Pinned
Not that it's anything new, but the "voluntary" in "voluntary migration" really drives home the utter shamelessness of the occupation.
They destroy Gazan homes, hospitals, schools, roads, universities, infrastructure, cut off their water and electricity, then when they have no choice but to escape the hell that was created for them, claim they "voluntarily" chose to leave their land behind and have no right to return.
When Nakba deniers claim that Palestinians "chose" to leave their land, remember this.
Amal's baby daughter, Mariam, has known no childhood outside of surviving this genocide. She will soon be of age to attend school. Last we spoke, she had a very close call during the most recent bombardment. If she wants to give her daughter a chance at normalcy, security, education, and a decent childhood, but those options have been taken away from Gaza, is this voluntary migration?
Mahmoud wants to continue his education. He has been able to scrape by through remote learning online, but every day it becomes harder to even find reliable internet access. Last we spoke, he was trying to pay his fees in time, so that he would be allowed to enroll in this semester. If he wants to pursue his degree, but the conditions in Gaza have made that impossible, is this voluntary migration?
Dr. Anas is a cancer patient. His physical and mental health have been obliterated by this genocide. Last we spoke, he told me that after making some recovery during the ceasefire, he's now back to square one. If he wants to live, to continue his job as a doctor, and to recover from depression, which is impossible to do during bombardment, is this voluntary migration?
Samir is severely injured, and in immediate danger of losing his leg. Last we spoke, his sister told me that the bombardment in their area are more intense than they've ever been. If Samir wants to undergo surgery to save his leg, but there are no such options in Gaza, is this voluntary migration?
Please don't abandon them like our administrations have. They shouldn't have to rely on our generosity, but they must.
Vetting: Amal (#175), Mahmoud, Anas, Samir (#428)