Why the Global Strike for Gaza? 6 Reasons Explained Featured
In the context of the ongoing daily massacres faced by civilians in the Gaza Strip, calls are escalating worldwide for participation in a global strike, as a means of ethical, political, and popular pressure that rejects silence and demands the cessation of the genocidal war and the lifting of the blockade on Gaza.
Because a strike is not just a halt in work, but a conscious and resistant action, its objectives and gains are diverse. Below are the main achievements of this collective action:
- Conveying Gaza's Voice to the World:
The strike breaks the barrier of silence and affirms that the issue of Gaza is not a local or regional matter, but rather a global humanitarian issue. When life comes to a halt in cities around the world in solidarity with Gaza, the media, even those that are biased, are compelled to cover the event and discuss the suffering of the Palestinian people.
- The political pressure on governments:
A wide public participation in the strike, especially in Western countries, sends a clear pressure message to governments, particularly those that politically and militarily support the "Israeli" occupation. Through this participation, the strike embarrasses these governments and reveals the glaring contradiction between their claims of defending human rights and their explicit support for the killing machine in Gaza, prompting some decision-makers to reconsider their positions under the weight of public opinion.
- Enhancing global popular solidarity
The strike unites the voices of peoples around the world and enhances public awareness of the Palestinian cause. It makes the people of Gaza feel that they are not alone and that there are those who share their pain and stand with them against aggression. This cross-border solidarity brings Palestine back to the forefront of global consciousness and revitalizes the bridges of communication among the free from different nations.
- symbolic economic effect.
Although the strike does not halt the wheel of the global economy, it sends a powerful symbolic message: we are ready to bear losses for the sake of justice and dignity. Even a one-day decline in market activity and trade shows that people are capable of turning feelings of anger into tangible actions, which disrupts the calculations of interests and highlights the institutions and companies involved in supporting the occupation.
- Reviving the tools of popular struggle:
The strike reinstates the importance of one of the most crucial tools of civil struggle, which the Palestinians have long utilized, especially during the first intifada, as an effective weapon in the hands of the people. It also reconnects Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim communities abroad with their cause, granting them an opportunity to renew their belonging and actively participate in defending their homeland and their people.
- A sublime spiritual and moral message.
At its core, a strike is not just a political act, but a stand of human conscience in the face of genocide and injustice. It is a declaration that life cannot proceed normally while the innocent are being killed and families are being exterminated. It is an act of faith in humanity and the belief that every soul has a right to life, and that every oppressed person has a supporter, even from afar.
