More than 300 Ukrainian scholars, activists, and artists have come together to express their solidarity with the Palestinian people in an open letter. The letter addresses the ongoing Israeli military occupation, settler colonial violence, ethnic cleansing, and apartheid that Palestinians have endured for 75 years. The signatories reject divisions and affirm their solidarity with all oppressed individuals and groups fighting for freedom.
The letter emphasizes the condemnation of attacks on civilian populations, whether it be Israelis attacked by Hamas or Palestinians targeted by Israeli occupation forces. The deliberate targeting of civilians is condemned as a war crime. However, the letter also argues that such attacks do not justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people, nor do they justify the ongoing occupation. The signatories echo multiple UN resolutions, stating that lasting peace can only be achieved with justice for the Palestinian people.
The letter highlights the historical context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, pointing out that Israel’s colonial expansion and encroachment on Palestinian land predates the existence of Hamas. It references the Nakba of 1948, in which more than 700,000 Palestinians were displaced from their homes and villages were destroyed. The ongoing oppression includes apartheid-like conditions in the occupied West Bank and a blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip since 2006, which has resulted in growing poverty and deprivation.
The letter also draws attention to the recent escalation of violence, particularly in the Gaza Strip. It notes the high death toll and the disproportionate impact on women and children. The signatories condemn Israel’s bombing of schools, residential areas, churches, and hospitals, as well as the cutting off of essential supplies like water, electricity, and fuel. The collapse of the healthcare system and severe shortages of food and medicine are also highlighted.
The open letter criticizes the Western and Israeli media for justifying these deaths as collateral damage in the fight against Hamas, while remaining silent on Palestinian civilians targeted and killed in the occupied West Bank. It provides statistics on the number of Palestinian casualties and political prisoners, emphasizing the need for an immediate end to the ongoing occupation.
The signatories express their solidarity with the Palestinian people based on their own experiences of occupation and violence in Ukraine. They call on fellow Ukrainians and people worldwide to support the Palestinian cause, condemning the Ukrainian government’s unconditional support for Israel’s military actions. They argue that this support contradicts Ukraine’s commitment to human rights and its own fight against Russian invasion.
The letter also rejects Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, and the “war on terror” rhetoric used to justify war crimes and violations of international law. It urges the implementation of a ceasefire and calls on the Israeli government to stop attacks on civilians, lift the siege on Gaza, and recognize the right of Palestinian displaced people to return to their lands. The Ukrainian government is called upon to condemn state-sanctioned terror and humanitarian blockades against the Palestinian population and to reject the equating of Palestinians and Ukrainians in the media.
The open letter concludes by emphasizing the need for global solidarity with both the people of Ukraine and Palestine, urging the international community to unite against oppression and injustice.
