This year, the beginning of April also marked the beginning of Islam’s holy month, Ramadan. Muslims worldwide fast from sunrise to sunset, consuming no food or water. But, for Palestinians under Israeli occupation, celebrating this holy month is done with great difficulty.

Palestinians are indirectly stripped of their rights and freedom to practice their faith, but during this month, Israeli occupation and attacks against Palestinians in Gaza are extremely heightened due to the high levels of faith and practice of Islam at this time. Israeli soldiers have stormed mosques throughout Gaza,  kicked out worshippers, and thrown tear gas at civilians during worship. 

Palestinians are monitored more than ever during this month, the city of Jerusalem is filled with checkpoints, patrols, and military posts all over, ultimately restricting the freedom of Palestinian civilians greatly.  

Every Ramadan, Gaza’s water is contaminated, hundreds of Palestinian children are illegally incarcerated, and schools, homes, and mosques are demolished, making fasting a great challenge for Muslims under oppression. 

Tensions between Jews and Arab Muslims date back to the early 20th century with Jews establishing a national homeland in what was then an Arab and Muslim majority territory in the Ottoman/ British Empire. With the Arabs resisting giving up their rightful land, an early United Nations plan was established in giving each group part of the land but failed immediately.

Israel and the surrounding nations fought several wars over this territory and succeeded. But Palestinians have continued to resist and fight for their land all these years. This victory came with much oppression over Palestinian civilians all over, Ramadan being an especially potent month of oppression by Israeli troopers. 

The 1967 war between Palestinians and Israelis is prevalent for the conflict occurring today, as it conveniently left Israel in control of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, two territories that are home to large Palestinian populations. Given their power, Jews have built over expanding communities on the west bank that effectively deny any land to Palestinian civilians.

Today, the west bank is controlled by and is under Israeli occupation. The Israeli government aims to ensure that Jewish Israelis maintain control across Israel and the OPT (Occupied Palestinian Territory). This can be seen through Israeli military troops fighting Palestinian civilians that have enforced security restrictions on Palestinian movement and activity within small towns all over this land. 

Israeli authorities have created a policy that has aimed to maximize Jewish Israeli control over land, forcing Palestinians into neglected and underserved areas that have restricted access to fair housing and land.