In the heart of Seville, Spain—specifically in the Cristina Gardens near the banks of the Guadalquivir River—thousands of representatives from global and Spanish civil society organizations gathered one afternoon at the end of last month, despite temperatures nearing 44°C.
اضافة اعلان
This gathering was part of the activities accompanying the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development. As with many major global summits, civil society activists organized a parallel popular march to demand economic justice, debt cancellation, and restructuring of the global financial system.
What distinguished this march, however, was not only the familiar slogans for fair development, but the overwhelming presence of Palestine. Palestinian flags waved high, banners called for an end to the genocide in Gaza, and chants denounced the Israeli occupation. Contrary to what one might assume, the demonstrators were not predominantly Arabs or Palestinians; they came from all corners of the globe—Europe, Latin America, Africa, Asia, and North America.
Men and women from diverse backgrounds, united not by national or religious ties to Palestine, but by a deep conviction that Palestine represents one of the world’s most just causes—and that just causes are indivisible.
The march set off from Cristina Gardens, wound through the historic streets of the city, and culminated in Seville’s main square, Las Setas, with a massive public rally attended by activists from various fields. A day earlier, during the opening of the Civil Society Forum preceding the official summit, Palestine was also prominently featured in speeches and slogans, receiving wide expressions of solidarity from the international delegations in all languages.
This growing wave of solidarity with Palestine is neither fleeting nor symbolic—it reflects a profound shift in global consciousness. Increasingly, people recognize that the Israeli occupation is not merely a complex political issue, but a blatant example of historical injustice and modern-day colonialism. Integrating Palestine into the agenda of global movements for economic, social, and climate justice is a strategic step that connects struggles and amplifies their collective impact.
History has shown that global solidarity movements—humanitarian and civil—can create strategic shifts in power dynamics, even in the face of entrenched colonial projects. In the Palestinian context, such movements represent one of the most effective tools to dismantle the colonial Zionist project, which since its inception has relied on policies of ethnic cleansing, forced displacement, and systematic massacres.
This project, which continues to draw its false legitimacy and survival from broad Western support, now faces an unprecedented surge in global grassroots solidarity. As this civil and humanitarian campaign expands and pressure on governments and international institutions intensifies, the political and moral isolation of the occupying state becomes not only possible but increasingly imminent—paving the way to break its military arrogance and hold it accountable for its crimes.
Here lies the responsibility of Arab and international civil society organizations: to maintain and intensify the momentum of global solidarity campaigns with the Palestinian cause. Neutralizing the military power of the occupation is not limited to halting arms shipments; it also requires exposing its crimes at every forum, launching effective boycott and sanction campaigns, and utilizing traditional and digital media to convey the truth. Through these efforts, a global pressure network can emerge—embarrassing and pressuring the governments that support the occupation and pushing them to change their policies.
More importantly, this global struggle is not limited to influencing international public opinion; it directly supports the Palestinians on the ground. Whether in Gaza, Jerusalem, Hebron, or other occupied cities, Palestinians know their voices are echoed in Madrid, Paris, Berlin, Cape Town, Manila, Seville, and hundreds of other cities worldwide.
This provides immense psychological and political support and accelerates the isolation and weakening of the occupation.
What we are witnessing today is not merely a renewed acknowledgment of the Palestinian cause, but its integration into the fabric of global struggles. Palestine is no longer just "an Arab issue," but the cause of all those who seek a more just, dignified, and free world. Thus, raising Palestinian flags and chanting for Palestine in the streets of Seville and beyond is living proof that the struggle for liberation is far from over—and that just causes are indivisible… and unconquerable.
