Our Freedom is Incomplete Without the Freedom of the Palestinians
The Israeli occupation and colonisation of Palestine is at the root of the tragedy we are witnessing today with great pain and sorrow. We strongly condemn all war crimes and violence against civilians committed by both sides. Before deeming it a regional conflict, a war between Israel and Hamas, or a humanitarian crisis; this is above all, the Palestinian people's relentless quest for justice, dignity and freedom.
Since its establishment, L'Art Rue has been committed to making marginalised and dehumanised voices heard and highlighting often invisible struggles. Palestinian artists and artworks have shown us, through their expressions, the harsh reality of living under an occupation that deprives people of their fundamental rights. We are not misled by narratives that seek to downplay the seriousness of this occupation or present it as a simple struggle between two equal parties.
The UN has repeatedly recognised the injustices suffered by the Palestinian people, and international law prohibits any collective punishment of a people. Following the steps of Nelson Mandela, who never accepted anything less than freedom and self-determination for his people, we accept nothing less for the Palestinian people. Additionally, echoing Mandela's words, we are well aware that our freedom is incomplete without that of the Palestinians.
For any people, decolonisation is the precondition for freedom, peace and dignity. We raise our voices for the decolonisation of Palestine and call for a peace based on respecting international law, justice and equality.
At L'Art Rue, we will continue to support the Palestinian cause and reject any attempt to distort or erase the truth of what is happening in Palestine. We firmly stand with the Palestinian people and hope for better days when peace will prevail, not through the silence of the majority, but through the united action of all those who seek justice.
We call for an immediate ceasefire and condemn all acts of violence against civilians, regardless of their perpetrators. The systematic massacres in Gaza, which has been an « open-air prison » for almost 17 years, must be immediately stopped. It is time for the international community to stand up and act towards real and lasting peace, based on the principles of decolonisation, the sovereignty of each people, international law, freedom and equality.