SINCE the attacks by armed Palestinian groups on Israeli communities on 7th October, and the violence that has followed by the Israeli military in Gaza, we are being flooded with statistics showing us the scale of what is happening in Gaza. Its important to note that October 7th was not the beginning, and behind the numbers there are people with stories.
I’ve had the privilege and the honour of hearing these stories, and I have just returned after spending time as a human rights monitor with the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI). The program is rooted in what’s called ‘principled impartiality’ – which means the organisation is neither pro-Israeli nor pro-Palestinian, but grounded in human rights and international humanitarian law.
My time was mostly spent in the Bethlehem Governoranate of occupied Palestine throughout the Spring of this year. I heard so many stories from so many people, but I want to tell you one story I heard from an elderly woman.
She was attempting to get home one evening after work on a small public bus, but when she approached her village, the Israeli military had closed the entrance, which meant no one could enter or leave. The woman got out of the bus, and walked through the Palestinian agricultural lands which lead to the village. Like much of the West Bank, agricultural lands in the Bethlehem Governornate are surrounded by Israeli settlements. The settlements, are supported by the Israeli government, built on occupied Palestinian land and for use by Jewish-Israelis only. These settlements are illegal under international law.
Palestinian agricultural land
Whilst the woman was walking, a car approached and stopped in front of her, blocking her path. Two settlers with sticks got out of the car and told her “not to continue to the village.” She replied: “This is my land, I can go here.” The settlers started hitting her legs with the sticks. The woman kept walking, but the settlers followed her and continued to hit her all over her body, whilst shouting things at her. Eventually the settlers drove away, and the woman suffered from severe bruising.
The following day, she went to the Israeli police station to report this, but when she was brought in for a statement, the police told her the computer was broken and she wouldn’t be able to file a complaint. The woman told them about her bruises, to which they said: “It was your husband who did this to you.” She explained she didn’t have a husband, and even showed her ID to prove this, but the police didn't say anything to this. So she left without being able to report the crime.
Since 7th October and the military incursion of Gaza, settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank has increased. The Israeli Minister of National security, Itamar Ben Gvir, distributed semi- automatic weapons to Israeli settlers shortly after 7th October. A study carried out by Israeli organisation Peace Now states that there were eight new settlements created in 2022, 28 in 2023 and so far in 2024 there have been 16 established. In early July, Israeli authorities approved planning for a new settlement to be established in the heart of five villages west of Bethlehem, home to around 25,000 Palestinians. The Israeli human rights organisation, B’Tselem states, “the Israeli apartheid regime and its representatives actively aid and abet the settlers’ violence as part of a strategy to cement the takeover of Palestinian land.”
On the 19th July, the International Court of Justice ruled that Israel’s occupation of Palestine is “unlawful and must end as rapidly as possible.” This includes dismantling the settlements and removing settlers from Palestine. This is a great step in encouraging countries to take action to bring about a ceasefire and an end to the occupation.
We as individuals can also take action. Each of us have an extremely important part to play in helping end the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
Here are some things you can do:
You can sign these petitions calling for a ceasefire in Gaza: https://www.oxfam.org.uk/get-involved/campaign-with-oxfam/gaza-israel-crisis-sign-petition-call- for-ceasefire-now/
https://www.amnesty.org.uk/actions/ceasefirenow
You can follow and promote Palestinian voices and stories on social media:
Al-Haq: https://x.com/alhaq_org
We are not Numbers: https://x.com/WeAreNotNumbers
Badil: https://x.com/BADIL_Center
Gaza Poets: https://www.instagram.com/gazapoets/?hl=en
Read eye-witness stories from EAPPI’s human rights monitors in the West Bank:
https://www.eyewitnessblogs.com/
You can follow Israeli peace organisations:
Peace Now: https://x.com/peacenowisrael
B’Tselem: https://x.com/btselem
Breaking the Silence: https://x.com/BtSIsrael
If you want to find out more information on Palestine:
https://www.instagram.com/letstalkpalestine/ (Let’s talk about Palestine also has podcasts on Spotify)
You can fill in this quick and easy form that sends an email to your MP demanding a ceasefire and to stop arming Israel:
https://palestinecampaign.eaction.online/ceasefireMPdebate
If you are interested in hearing me speak about my experience in Palestine or you want to find our more information, please get in touch with me! My email is megansethuraman77@gmail.com
