Rest In Peace Palestinian Razan al-Najjar, nurse executed by Israeli sniper

Palestinian 21 year old Razan, a nurse RIP May 31 2018

Of all the affinities between Palestinians & Kashmiris, none is more wrenching than the constant loss & grieving for young people killed by occupation forces. Thousands have been killed & in the most unspeakable ways, like the young Kashmiri man run over by an army jeep today. This is 21-year-old Razan Al-Najjar, a Palestinian nurse working with the medical staff at the Great Return March. Yesterday she was shot in the neck by an Israeli sniper as she was helping an injured peaceful protester, though she was wearing a clearly marked medical vest. It was an execution.

Palestinians are remarkable for their courage & tenacity but they are human. They are not robotic automatons who follow orders like lemmings as portrayed by media. Death from occupation is constant but in the past several weeks alone they have lost over a hundred. The grief & loss must be overwhelming. One Palestinian man said her death has broken their hearts, that they feel not just saddened but paralyzed at her loss. The purpose of solidarity is to stand with them, especially at this time, though there is never a time when they are not burying their young. We surely cannot give in to feeling helpless against what seems the insuperable power of Israel & its international backers. Palestinians need us at this moment more than ever. Rallies & protests remain imperative. But those who cannot participate in rallies can honor & build the economic & cultural boycott of Israel for apartheid & genocide against the Palestinian people. Check every damn label on every product you buy to make sure its country of origin is not Israel. More than anything, think of yourself as an evangelist for the cause of Palestinian justice. Their struggle is a touchstone of our times. Their victory, which is possible, would change the course of human history for suffering humanity. Allow no one to ever vilify them as terrorists when their freedom struggle is of the greatest importance to all humanity.

May our dear sister Razan Rest In Peace. Our sincere condolences to her family, her friends, & to all Palestinians for this deeply tragic loss.

(Photo is Razan)