Fundraising by Luis Ceccarelli

"I was born here before '48 existed, my father was born
here, just as my grandfather was born here and from here I am not leaving."

There isa people who have inhabited Palestine for centuries and for decades have been
under foreign occupation, a people whose very ancient
roots are as deeply rooted on that land as its olive trees, a
people who resist attempts at ethnic cleansing and displacement
forced displacement just as the stones of that land have resisted the
weathering of the time that hardened them.

Palestinians have never stopped inhabiting their land, never
have never succumbed to the blackmail of violence and fear. They have
instead developed an antibody system called community,
collectivity, thanks to which they have been able to stem the strong
impacts of the apartheid regime under which they were confined
by the Israeli occupation.

In Massafer Yatta, this resistance has chosen to use as a tool
of resilience nonviolence, people have chosen to remain on
their land despite the abuses they are forced to endure
on a daily basis. Despite the constant nighttime attacks with faces
covered by settlers, despite the daily encroachments and
damage to private property, despite the demolitions
of homes and villages, the poisoning of wells, the theft and
the killing of livestock, despite the kneecappings, the shooting at
height with the intent to kill, despite the murders and
arbitrary arrests and beatings in prison and the constant
humiliation in not being able to react to all this tremendous and
shameful impunity supported by the military occupation regime,
despite all this "I was born here before '48
existed, my father was born here, just as my grandfather was born here and
from here I am not leaving."

During the Covid-19 pandemic, in the absence of international eyes
monitoring the area, the expansion of colonies and
outposts grew exponentially. As of Oct. 7, 2023, using
the leverage of the need to defend against the internal enemy, the violence
of the settlers and the occupying army has overflowed without
control.

We therefore find ourselves today at the toughest moment for the resistance
Palestinian, a moment where the resistance does not give up but needs
the support of allə, because, as one of the leaders always repeats
community, "in the resistance everyone has to sacrifice something."