The latest judicial rebuke of President Donald Trumpās proposed border wall arrived just in time for July 4, when a federal appeals court again blocked the administration from diverting $2.5Ā billion in military funds toward the wall. But as history shows, court orders arenāt always effective in halting construction or expansion of walls that ādivide neighborhoods, worsen dangerous flooding, [and] destroy lands and wildlife,ā as the Sierra Club explained in a statement following the courtās June preliminary injunction.
As part of Grassroots Internationalās work defending the human right to land, water, and food, my colleagues and I engage in conversations with farmers worldwide. One topic surfaces time and again with those from the U.S.-Mexico border and Palestine: how to resist the walls carving up their communities.
Just a few days before the ruling blocking funds for Trumpās wall, 49 Palestiniansāincluding eight paramedics and one journalistāwere wounded protesting the Israeli barrier fencing in the people of Gaza.
Today marks 15 years since the International Court of Justice offered a glimmer of hope that the situation of Palestinian farmers might change. On July 9, 2004, the ICJ issued an advisory opinion deeming Israelās West Bank wall illegal, calling on Israel to dismantle it and pay reparations for any damage caused, and reaffirming the duty of all states to ensure Israel ends its violations of international law.
For Palestinians and those of us who have stood by them in their long struggle for freedom, this was a rare victory. Israel, however, has yet to heed a word of the ruling. As the U.S. continues to shield it from international pressure while bankrolling its military occupation, Palestinian families living closest to the wall suffer the most.
According to a 2015 report by the Applied Research Institute-Jerusalem, 60% of affected communities reported that the wall had deprived them of water resources. By the time the wall is complete, itās likely Israel will have taken nearly 15% of Palestiniansā agricultural land there. Including the broader impact of Israelās military occupation and settlement expansion, the loss goes up to 63% of Palestiniansā agricultural land in the West Bank.
This isnāt the only militarized barrier Israel has built. Thereās one along its border with Egypt thatās meant to keep out African refugees. This southern wall has beenĀ praisedĀ by Trump as a model for the U.S.-Mexico border. In fact, the U.S. is already employing Israeli border technology used to destroy Palestinian communities and enforceĀ racist immigration policies.
Whatās happening to Palestinians is not simply something happening āover there.āĀ Elbit Systems of America, a subsidiary of an Israeli company, is making millions off militarizing the U.S.-Mexico border.Ā Elta North America, another such subsidiary, was paid between $300,000 and $500,000 to build a prototype of Trumpās wall.
The institutions responsible for harming people operate across borders far more than most people realize, yet many groups are joining forces to gain strength.
Resisting whatās been described as āthe wall industry,ā organizers around the world like theĀ Stop the Wall CampaignĀ in Palestine, solidarity and human rights groups in Mexico, and others are coordinating advocacy efforts as part of aĀ #WorldWithoutWallsĀ campaign. As aĀ memberĀ of La Via Campesina, an organization that includes over 200Ā million small-scale farmers and Indigenous peoples from 81 countries, PalestineāsĀ Union of Agricultural Work CommitteesĀ has been organizing with others facing threats to their livelihoods.
We cannot allow walls and borders to divide, fragment, and isolate us. Those fighting uphill battles miles away need our support and solidarity in order to persevere. Their victories will create a more just and peaceful world for us all. Iām reminded of Angela Davisā insistence on the āindivisibility of justice.ā Ultimately, 15 years after the ICJ ruling, itās clear that the courts alone will not deliver justice. We need indivisible solidarity among those of us who reject racism, and who value human life and dignity more than profits.
ZNetwork is funded solely through the generosity of its readers.
Donate