The Big Ride for Palestine is teaming up with the charity Middle East Children's Alliance to raise funds for building a new playground and sports field in Rafah, Palestine to be a safe space for children traumatised by bombing and siege to be able to take part in cycling, football, basketball, tennis and walking with an emphasis on activities for women and girls.  Rafah is at the southern end of the Gaza strip on the border with Egypt.  The 14-year long military siege and occupation of Gaza have traumatized many, but especially children.

Gaza has one of the highest population densities in the world: nearly 2 million people (twice the population of Birmingham, UK) squeezed into a land-strip just 40km long by 10km wide.  Israeli military authorities blockade the land, air and sea borders.  Very little is allowed in or out, including the Palestinian people, even if they have family living outside of Gaza.  Water and power supplies exist but are frequently interrupted, and water quality is poor.  Farming land is very limited and Israel tightly limits the fishing area off the coast; as a result more than 50% of the Gaza population are described by the UN as being 'moderately-to-severely food insecure'.  Approx 80% of the population have no employment currently, increased from 70% as a result of the pandemic.

The reason that so many Palestinian people live in Gaza goes back to the creation of Israel after WWII and the take-over of large areas of what was then Palestine.  Two-thirds of those living in Gaza are refugees from other parts of Palestine.  Since its creation Israel has occupied and taken control of significant portions of the land that was allocated to the Palestinian population (under the agreement for Israel's creation).  Currently 4.7million Palestinians are living as refugees in the West Bank, Gaza, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria.

The situation and its history are very complex.  There is no easy solution to create a peaceful way for Israeli and Palestinian peoples to live in this region.  It is clear though, that the current treatment of the Palestinian people is oppressive, unjust, and inhumane.  We believe that we should listen carefully to the views of 'both sides', but also treat all people with respect and dignity.  

Following the resolution adopted by the TUC in 2020 on Justice for Palestine, as well as reports by Human Rights Watch, the UN and the Israeli human rights organisation B’Tselem which describe the apartheid practices of the Israeli state, The Big Ride will be putting the issue of apartheid at the centre of its campaigning work. We hope that this will unite people in solidarity with the people of Palestine in the same way that we were united in the Anti-Apartheid struggle in South Africa.

We think that it is important that we take a stand on this question and feel, as so eloquently put by Desmond Tutu, that:
“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor”

The Big Ride is opposed to all forms of racism including Islamophobia and Antisemitism.  We welcome the 2021 Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism which makes it clear that fighting for the rights of Palestinians, which will often involve criticism of Israel and its policies, is not antisemitic.

So, we are riding for Freedom, Justice & Equality for the Palestinian people, who are subject to discrimination and apartheid treatment by the Israeli government.  Please support us to raise some much needed cash, to help the children of Gaza to have a slightly better life!