"The Week of Resistance Against Israeli Colonialism and Apartheid" officially began today, Tuesday, 24 March, during a conference organised by the Student Frameworks Secretariat at the Media Solidarity Centre in western Gaza City, under the slogan "Palestine Liberates Us All".
The conference, held in cooperation with the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate and the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement, highlighted that the week represents an annual platform bringing together academic , media, and popular engagement to mobilise efforts against Israeli policies of colonialism and racial segregation.
The event is part of a global initiative launched in 2005, aimed at raising international awareness and expanding boycott campaigns and pressure on Israel.
The Student Frameworks Secretariat emphasised that Gaza City would serve as a central hub for the week's activities, following the destruction of Palestinian universities by Israeli forces, which will involve diverse interactive events to raise awareness of the Palestinian cause and link academic and field activism.
Mousa Saud, speaking on behalf of the Student Frameworks Secretariat, announced the launch of this year's week of resistance under the slogan "Palestine Unites Us All".
Saud noted that the activities focus on raising global awareness against oppression and mobilising international support for boycotting the occupation.
He said these tools grow increasingly important amid escalating Israeli hostilities against the Palestinian people. "We rely on the student movement in universities worldwide, which has long played a pivotal role in advocating for boycotting Israel and withdrawing support from it," he added.
Saud stressed the need to reclaim university spaces to strengthen anti-apartheid and anti-segregation activities.
He also emphasised that Palestinians must achieve freedom, independence, and self-determination, and called on all boycott groups at Palestinian universities to continue and intensify their activities during the week.
Organisers said the week is not merely symbolic but a practical platform for unifying efforts and building a global anti-colonial and anti-apartheid discourse, placing the Palestinian issue at the forefront of international attention.
Amani Abu Karsh, speaking for the General Union of Palestinian Women, said Palestine's cause is not only a matter for one people but also a cause for all free people worldwide, as reflected in the expanding global solidarity with the Palestinian people.
She noted that this year's slogan reflects the connection between the Palestinian struggle and global liberation movements. " Palestine's liberation is not a local issue but a universal humanitarian cause intersecting with people's struggles against oppression and discrimination," she added.
The BDS movement said this year's events would focus on escalating academic, economic, and cultural boycott campaigns and enhancing international pressure to isolate Israel , in response to a call from Palestinian civil society.
Following the destruction of Palestinian universities in Gaza , the week includes a broad range of local and international activities, such as conferences, workshops, discussions, and cultural performances. These events aim to expose Israeli practices and strengthen global solidarity, with particular emphasis on youth participation as a driving force for change.
The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate highlighted the media's critical role in conveying the Palestinian narrative, exposing violations, and spotlighting discriminatory policies.
The Syndicate stressed that journalism "is an essential partner in the battle for awareness, equal in importance to any other form of activism."
Syndicate member Wissam Zaghbar said the experiences of the Palestinian people represent a living example of systematic racial segregation, noting this is evident in attacks on journalists, their families, and offices, to stop reporting of the truth and conceal Israel's crimes.
The launch of the week comes amid exceptional conditions in Gaza , where activism intersects with a difficult humanitarian reality. Participants said this context gives the events greater urgency and impact.
They added that holding the conference in Gaza sends a defiant message, asserting that the blockade and harsh conditions will not halt national and cultural action. Instead, they said, it will reinforce the pursuit of rights and the tools of popular resistance, including boycotts.
The week's activities are set to continue in Gaza and several cities worldwide as part of a broad international movement. Activists and solidarity organisations in hundreds of cities will participate to pressure the occupation and expand support for the Palestinian people. Article translated from Arabic by Afrah Almatwari.