Palestina
Though the conflicts in the middle East are international politics, I'm thinking a lot about what we can do locally to push for peace. I pray that the current fragile peace can hold, but the future must lead to a more sustainable and equal peace.
What can be done from Copenhagen City Hall
Boycott, divest and sanction.
We're a rich city. We need to make sure none of our money is in any way helping these atrocities or normalizing apartheid. That means divesting from any company that does business in the Israeli settlements in Palestine, which are legal according to international law. This also means applying pressure on
Pressure the Danish government to recognize a Palestinian State
Electing a Majority in Copenhagen that that speaks out in favor of Palestine is important because of the signal it'll send our national government here in Denmark. Denmark has not yet recognized the Palestinian state and needs to.
Recognition of a Palestinian state, even though Palestine is not ready with a functioning government, is the only right diplomatic move right now. We need to empower Palestinians to negotiate their own freedom, in their own country, because there's no other solution. We need to get them out of the purgatory of international law that they've been in for many decades, and give Palestinians as well the responsibility of acting like a sovereign nation that can let its neighbors live in peace.
Reject racism in all its forms.
Another thing we need to do, of course, is make sure that, that, that the Palestinian community in Copenhagen is respected and welcome here. That means rejecting racism in all its forms. It must be safe to be yourself, show your face, and peacefully respectfully express your opinions everywhere in Copenhagen. This applies both for the Muslim minority and the Jewish minority in Copenhagen - no one should ever feel unsafe for being who they are.
It also means supporting these communities in Copenhagen in their engagement and solidarity with the people in Palestine, whether that's through peaceful protests, petitions or other forms of organizing. Though it may sound naive now, lasting peace will ultimately depend on Palestinians and Israelis both being able to see the world from each others' perspective. As a country with a strong independent media both public and private, a strong and relatively affluent Palestinian-Danish community as well as Israeli-Danish community, and geopolitical goodwill, maybe Denmark has a role to play in helping Israelis and Palestinians embark on the hard work of learning each others perspectives.
Stem Palestina
I am a signatory to the Stem Palestina demands of:
- Divestment from Israel until there is an equal peace
- Rejecting racism
- Defending freedom of expression