#01 Seize the Agenda!
So, this month Donald Trump horrified the world with his delusions about displacing Gaza, and a tempest of media and diplomatic reactions erupted around the world. But not in Gaza.
In contrast to the international hysteria, Gaza remained rational and steadfast, responding to the entire affair with sarcasm and calm defiance. This is not an expression of indifference—it is a firm grasp of reason and reality against the rule of the Mad Hater.
We understand reality: in all its darkest tragedy, in its historical contexts and complexities, and in its deep-rooted cultural ethos. We are confident in our unquestionable steadfastness—Sumoud. Our human essence is rooted in our belonging to our homeland, like any native community anywhere in the world. This essence holds the definitive power to generate social immunity against any colonial fantasy seeking to erase our humanity through displacement. Neither hellfire rockets nor Wall Street (or Dogecoin) brokers have yet to find a way to alter this human condition.
It is not Gazans vs. Trump. It is homeland vs. real estate. It is human nature vs. bloody bots.
While this news item too will fade, we must practice staying determined in the face of waves of Western media hegemony and centralism that seek to overwhelm us and dictate our priorities.
Trump’s nonsense cannot distract us from what truly matters: the U.S. harbored a fugitive war criminal wanted by the International Criminal Court.
A crucial part of building agency is shaping the discourse and setting the agenda. Beneath the distractions of media spectacle and pathetic AI-generated videos, Israel continues to block fuel from entering Gaza, while millions endure life in plastic tents and the ruins of demolished homes, facing the harshest cold in Palestine in 20 years.
Palestinian prisoners are being released after enduring systematic torture and starvation. In the West Bank, more than 40,000 Palestinians have been forcibly displaced as occupation forces wreak destruction on every street, home, and facility in Jenin refugee camp, Tulkarem, and countless other villages and towns.
The war in Gaza persists through the weaponization of every basic human necessity. In parallel, Palestinians in Gaza spearheaded one of the most intensive, rapid, and expansive networks of grassroots social solidarity initiatives in modern history. Hundreds of self-organized groups have emerged, taking the lead in securing people's basic needs despite the overwhelming challenges of an impossible reality.
Ignore the noise, dear friends; dismiss the lunatic spectacle. Palestinians and the solidarity movement have agency, resources, and tools to shape discourse, set our own agenda, and defend our existence and future. Our world is bigger than the Oval Office. █
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Inspire
We are proud to spotlight the Al-Ihsan Volunteer Campaign, which has been active in Gaza for 14 years and is led primarily by a grassroots collective of young activists, artists, and writers. Despite facing devastating losses, the campaign has intensified its efforts to provide essential services, including operating public kitchens, distributing food baskets, supplying winter clothing, providing tents, and meeting many other critical needs. Rawa was proud to support Al-Ihsan’s efforts, and we have been especially inspired by how the campaign has emerged as a focal point for organic Arab and Palestinian community giving.