We are now one year into the witnessing of genocide in Palestine and still there seems to be no move by the international community to condemn these acts, let alone stop them. Instead we are seeing the increase in horrific genocidal acts in Northern Gaza with many Israeli settlers waiting to take ‘ownership’ of the land, once they have got the remaining people 'out of their way'.
Back in May 2024 Ruth Glasgow (Coffee Politik CIC) and I interviewed Yousef Abu Rabea, a farmer in Northern Gaza for my podcast The Sage’s Cabin. I was in contact with Yousef for a time after via WhatsApp to check he was still alive and that his project was going ok. He was a determined and inspirational young man. When other people were fleeing he stood his ground and resisted the occupation doing what he knew best, farming. He stayed on his land choosing the ‘dig where you stand’ approach. As the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) starved people in the North, Yousef planted seeds to grow food for his family and his community. As his plants grew so did his dreams and ambitions and he started to grow seedlings to pass onto his neighbours and community, empowering them to grow food for themselves, joining him in the non-violent resistance to tactical famine – resistance to occupation, to genocide.
Yousef’s fundraiser at the time was raising money for his farm and family, and to help the other farmers in the area continue to produce food for the people. His work was a direct refusal to accept the occupation of his homeland, which has long denied Palestinians’ their indigeneity and is (still) strategically starving the people of Gaza, especially those in the North, with around 50% of homes unable to eat (this number is likely higher now). Amidst violence and terror, Yousef was championing Food Sovereignty in the face of and as resistance to the IOF.
His life was targeted, and he narrowly escaped.
As Yousef became more high profile on social media and news outlets he knew he would become even more of a target. The occupiers could not let this direct challenge continue. His farm was targeted and crops destroyed, but he managed to save some seeds and plants and continued planting. He continued to nourish the little bits of land left unburned, and to nourish his community.
On the 21st of October the occupiers caught up with him when he was delivering vegetables and he was martyred. Yousef said from the outset that even if the occupiers killed him his legacy would continue and the farmers of Gaza would continue to cultivate the land. Palestinians have endured years of brutal trauma, water and food shortages by the Israelis. They are survivors and resilient but even they can only handle so much in the face of genocide. Yousef has shown us with his tenacity that connection with the land is important, our ability to cultivate our own food is vital. His legacy is seeding sovereignty and this should be a wakeup call and a call to action to everyone. Resistance is essential. Non-violent resistance is possible.
As a memorial to him we are naming our herbal garden at Glasgow Autonomous Space after him, as a way to commemorate his death, celebrate his life and continue the work he started in our own country.
Yousef Abu Rabea, aged 24, was martyred on 21 October 2024 whilst delivering vegetables to his community. His legacy lives on.
You can hear Yousef on The Sage's Cabin podcast here.
You can donate to towards Yousef's legacy work here.
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