Solidarity Statement by ActionAid General Assembly and Country Directors

BUILDING GLOBAL SOLIDARITY FOR UNITY, ACCOUNTABILITY, JUSTICE, AND PEACE IN PALESTINE

We, leaders of ActionAid International, attending a Joint Session under the theme, Building Global Solidarity for Unity, Justice, and Peace in Palestine, denounce the violent forceful displacement, oppression, and genocide faced by the Palestinian people under Israeli occupation. Gaza is not just a humanitarian crisis but a deeply rooted political situation where simply to exist is to resist. Our deep sense of humanity means we place the Palestinian struggle as a shared struggle for all people oppressed through violent, settler colonial occupation. 

We, pledge: 

• To contribute to building a global coalition for collective action against occupation and violence, harnessing cultural and social initiatives, and promoting a sense of shared humanity to build hope. We recognize the urgent need to end the growing militarization, the expansion of the arms trade, and the increasing threat to humanity.

• To amplify the struggle through a deeply rooted solidarity movement that promotes justice and peace, addressing both the immediate crises and longer-term solutions. This includes ensuring that feminist, youth, and women’s organizations are at the table and involved in decision-making during the peace process.  

• To intensify efforts to campaign and build support for: an immediate ceasefire, the cessation of violence, humanitarian assistance, an end to the 57-year Israeli settler occupation, an end to the 17-year-old blockade on Gaza, and an end to enforced displacement which are the root causes of the current crisis. Joining the international call for the Palestinian People’s right to self-determination and the right of return.

We furthermore pledge:

• To support the Palestinian people to define the solutions for themselves to advance this struggle and work with them to address the underlying systemic challenges, heinous injustices, inhumanity and the genocide they are experiencing. We will share our acts of solidarity with them to bolster their strength, sustain hope and reassure them that they are not alone. We commit to playing a stronger role in influencing the policies of our countries and governments in support of the Palestinian rights to unity, accountability, justice and peace. Including the need to advocate for significant international funding for the reconstruction of Gaza and finding a durable political outcome there.

• To work with like-minded movements and allies to reshape the narrative through a de-colonial, anti-racist, and feminist lens. We will continue collaborating with partners to ensure the reconstruction of Gaza falls under the leadership of Palestinians, with women and young people in decision making positions. Highlighting particularly the importance of women’s leadership in conflict resolution and reconstruction efforts and noting in this context, the Women Peace and Security global commitments have been completely ignored. Promoting the leadership of women and young people is key to building hope as well as a just and prosperous future. Their leadership will inspire innovative actions for an intergenerational movement of unity, accountability, justice, and peace in Palestine and beyond.

• To build collaboration and unity between the occupied Palestinian territory and other member countries including those that have faced colonialism, occupation, apartheid and sexual and gender-based violence. We will engage individuals, local partners, women, youth, and student movements more effectively to inspire civic and digital activism to increase public pressure. 

• Finally, we will bear witness and continue to promote the standards of accountability being severely undermined. We will advocate for accountability for Israel’s breaches of rulings by the International Court of Justice, the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide and International Humanitarian Law. We will continue to demand greater accountability of all actors and call for adherence to human rights in the face of total impunity.