For us in Palestine, solidarity is not just a word to pronounce or a slogan to raise. It is this
deep feeling that we are not alone in this world, that somebody else sees our pain and
stretches a hand toward us, even from afar. These three years of massacre, siege, and
destruction have made solidarity a thin thread of hope hanging from life outside the walls
of this imposed isolation.

When we hear of demonstrations being held in cities across the globe waving Palestinian
flags or see people from different cultural backgrounds shout “Justice for Palestine”
simultaneously, a feeling transcends geography. We feel that our voices are being heard;
our suffering is, for a time, no longer confined to rubble and blood. This feeling alleviates
loneliness; it somewhat reassures us that, whatever they do to erase it, truth cannot ever
be silenced.

However, we have also learned that solidarity is more than empty words or mere images
proliferating on social media. Real solidarity is what translates into action—be it boycott
of the oppressor, spreading awareness, or taking a stand to expose the ongoing repression.
We distinguish between those who sympathize with us for a moment and those who stand
firmly with us, for solidarity for us is not a moment but a long commitment to truth and
justice.

Making things personal, I live solidarity on the smallest yet strongest details. I have
friends outside of Palestine who put forth every effort possible to support me. They send
motivational messages, simple words that weigh on my heart, reassure me that I am not
alone, that there are people who share our pain and try to relieve the intensity of these
harsh conditions.