Peace Is Possible’: Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People

A Palestinian father holds his son in Gaza. Liz O'Neil/CRS

A Palestinian father holds his son in Gaza. Liz O’Neil/CRS

Joseph Cornelius Donnelly is based in New York for Caritas. He writes:

Today, the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People is commemorated solemnly at United Nations headquarters in New York and around the world.

The necessity is two-fold: to remember the long struggle of Palestinians in their homeland and beyond, and to educate people about what happened and what remains to be done for enduring peace in this historic and complex land called Palestine, inextricably shared with Israel.

Despite all the documents, decisions and dissertations about Palestine, there remain gaping holes in understanding. It is necessary today to give the basic facts – who the Palestinians are, where they were born, what fragmented their society, and when will they fully have their rights in the land that is their home.

Solidarity suggests deliberate engagement with people more than only issues. It is underscored today as action to sympathize with the oppressed while working for recognition of basic human rights. It is meant to find solutions for an exasperating quagmire which has mesmerised the international community.

The search for a solution occupies meetings and movements. What is urgently needed is political will.

Despite many decades of resolutions demanding implementation, the situation is far from resolved.

Solidarity today renews the call for absolute respect for all human beings in the land–Muslims, Christians, Jews, Israelis and especially Palestinians–so peace is possible.

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