hegemony and crimes.
The United States and Europe continue to supply Israel with finance, weapons, and political cover, ensuring that the genocide endures unchallenged. Meanwhile, the United Nations remains ineffective, incapable of enforcing its own resolutions. The Arab and Muslim worlds have proven too weak or disinterested to offer meaningful support.
In this grim reality, Palestinians are left with haunting questions: What can we do? Where can we go? How can we act? The world has turned its back, leaving Palestinians to either be killed in their homeland or face forced displacement yet again. It is a cruel world indeed, where justice is a distant dream and the struggle for freedom is met with silence.
In the face of this relentless violence and dehumanization, where even the very essence of our humanity is denied by those who call us “human animals,” I have lost faith in the capacity of countries, politicians, diplomats, religious institutions, and the international community to halt the ongoing genocide and ethnic cleansing against us.
The persistent failure of these entities to act against the brutality inflicted upon Palestinians has driven me to seek refuge in a final, desperate appeal: I call upon animal rights protection organizations and movements to extend their compassion to us, to spare our lives, and to protect us from the genocide that looms over us. In a world where human rights are disregarded, perhaps the basic instinct to protect life, even that of animals, might awaken some semblance of action to prevent our annihilation.
Let us pray:
Join us in praying for the liberation of the Palestinian people. We pray the occupation of East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza will be brought to an end. Lord God, we are reminded of the truth that none of us are able to experience true liberation, equality, and human rights while any group is living under oppression and injustice. We pray for an end to the suffering of all people in the Holy Land – especially those living under military occupation and control. We pray for all Palestinians and Israelis who have lost loved ones over the past 11 months of war between Israelis and Hamas. And we pray for a breakthrough that would finally allow for the Palestinian people to be seen and treated as equals alongside their Israeli neighbors. We long for Jewish people in Israel and all Israelis to feel safe and secure and for Palestinians to experience the full protection of international law and the preservation of human dignity. Prince of Peace reminds us in the midst of such violence and devastation that peace is possible, and justice will prevail. In the name of Christ. Amen.
About the Author: Rifat Kassis has been a leading figure and expert in the Palestinian, regional, and international child rights community for over twenty-five years. He founded the first child rights organization in Palestine in 1991 and was the elected President of the International Executive Council of Defense for Children International in Geneva for seven years. For eight years, he ran the Palestinian section of DCI, and during this period, he founded the DCI movement in the Arab World.