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Palestinians have won the moral war with a brutal regime

Daily indignities are inherent to the life of Palestinians, and survival is often dependent on the mercy of international donors.

Palestinians have been living like refugees on a land that is rightly theirs, and that's because the world has chosen to turn a blind eye to their plight. Now the United States is taking an extreme step, one that will not just disrupt the status quo but also extinguish hopes for a two-state solution. The decision to move the US Embassy to Jerusalem threatens the Palestinian dream for a state. And that's why on Friday Palestinians once again tried to mount a protest demanding their rights. Men, women and children, all risked their lives, setting up camps near the Israel border. The March of Return was yet another attempt by the Palestinians to gain access to their rightful land. And yet again, they were met with Israel's brutality. The number of casualties is staggering - the largest ever since the last Israeli war on Gaza in 2014. Sixteen were killed, and about 1,400 wounded. On Saturday, Israel said it'll expand response if clashes in Gaza go on.
Daily indignities are inherent to the life of Palestinians, and survival is often dependent on the mercy of international donors. According to the World Bank, almost four of every 10 people in Gaza are jobless. Youth unemployment, in particular, is worrisome at 58 per cent, which is the main reason behind the rising frustration. Poverty rates are strikingly high, with almost 80 per cent of Gazans struggling to make ends meet with aid money. Life is hard, and the future looks extremely bleak due to the lack of peace and political reconciliation. A majority of Gaza's two million residents are either refugees of the 1948 war that broke out over Israel's creation, or descendants of those refugees. Palestinians need support of the world leaders, not provocation. Only peace and dialogue can end this conflict; use of brute force and violence will only make the situation worse. The United States and other world powers should help in securing the two-state solution, and not pander to the brute Israeli regime's plans.