November 29th marks the international day of solidarity with the Palestinian people. On this day in 1947, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the partition plan, which gave the right for the creation of an Israeli Jewish state on the land known as Palestine and inhabited for centuries by an indigenous population of Christians, Muslims and Jews. The 1947 Partition Plan gave the Jewish people the right to create the state of Israel on 54% of historical Palestine. However, the Israelis have expanded and occupied not only the rest of historical Palestine but parts of and sometimes the whole of other neighboring Arab countries.

Today, as Israel continues to defy international will, laws and UN resolutions while excluding the natives from their right to live in freedom and dignity, the international community has become more sympathetic with the Palestinian plight as a cause for freedom, equality and justice.

The Palestinians have made a great and historical concession by accepting the 1967 borders, West Bank (including east Jerusalem) and Gaza, recognizing Israel’s right to exist not just on 54% of historical Palestine but on 78% of the land. This move was designed to offer a solution and a glimpse of hope and independence for the Palestinians and the people of the world in solidarity with them. Unfortunately, Israel did not yield to world pressure and desires but used the momentum in order to reach acceptance and normalization with and by the internationals, while creating realities on the ground which pre-empt and undermine any possible emergence of an independent Palestinian state.

This year on November 29th, the Palestinians are facing the worst and most brutal forms of military occupation ever endured by a nation. Israel remains the only occupation power in the 21st century. Ariel Sharon, a war monger who was found indirectly responsible for massacres by an Israeli independent investigatory team, has since becoming Israel’s Prime Minister done everything in his power to assure that Palestinian independence is never achieved. Yet the Palestinians continue their plight towards independence and an end to Israel’s 36-year-old occupation of the West Bank (including east Jerusalem) and Gaza.

As the world powers start showing expressions of solidarity through conveying their will and vision for an independent and viable Palestinian state, Israel is using everything in its power to undermine the proposed solutions through the continued construction of it’s so-called “security fence,” dubbed as the “Colonization Wall” by the international community. UN General Assembly resolution 191 condemned the wall and called for the halt of this illegal barrier, which is being used as an excuse to grab more Palestinian land while fragmenting the proposed future Palestinian state.

Throughout history, Israel has never been held accountable for its oppressive actions and violations of international law. Solidarity with the Palestinians has taken different forms and continues to grow and strengthen. The apartheid regime of South Africa only came to a fall after the world united to combat oppression and take a stance with human rights. Solidarity of governments along with the masses is what the Palestinians need. Only such international well organized actions of solidarity can combat the occupation and assure humanity and justice for what remains of Palestine and the Palestinians.