West Bank Crisis: Farmers Terrorized, Gaza in Ruins, While French Students Protest for a Future

Returning from a 10-day mission to the West Bank, a region I've documented for 36 years since the first intifada, I've witnessed a stark reality. The ethnic cleansing and crimes against Palestinian civilians by Israeli soldiers and settlers have intensified under extreme right-wing governments, leading to a severe deterioration of human rights in both Gaza and the West Bank. This past autumn has been particularly horrific. While Gaza endures relentless bombing, Palestinian farmers in the West Bank face terror from armed and violent settlers during their traditional olive harvest, threatening their ancient way of life. B’Tselem, an Israeli human rights organization, reports that over 1,000 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli military and settlers since October 7, 2023, with dozens of Palestinian communities completely erased—a clear act of ethnic cleansing.

Meanwhile, my hometown of Paris has been marred by fires, looting, and protests. Since late September, students have blockaded schools and demonstrated, leading to widespread vandalism. Last weekend, 400,000 people marched across France, resulting in over 1,400 arrests, a number that continues to rise. My empathy lies with these protestors, whose alienation and grim future fuel genuine, justified anger. They are demanding €10 billion in emergency funding for dilapidated schools plagued by rats and extreme temperatures, often lacking teachers due to low pay. They also seek smaller class sizes, an end to the stressful Parcoursup university admissions platform, and improved educational conditions.

The backdrop to these protests is France's precarious financial state, the rise of the far-right led by Marine Le Pen, and the undeniable impact of climate change, evidenced by this summer's record heatwaves. Pensioners fear benefit cuts, and young people are anxious about their future. While I support the students on most issues, their solidarity with Palestine, marked by Palestinian flags and keffiyehs in protests, is complex. Many students have witnessed the destruction in Gaza and the ethnic cleansing in the West Bank, fueling their anger. However, equating student struggles with an illegal military occupation, especially when intertwined with violence and looting in Paris, is unhelpful. This association risks diminishing the distinct and severe struggles faced by Palestinians, such as brutal settler attacks, uprooted olive trees, and displaced farmers, which are fundamentally different from demands for better classrooms.

Gaza, largely ignored since the West Bank crisis escalated, has seen 1,400 Palestinians killed even since a ceasefire. Children there do not face overcrowded classrooms but live in tents, their universities and libraries, like the Edward Said Library, reduced to rubble. Palestinians are not asking for timelines or budgets; they seek the right to live free from occupation, to move without checkpoints, to not live in an apartheid state, and to not face ethnic cleansing on their ancestral land. They desire the right to rebuild Gaza and live in peace.

French students are fighting for their future, a struggle I understand. However, their arrests lead to quick release, with access to lawyers and courts, and their representatives meet with the prime minister. In contrast, Palestinians face armed settlers while being denied the right to self-defense. If they resist with stones, they are arrested, while the Israeli military protects settlers, who are sanctioned and protected by the state. Driving through the South Hebron Hills near Masafer Yatta, I saw numerous schools closed, with students unable to attend classes due to settler road blockades, often followed by Israeli military declarations of closed zones. Palestinians are not fighting for a future; they currently have none.

This does not mean French students should cease their support for Palestine. International solidarity is crucial in challenging Israeli impunity. Growing awareness in countries enabling Israel, particularly the US and Germany, is slowly shifting political landscapes. However, true solidarity requires humility. One group fights for a deserved better future, while the other struggles simply to survive and remain on their own land.