Dear Friends,
If 2022 had a theme, it would be violence. We have seen an escalating, unrelenting, and painful new norm in the Occupied West Bank, where the Israeli army acts with total impunity and settlers are modern day vigilantes, claiming land, rights and possessions which are not theirs to take. But most shocking of all, is the number of children that have been killed in 2022. Over 40 Palestinian children have died, and nearly 780 detained over the past year. From night time raids to hidden snipers, children are dying at the hands of the occupation, and we know that we have to act now.
According to International law, children must be protected and special measures have to be taken to ensure their safety and security at all times. Additionally, special protections are applied to all civilians living under occupation. This is why our campaign focus for 2023 will be to highlight the devastating effects of the occupation on our children, and ways that the International community can and must help to protect them. From demolition orders hanging over communities and school buildings, to undocumented arrests of minors, to live ammunition used against children, we will work together to stop this shameful aggression, and demand accountability for the loss of every single child. These deaths are not inevitable, we must act now.
But for today, we end the year with a positive story. This weekend, our first ever class of the ‘Combatants for Peace Freedom School’ in Palestine graduated. 24 young people aged between 17 - 28, from Ramallah, Nablus, Safit, Jericho and Hebron have been attending our unique program for the past six months, exploring themes including trust building, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict narrative, community activism, and personal storytelling. Through tours, workshops and classes, the participants worked through difficult emotions and tough questions in order to envisage peace, and have the tools and knowledge to reject violence while actively resisting oppression. Graduate Alaa’ Arafat from Nablus told us;
“In this program, I’ve learned so many valuable lessons. I learned how to fight for my rights without being aggressive and violent. I realized that in every conflict, I should consider the suffering of both sides and not just mine. I’ve learned to respect and accept the other, respect our differences and beliefs. We visited many villages in the West Bank that are under threat to be demolished or confiscated by the Israeli occupation forces. We also had sessions about the importance of social media, public speaking and how to enhance our communication skills.”
We are so proud of the entire graduating class, as well as their course leaders, trainers and guides - they truly are the light in the dark, and our hope for the future.
From all of us at Combatants for Peace, we would like to wish all those celebrating a very happy Hannukah, a merry Christmas, and a New Year cheers to strength and hope for a peaceful, just and better 2023.
In Peace & Solidarity from Israel/Palestine,
