"Amidst Crisis, Our Stand Persists: Climate Activists Speak Out on Gaza's Suffering and the Inseparable Link between Climate Justice and Human Rights"

In the face of an escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza, young climate activists assert that their commitment to justice and solidarity with marginalized communities has always been at the core of their message. As the reported casualties in Gaza continue to rise, with at least 6,000 children among the 15,000 people killed by Israeli actions in a matter of weeks, the activists condemn Israel's attacks on basic societal infrastructure, hospitals, schools, and refugee camps. Israel's siege, blocking essential supplies from reaching the 2.3 million Palestinians in the occupied Gaza Strip, has been labeled by Oxfam as "starvation as a weapon of war."

Despite stark warnings from United Nations experts and international scholars, a significant part of the world, particularly the global north, appears to turn a blind eye to the ongoing crisis. In response, the activists emphasize that the Fridays for Future movement has not undergone radicalization or shifted its political stance; rather, it has consistently been a movement for justice. The commitment to standing in solidarity with Palestinians and other affected civilians is unwavering.

The activists argue that climate justice is fundamentally linked to human rights, and advocating for one inherently involves advocating for the other. This commitment extends to speaking out against human suffering, displacement, and violence, regardless of the cause. The movement has a history of holding strikes in solidarity with various marginalized groups globally, emphasizing their struggles for justice against imperialism and oppression. The solidarity with Palestine, the activists stress, is a continuation of this ethos, and they refuse to allow the public discourse to deviate from the profound human suffering experienced by Palestinians.

In light of the misdirected attention and misinterpretations of their position, the activists reiterate the autonomy of all Fridays for Future groups and clarify that the views expressed in this statement represent FFF Sweden alone. The message concludes with an unwavering commitment to advocate for justice, climate action, and human rights on the global stage.

"In the Face of Tragedy: Grieving Lives Lost and Condemning Injustice"

The recent horrific murders of Israeli civilians by Hamas, while tragic, cannot serve as a justification for Israel's alleged war crimes. The concept of genocide, the activists assert, should never be conflated with self-defense, and it certainly cannot be deemed a proportionate response. The situation is further exacerbated by the prolonged oppression faced by Palestinians, characterized by Amnesty International as an apartheid regime.

Beyond a moral imperative to comment on this dire situation, the Swedish movement feels compelled to speak out due to Sweden's military cooperation with Israeli arms companies, implicating the country in Israel's occupation and mass killings. Concurrently, there has been a disturbing surge in antisemitic and Islamophobic incidents globally and in Sweden, prompting the movement to condemn all forms of discrimination unequivocally.

The activists emphasize the need to distinguish between different entities: Hamas, Muslims, and Palestinians, on one side, and the state of Israel, Jewish people, and Israelis, on the other. They express deep sorrow for the lives lost, particularly the alarming death rate in the Gaza Strip, where thousands of children have been killed in a matter of weeks. This immense suffering, they stress, is intolerable and demands immediate attention.

The article concludes with a resounding call for action, echoing UN experts' plea to prevent a potential genocide. The activists assert that demanding an end to the violence is a fundamental question of humanity, and they urge everyone capable of doing so to speak out against this unfolding tragedy. Silence, they declare, is tantamount to complicity, and neutrality is not an option in the face of a potential genocide.

Signed,

Greta Thunberg (she/her) — Swedish activist and inspiration for Fridays for Future

Alde Nilsson (all pronouns) — Global development student and climate justice activist with Fridays for Future Sweden

Jamie Mater (they/them) — Researcher and climate justice activist with Fridays for Future Sweden

Raquel Frescia (she/they) — Writer/researcher and climate justice activist with Fridays for Future Sweden

In conclusion, the collective voice of Greta Thunberg, Alde Nilsson, Jamie Mater, and Raquel Frescia echoes a resolute call for justice, compassion, and an end to the tragic violence unfolding in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Beyond mourning the lives lost and condemning all forms of discrimination, the activists emphasize the urgent need for global attention to prevent further suffering. They assert that the distinction between entities involved in the conflict is crucial, urging society to recognize the complexity of the situation.

The article stands not only as a critique of the ongoing crisis but also as a reminder of collective responsibility. The activists stress that silence is not an option, proclaiming that everyone has a duty to speak out against injustice. By aligning their voices with the call from UN experts to prevent a potential genocide, they underscore the moral imperative of demanding an end to the violence and advocating for a just resolution. In the face of tragedy, the article serves as a poignant reminder that humanity's collective response can make a difference, and the call for action resonates as an appeal to shared humanity in the pursuit of peace and justice.