Frontlines to Big Greens: Stand with us in calling for #Ceasefire now and Justice for Palestine

By Hendrik Voss - It Takes Roots, October 31, 2023

Over 2 million Palestinian people have suffered under a 16 year blockade on Gaza and now endure a complete siege, as Israel bombs, starves, and displaces them. Israel has cut off food, water, and electricity to Gaza and has engaged in bombing of residential buildings, markets, schools, health facilities, and mosques – all with the support of the United States and other governments. Palestinians are forced between two decisions, stay and try to survive, or try to flee into exile, but will never see their home again. Our solidarity as environmental justice and human rights defenders globally is vital, as we are witnessing genocide before our eyes. Israel is the largest recipient of U.S. foreign assistance at $3.8 billion a year, totaling more than $260 billion to date. Five of the top six global defense corporations based in the United States are profiting from and enabling the ongoing bombardment against Palestinians in Gaza.

As environmental justice frontline communities that have experienced violence and displacement at the hands of settler-colonialism, we stand in unwavering solidarity with the Palestinian freedom struggle for self-determination and to live freely with their human rights fully intact on their lands.

Our It Takes Roots alliances comprise over 200 groups in more than 50 states, provinces and Indigenous territories across North America, Puerto Rico and Guåhan. Since the beginning of the most recent escalation in the 75-year history of settler-colonialism and violence across historic Palestine, many of our members have drawn upon their extensive grassroots organizing experience and we have taken our grief and outrage to the streets, into the halls of Congress, engaged in direct action, and educated our communities. Together, we continue our practice of international solidarity, and call for an end to the siege of Gaza, and an end to the occupation.

Further, we call on the larger environmental and climate movement to stand with frontline and Indigenous Movements around the world by calling for a ceasefire, an end to all violence and warfare, insisting that Israel allow humanitarian aid into Gaza, and calling on our governments to refuse to send any additional weapons or funding to the Israeli military. Now is the time to build on our cross-sector relationships, and to appeal to all our partners and allies who might still be on the sidelines, to join the international struggle for a free Palestine. We must build momentum to prevent further loss of life.

Life is sacred. We mourn the devastating loss of all Palestinian and Israeli lives, and all casualties of colonialism and rising militarism around the world. It Takes Roots is determined to continue our work for justice and peace at home and globally. Liberation of one is only possible with the liberation of all.

Additional Resources:

• Arab Resource and Organizing Center Statement
• Climate Justice Alliance Statement 
• Grassroots Global Justice Alliance Statement
• Grassroots International Statement
• Jewish Voice for Peace Statement
• La Via Campesina Call to Action
• Michigan Environmental Justice Coalition
• Movement for Black Lives Statement 
• Rising Majority Statement

Emergency funds are urgently needed. To move resources directly to Palestine, we recommend moving funds to Grassroots International, who has long-term relationships in the region and a commitment to movement-building. They are moving funding in limited ways right now, and are poised to move large-scale funding to Gaza as soon as it is possible, and to support groups impacted by repression in the 1948 lands, Jerusalem, and the West Bank. Additional resources:

• Middle East Children’s Alliance
• Medical Aid for Palestinians
• Rawa Fund (Palestinian fund)

Move emergency funds to Palestinian/Arab/Muslim-led diaspora organizing in the U.S.:

• Arab Resource Organizing Center (Bay Area, GGJ-ITR member)
• Palestinian Youth Movement (national, GGJ-ITR member)
• Adalah Justice Project (national)
• U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights (national)
• Arab American Action Network (Chicago)

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are not the official position of the IWW (or even the IWW’s EUC) and do not necessarily represent the views of anyone but the author.