In times like these, I frequently get asked “what can I do to help Gaza/Palestine”. I created this comprehensive document in response. Note: it does not merely include charities to donate to as I believe that while crucial, charity is also palliative. It must be accompanied with action.
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP
Educate
Knowledge is power, so my first suggestion is always to start by educating yourself-and then others. This could be as simple as starting a conversation with a neighbor, a supper club about Palestine, or a community event. There is no shortage of excellent resources.
Here are a few:
- IMEU: The Institute for Middle East Understanding: www.imeu.org (The Institute for Middle East Understanding)
- The Electronic Intifada: electronicintifada.net (The Electronic Intifada
- Mondoweiss: www.mondoweiss.net (Mondoweiss)
- AlJazeera, Plus & Labs: www.aljazeera.com (Al Jazeera) – Al Jazeera offers various sections on their website, including Al Jazeera Plus and Al Jazeera Labs.
- Visualizing Palestine: www.visualizingpalestine.org
- UNRWA USA: www.unrwausa.org (UNRWA USA – The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East)
- We Are Not Numbers: wearenotnumbers.org
- Adalah: www.adalah.org (Adalah is the Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel)
- Al-Mezan: www.mezan.org (Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights)
- B’tselem: www.btselem.org (B’tselem – The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories)
- Zochrot: www.zochrot.org (Zochrot – Remembering the Palestinian Nakba)
- Gaza Community Mental Health Programme: www.gcmhp.net (Gaza Community Mental Health Programme)
- GISHA: www.gisha.org (GISHA – Legal Center for Freedom of Movement)
- “This is Palestine” podcast: You can search for this podcast on popular podcast platforms
Read
- Israeli Apartheid: A Beginner’s Guide, by Ben White
- Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions: The Global Struggle for Palestinian Rights, Omar Barghouthi
- Understanding the Israeli-Palestine Conflict: A Primer, by Phyllis Bennis
- Palestine Inside Out: An Everyday Occupation, by Saree MakdisiMy Father Was a Freedom Fighter: Gaza’s Untold Story, by Ramzy Baroud
- The Israel Lobby, by Walt and Meirsheimer
- The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine, by Illan Pappe
- Justice for Some: Law and the Question of Palestine, by Noura Erekat
- The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine: A History of Settler Colonialism and Resistance
Advocate
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Armed with the necessary knowledge, demand accountability from your elected representatives, or participate in grassroots solidarity efforts such as the global boycott, divestment and sanctions movement (BDS).
Donate
While charity is more palliative than a solution, donations do make a huge difference in the daily lives of millions of Palestinians and drive many projects. There are no shortage of humanitarian organizations doing incredible work on the ground in Gaza.
Here is a shortlist that covers everything from entrepreneurship, sustainable farming projects, food aid, and mental health, starting from smaller more focused orgs to larger ones with partnerships (note: I do NOT advise sending money to people you do not know based on social media internet requests):
- Youth Vision Society-Gaza: You can search for this organization online for their website or contact information.
- Middle East Children’s Alliance: www.mecaforpeace.org
- Kinder USA: www.kinderusa.org
- Rebuilding Alliance: www.rebuildingalliance.org
- Playgrounds for Palestine: www.playgroundsforpalestine.org
- Karama for Women and Children: www.karamagaza.org
- Palestinian American Medical Association (PAMA): www.pama.org
- Medical Aid Palestine (MAP): www.map.org.uk
- Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF): www.pcrf.net
- Pious Projects: www.piousprojects.org
Visit
While visiting Gaza is next to impossible, you can visit the rest of Palestine (or volunteer, re-connect, etc) in an ethical and socially conscious way (note: this does NOT include faithwashing trips of any type or stays at Israeli owned Air BNBs or hotels). There are a number of Palestinian and solidarity organizations that now offer guided educational trips (for a complete guide on ethical travel to Palestine, consult https://bdsmovement.net/pacbi/ethical-tourism):
- Eyewitness Palestine: eyewitnesspalestine.org
- Alternative Tourism Group: www.atg.ps
- Green Olive Tours: www.toursinenglish.com
- Interfaith Peace Builders: www.ifpb.org
- Tree of Life: You can search for “Tree of Life Palestine” to find their website.
- Diaspora Solidarity Volunteer Program (Dalia Association and To Be There): www.dalia.ps and www.tobe-there.com
- Know Thy Heritage (Holy Land Ecumenical Foundation): www.hcef.org
- Zaytoun UK: www.zaytoun.org
- Travel2Palestine UK: www.travel2palestine.org
- Siraj Center: www.sirajcenter.org
- Grassroots Jerusalem: www.grassrootsalquds.net
- Friends of Sabeel: www.fosna.org (Friends of Sabeel North America)
Mentor
Sign up to be a mentor with either of these two organizations, one as a writer mentor, another in IT:
- We Are Not Numbers: www.wearenotnumbers.org
- SkyGeeks: www.skygeeks.io
Amplify
Active on social media? Or maybe you work at an organization or media? Locate and amplify local and diaspora Palestinians and give them space and resources to narrate their experiences stories.
Buy
We all have to eat (and buy gifts!), so why not do so in a way that supports the local Palestinian economy? Here are some sources for Palestinian food products and gifts, both in the US and abroad:
- Hadeel Fair Trade Palestinian Products: www.hadeel.org
- MECA (Middle East Children’s Alliance) online store: You can visit the MECA website at www.mecaforpeace.org and look for their online store section.
- Zaytoun from Palestine
- Yaffa Palestinian Products
- Canaan Fair Trade (www.canaanusa.com)
- Palestine Fair Trade Australia (www.palestinianfairtradeaustralia.org.au)
Editors Note: here is resource for students who may be targeted for their activism for Palestine
#Islam3 weeks ago