Ultimate Palestine calls on the global ultimate community to defend Palestinian human rights
November 1, 2023
We are mourning the genocidal slaughter of our Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip. We are particularly grieving for our coaches Maha, Ahmad, Ala’ and Yousef, all of whom count parents, siblings or cousins among the more than 8,000 Palestinians who have been killed so far, the majority of whom are innocent civilians. We are grieving for tens of our Gazan friends who lost loved ones and who are terrorized daily by incessant Israeli airstrikes which have rendered the “concentration camp” of the Gaza Strip a desolate wasteland devoid even of clean air and water. We are heartbroken to realize that these young players are forever scarred and traumatized by this war, and we pray for the safety and deliverance of all our coaches and players who are going through constant bombardment while cut off from access to electricity, fuel, food, and clean water.
Ultimate Palestine calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and a stop to this indiscriminate and vile war. We call on our fellow members of the international ultimate community, particularly WFDF and all WFDF national member associations, to join us in active advocacy for an immediate ceasefire and the provision of humanitarian aid to our people. We are aware that WFDF took a moral stance in condemning the Russian war on Ukraine. While we are neither white nor European, we call upon WFDF to show that same moral clarity and consistency in condemning this heinous war on Palestinians, particularly Palestinian Ultimate players and coaches, and demanding justice for our people.
We ask the global flying disc community to affirm the humanity and dignity of the Palestinian people, take a clear position against this war, and condemn the 75 long years of Israeli occupation, apartheid and brutal oppression of our families and communities. We also encourage those who have previously argued that sports are apolitical to reexamine their positions and to draw on the philosophical framework of “Spirit of the Game” to emphasize the role of justice and speaking truth to power in addressing circumstances of violence and inequity. We remind organizations who are quick to use platitudes about peace and fun to silence valid critiques of systemic inequity to start using their platforms to advocate for the marginalized instead of normalizing and whitewashing systemic racism and oppression.
Our call for the global ultimate community to raise their voices for justice and peace is not a political request; it is a humanitarian one. It is not a fringe position to respect our human rights and dignity. The vast majority of the United Nations has joined us in our call to protect and respect Palestine and Palestinians, voting 120-14 in support of a resolution calling for an “immediate, durable humanitarian truce” between Israel and Hamas and unhindered aid access to the besieged Gaza Strip.
In the past we have been chastised by for the simple act of recognizing ourselves as Palestinians who live under military occupation and systemic oppression. Today and forever we reject any attempt to discredit our existence, our lived experience, and our humanity. We are human beings who simply want to be seen the same way we see all of you – as your teammates, as your coaches, as your loved ones and as your friends. As human beings who deserve to live and love and play ultimate. Please endorse and share this message: our lives depend on it.
Ultimate Palestine calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and a stop to this indiscriminate and vile war. We call on our fellow members of the international ultimate community, particularly WFDF and all WFDF national member associations, to join us in active advocacy for an immediate ceasefire and the provision of humanitarian aid to our people. We are aware that WFDF took a moral stance in condemning the Russian war on Ukraine. While we are neither white nor European, we call upon WFDF to show that same moral clarity and consistency in condemning this heinous war on Palestinians, particularly Palestinian Ultimate players and coaches, and demanding justice for our people.
We ask the global flying disc community to affirm the humanity and dignity of the Palestinian people, take a clear position against this war, and condemn the 75 long years of Israeli occupation, apartheid and brutal oppression of our families and communities. We also encourage those who have previously argued that sports are apolitical to reexamine their positions and to draw on the philosophical framework of “Spirit of the Game” to emphasize the role of justice and speaking truth to power in addressing circumstances of violence and inequity. We remind organizations who are quick to use platitudes about peace and fun to silence valid critiques of systemic inequity to start using their platforms to advocate for the marginalized instead of normalizing and whitewashing systemic racism and oppression.
Our call for the global ultimate community to raise their voices for justice and peace is not a political request; it is a humanitarian one. It is not a fringe position to respect our human rights and dignity. The vast majority of the United Nations has joined us in our call to protect and respect Palestine and Palestinians, voting 120-14 in support of a resolution calling for an “immediate, durable humanitarian truce” between Israel and Hamas and unhindered aid access to the besieged Gaza Strip.
In the past we have been chastised by for the simple act of recognizing ourselves as Palestinians who live under military occupation and systemic oppression. Today and forever we reject any attempt to discredit our existence, our lived experience, and our humanity. We are human beings who simply want to be seen the same way we see all of you – as your teammates, as your coaches, as your loved ones and as your friends. As human beings who deserve to live and love and play ultimate. Please endorse and share this message: our lives depend on it.
You can find resources for advocacy here.