The Global Sumud Flotilla, a group of ships set to depart from Barcelona for Gaza, now bears a new work by street artist Laika titled ‘Sumud’. The painting depicts a Palestinian woman pointing decisively forward, charting the course. Behind her flows a wake in the colors of the Palestinian flag, a symbol of resistance, dignity, and hope.
“Some have said the Global Sumud Flotilla is a failure and should not exist: that’s true,” explained Laika. “This terrible genocide should not exist, nor should this multitude of people whose strength in resistance takes my breath away as they put themselves in danger. I wanted to leave a trace, a message in the right place.” The title of the work is not accidental. ‘Sumud’ is an Arabic word meaning resilience, steadfastness, and perseverance: three words that encapsulate the Palestinian people’s decades-long struggle to continue existing.
“It was an immense honor to add color to the ships of courageous women and men who, through an unprecedented action, seek to break the siege of the Gaza Strip: a tormented land where there are now more bombs than children,” she stated. She added, “Israel and its government, with the complicity of Western governments, want to erase every trace of this people; in Gaza with a ‘final solution’ that evokes the darkest pages of European history, and in the West Bank with settler attacks and land expropriations. We cannot allow it. This expedition is the reflection of a world that is rebelling and taking to the streets against barbarism. The message is clear: we must choose which side to be on. The wake left by the Palestinian woman represents all of us: a tide of humanity that will not stop until the Palestinian people have peace and a state.”
The artist concluded with a strong and direct appeal: “To the activists of the Global Sumud, I wish fair winds, hoping my works can accompany you on this difficult journey. To the governments that represent us, I ask: will you continue to look the other way? Will you continue to strike deals and sell arms to a country responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity? The end of Gaza will also be the end of a democratic Europe. History will present us with the bill.” In addition to the main piece, Laika has adorned the fleet with some of her most famous posters in support of the Palestinian cause: ‘Liberation’ (a partisan woman holding the hand of a Palestinian woman), ‘Ni una menos’, and ‘Justice 4 Awdah’, dedicated to the Palestinian activist killed last month in Masafer Yatta by an Israeli settler.