JAI: Palestinian Land Day

This day commemorates land confiscation from Palestinians leading to ongoing Israeli practices against Palestinian land, including confiscation, colonization, destruction, and displacement of people.

Olive trees symbolize Palestinians’ deep-rooted connection to their land, peace, and prosperity. In Palestine, approximately 85% of planted trees are olives, covering over 575 million square meters of land. Since 1967, Israel has confiscated 53.7 thousand hectares of Palestinian lands in the West Bank and Israeli forces and settlers have uprooted, burned, and destroyed over 800,000 olive trees in the process. This has led to the establishment of 151 illegal Israeli colonies (settlements) in the West Bank and Jerusalem becoming the major obstacle to realizing long standing international resolutions and consensus on the inalienable Palestinian right to self-determination. In 2023 alone, land confiscations and more than 150 Israeli attacks resulted in the seizure of more than 5 thousand hectares of land and the destruction of over 10,000 olive trees. Israeli settlements, outposts, apartheid walls, and roadblocks have restricted farmers’ access to their land, leading to nearly 50% loss in productivity due to the inability to plow and prune trees.

Despite these ongoing challenges, including genocide and massacres in Gaza, along with starvation and loss of lives, and in light of the complicity or silence of the international community, Palestinians remain resilient, and committed to genuine peace and rebuilding their society and its structures.

On Palestinian Land Day, we call upon our partners and friends worldwide to:

1. Raise Awareness: Share information about the plight of Palestinians through social media, educational events, and community discussions. Share & amplify the voices of Palestinian activists and organizations to ensure their stories are heard. 
2. Advocate for Justice: Lobby governments, international organizations, and corporations to hold Israel accountable for human rights violations and illegal occupation. Advocate for the recognition of Palestinian rights under international law and the implementation of relevant UN resolutions.
3. Engage in Dialogue: Foster constructive dialogue and mutual understanding between communities by facilitating intercultural exchanges, dialogues, and peace-building initiatives. Encourage open-minded discussions that promote empathy, respect, and recognition of the humanity and dignity of all individuals involved in the conflict.
4. Sponsor a Tree through the Keep Hope Alive Olive Tree Campaign: Every tree planted protects Palestinian farmers’ land from confiscation, provides livelihood to the farmers’ families and keeps hope alive for a just peace.

By taking these actions collectively, we as a global community, can contribute to building a more just and equitable future for Palestinians and promoting peace and stability in the region.

KEEP HOPE ALIVE