Our Statement on the Ruthless Attacks by Israel in Lebanon
As SWANA Climate Sirens, we stand in solidarity with our people in Lebanon and Palestine, particularly the young women and girls bearing the brunt of the violence, displacement, and systemic injustices that have plagued our region for generations.
For nearly a year, the people of Palestine have faced genocide, and now, the escalation of attacks on Lebanon by the Zionist apartheid state of Israel is yet another manifestation of colonialism, militarism, and patriarchal oppression.
Our region has long suffered under the legacy of colonialism, which continues to shape the violence and forced displacement that we witness today. Militarized borders, occupation, and unchecked power are tools used to oppress, silence, and displace our communities, robbing us of our land, dignity, and future. Women and girls, especially from marginalized communities, are disproportionately impacted, facing not only physical violence but also deep-seated systemic barriers that strip them of their rights and autonomy.
Many of our team members have experienced this firsthand, as they’ve been forced to flee their homes, navigate unsafe conditions, and face the trauma of displacement. The current situation has also directly affected our participation in vital climate justice initiatives. Several of our members were supposed to attend RCOY MENA, but have been denied visas or had their funding withdrawn due to the escalating violence. These decisions, often made by those in power in the Global North, further marginalize us, denying us access to critical spaces where our voices should be heard. This exclusion perpetuates the cycle of silencing young women and girls from the SWANA region, whose leadership in both climate justice and peace-building is essential to our collective future.
Israel has consistently and flagrantly violated international law with impunity, targeting civilians, schools, shelters, UN staff, journalists, and innocent people for decades. These actions not only disregard basic human rights but also underscore the absence of accountability from the so called global community in particular Western powers. We are tired of being forced to prove our humanity while the world watches in silence. Condemnations are nothing without meaningful action. Decades of occupation, violence, and international indifference have normalized the targeting of Palestinians, Lebanese SWANA civilians at large. The lack of consequences for Israel’s violations only fuels further atrocities, and the world’s continued failure to act is complicit in the suffering of our people.
As we navigate these challenges, we reaffirm our commitment to resisting the systems of oppression that perpetuate violence, militarization, and displacement. We continue to advocate for a decolonial approach to climate justice—one that centers the voices, experiences, and leadership of young women and girls from our region. We demand that international institutions, governments, and funders recognize the urgency of supporting and amplifying our voices, not only in the climate justice movement but in the fight for peace and self-determination for all people in the SWANA region.
Our struggles for climate justice are inseparable from the struggles for liberation, dignity, and justice for our communities. We will continue to rise, amplify our voices, and fight for a world where no one is left behind.
