My sons and my daughters (students)

In such circumstances as these, there is no point in giving impassioned speeches.

Nor is there any point in emotional reactions.

You, like all young people in the Arab world, have proved that you are more mature than adults, and possibly have clearer vision than they do — because you have goals that reflect your devotion to your values and to humanity.

Like the rest of the world, I believed that we were in a time when respect for the rule of law, and adherence to those laws, were a given.

The recent events in Gaza, frankly, have clarified many issues for many of us.

I believed that a school, like a mosque, a church, or a synagogue, was sacred place that could not be interfered with, because of its unquestionable value.

I was surprised, even shocked, by the targeting of Al-Fakhoora, which had the United Nations flag flying over it.  It represented a safe haven for infants, children, women, elderly, and for people with special needs.

Forty Palestinians were martyred in Al-Fakhoora. It was not their fault that they had sheltered in a place that appeared to be protected by an organization known for its sanctity –  or at least this is what we all believed.

Now, after Al-Fakhoora, we are in an absurd situation. Shrouds have become scarce because of the increasing number of martyrs.  Now, is it the case that we aren’t even allowed to talk about an unprecedented genocide?

What lessons will we be able to share with our grandchildren?  I am not talking about our children because they are experiencing this with us.

Are we allowed now to talk about the International Humanitarian Law and the Geneva Conventions for the Protection of Civilians and all their protocols?

I believe that our children and grandchildren will think us fools, and mock us for our naivety.

It is not time for eloquence or rhetoric. The situation requires boldness and practical actions.

It also requires, and this is more important, that all the good people in this world line up, not just to denounce what has happened and is happening in Gaza. Rather, to offer constructive alternatives.

We refuse to allow the Gaza tragedy to happen again.  Therefore, I will strive with all the living forces in this world to find a mechanism that protects educational systems.

Here, I will focus on education, because I believe that it is the most powerful path to peace.

We must prevent the targeting of schools and universities by applying the rule of law, and by introducing or at least activating existing legislation that treats everyone equally and does not partiality one identity over another.

Aren't we — as we are told — in an era of justice and equality of rights? These laws shall apply to everyone who tampers with the sanctity of human life.

All must bear their responsibility to restore hope to Gaza, to rebuild its schools, mosques, hospitals and universities —  and we must truly ensure the safety of these facilities.

To honour the lives of those who were martyred, Al Fakhoora will be a symbol of this responsibility to rebuild.  Al Fakhoora will be the humanitarian and legal dimension from which we start our protection of other similar educational institutions in Gaza, in Palestine, and throughout the world.

This is how we will remain true to the souls of the martyrs and convey a message to our grandchildren that no one is above the law, no matter who they are or who they know.

My children, students, anywhere in this world: 

The situation is in your hands. We depend on your ideas and your decisions to restore our self-confidence. It is also the responsibility of everyone who believes in the sanctity of human life in Palestine and the world. We want to live in a world of peace, security and truth.

As the plight of our brothers and sisters in Gaza, we know, can wait no longer, we will begin immediately to address the Secretary-General of the United Nations to renew our denunciation and condemnation of the intentional targeting of schools, hospitals, and places of worship, and to demand the formation of an international investigation committee to be in charge of identifying those responsible for these crimes, and bringing them to justice. 

From a procedural standpoint, we will continue to strengthen international mobilization to protect, rebuild and rehabilitate the humanitarian and educational system in Gaza.