The Swedish branch of the “Fridays for Future” movement, which defends the environment and whose most prominent symbol is activist Greta Thunberg, renewed – on Tuesday – in two articles its solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza, in response to the criticism that targeted the movement against the backdrop of the Israeli aggression against Gaza.
The movement wrote in an article published in the Swedish newspaper “Aftonbladet” that “Fridays for Future” did not turn to extremism and did not become political. We have always been political because we have always been a movement for justice. A version of the article was published in English in the British newspaper The Guardian.
She added, “Defending climate justice is rooted in concern for people and their human rights… It is natural for us to stand in solidarity with the Palestinians and all civilians affected” by the war.
She stressed that it is her duty as an environmental movement “to express our position when people suffer, are forced to flee their homes, and are killed, whatever the reason.”
This international youth movement previously condemned the “genocide” in Gaza and “Western support for the media disinformation machine”, after the Israeli bombing of the Gaza Strip.
At the end of October, voices in Germany called on the branch in this country to sever its ties with the global environmental movement, criticizing the positions of the young activist who was considered supportive of the Palestinians in this war.
attacks
At the end of last November, Israeli media launched an attack on Rita Thunberg, after she appeared in a video clip chanting slogans calling for the “overthrow of Zionism” while participating in a pro-Palestine demonstration in Stockholm.
Thunberg’s solidarity with the victims of the Israeli war on Gaza made her vulnerable to attack by Israeli newspapers, including Yedioth Ahronoth, which commented on her participation in the demonstration by saying, “In the video published by The Epoch Times, Thunberg can be seen repeating… Anti-Israel calls. Palestinian flags were also raised in the protest.”
According to the Israeli newspaper, the Swedish climate activist “stood on her anti-Israel stance, saying: As a climate justice movement, we must listen to the voices of the oppressed and those who struggle for freedom and justice. Otherwise, there will be no climate justice without international solidarity.”
On November 16, Thunberg re-published a photo of the children and women victims of Gaza that was published by the United Nations page on the “X” platform (formerly Twitter), confirming that “United Nations experts point to evidence of genocide in Gaza using methods of war in 21st century.
On October 20, the Swedish activist – who was nominated three times for the Nobel Prize – called for solidarity with the Palestinians instead of striking in order to take action to confront climate change.
Thunberg said in a post on the Instagram platform, “Today we are striking in solidarity with Palestine and with Gaza. The world must raise its voice and call for an immediate ceasefire, and justice and freedom for the Palestinians and all affected civilians.”
Who is Greta Thunberg?
Thunberg was born on January 3, 2003 in the Swedish capital, Stockholm, to an actor father and an opera singer mother.
She organized her first school climate strike outside the Swedish Parliament in 2018, when she was 15 years old.
Week 270. Today we strike in solidarity with Palestine and Gaza. The world needs to speak up and call for an immediate ceasefire, justice and freedom for Palestinians and all civilians affected.#FreePalestine #IStandWithPalestine #StandWithGaza #FridaysForFuture
Thread🧵 pic.twitter.com/0hVtya0yWO— Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) October 20, 2023
On March 15, 2019, approximately 1.4 million students from 112 countries around the world responded to Thunberg’s call to strike and protest.
In July 2019, on behalf of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Secretary-General Mohammed Barkindo declared that Thunberg and other young climate activists represented the “greatest threat” to the fossil fuel industry.
Between 2019 and 2020, Thunberg stopped studying to focus on her climate activism, and became famous for her enthusiastic speeches to world leaders.
In 2019, she sailed across the Atlantic on a yacht to speak at the United Nations Climate Action Summit in New York.
In the same year, she won the Right Livelihood Award, known as the “Alternative Nobel Prize,” and the Amnesty International Ambassador of Conscience Award, and Forbes magazine listed her among the 100 most powerful women in the world.
In 2022, Thunberg released the book “Climate”, which includes essays from 100 scientists, writers and activists on how to combat the climate crisis.
