Pedaling for Gaza: Abed Rahman's ride from Germany to Palestine to raise funds for Gaza healthcare

“Every pedal stroke is a message of solidarity with my people in Gaza that, no matter what, we will rebuild our homes again.” With these words, Abed Rahman sets the tone for his extraordinary mission – cycling from Germany to Palestine to raise critical awareness and funds for a healthcare facility in Gaza.

Born and raised in Germany to Palestinian parents, Abed finds himself straddling two worlds, bound by his heritage, yet separated by Israel’s illegal Occupation that dictates his freedom of movement.

“I always like to go to Gaza, but my home has never been easy to visit,” Abed shares, his voice tinged with longing as he describes the arduous journey through Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, marked by security checks and barriers.

“Gaza isn’t somewhere we can just travel to in a plane. Sometimes, it takes two or three or even four days to cross the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. We are controlled and forced to go through security checks like criminals. It’s very frustrating but we must bear it because of our connection to the land of our parents. It’s our homeland and a special place, not only for Palestinians, but I believe, the whole of mankind.”

It was during such a visit with his mother last year for a relative’s wedding that Israel’s war against the region started. Staying in the Al-Shati Refugee Camp in northern Gaza City, the joyous occasion quickly turned into a harrowing experience as the region descended into chaos.

Despite holding a German passport, the process of returning to Germany was fraught with political complications and personal danger. The German embassy, Abed recounts, claimed to be “powerless” to stop the war or facilitate his return. As a result, he endured the horrors of Israeli bombardment for five weeks, narrowly escaping death multiple times as bombs fell mere metres from him.

“I was close to getting killed by a bomb three times! But the German government does not care about us or our lives. We’re not used as human shields in Gaza but we are used as human political shields by the governments.’

The German embassy advised him to wait for change, asserting their inability to assist. However, Abed pointed out that Germany supports Israel with weapons and ammunition used against Palestinians in Gaza, demonstrating their capacity to intervene if they chose to.

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Germany is the second-biggest weapons exporter to Israel in terms of major conventional weapons, with over 25 per cent of imports between 2019 and 2023.

Before 7 October, Germany had already approved €326 million ($352 million) in arms exports to Israel and has continued to authorise licences for military equipment, including training ammunition, according to Berlin-based Forensis.

These licences include military technology, electronic equipment, warships, special naval gear, bombs, torpedoes, rockets, missiles and other explosive devices.

Germany has also supplied diesel engines for Merkava-4 tanks, crucial for Israel’s ground operations. Since last October, these tanks have been deployed in attacks on civilians and infrastructure in Gaza.

In January, the German news weekly, Der Spiegel, reported that Berlin agreed to provide Israel with 10,000 rounds of 120mm tank ammunition from its military stockpiles, following an Israeli request in November.

“It’s a miracle that I even survived for 5 weeks,” says Abed. “The place is mayhem right now, it’s unrecognisable. If you see pictures from the streets, you’d think you are on a different planet. My cousin tells me regularly when he goes to Al-Shati, he can’t distinguish the streets. He needs to look closely at the fallen buildings to be able to tell where he is.”

Following his return to Germany, the stark contrast between safety and the ongoing horror in Gaza was overwhelming. It was a dramatic transition from constant fear to relative normality. Yet, Abed found no solace in the comfort. Instead, he chose action over despair.

Combining his love for cycling with his passion for advocating Palestinian rights, he embarked on a mission to raise awareness and funds for a healthcare facility in Gaza.

One of the significant aspects of his journey was his decision to cycle through Bosnia due to its recent history of genocide and war. It resonated with Abed’s experiences in Gaza.

He notes that the route through the Balkans was not the easiest or the shortest. The flat terrains of Eastern Europe would have been a simpler path, but the mountainous challenges of Bosnia offered more than physical endurance; they provided a backdrop for reflection on human resilience and suffering. From Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia, he took a car ride to the haunting landscapes of Srebrenica, a place synonymous with genocide, where he felt a deep connection with the historical pain of the region.

Drawing parallels between the suffering of Bosnians during the 1990s and the current plight of Palestinians, he says, “The scars from the genocide are still visible, you can still see the bullet holes in their houses so it was the most emotional part of the cycling journey for me.”

After visiting key sites, including memorials and museums dedicated to the war, he met with survivors of the Bosnian War who lost their family to listen to their stories, and shared his own experiences suffering under Occupation and facing bombardment.

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He says, “I felt really connected with them because we spoke the same language of human suffering and injustice. They were so welcoming and showed a lot of empathy with the Palestinian cause.”

Throughout his journey, Abed’s primary goal was to raise funds for a health centre in Gaza. This centre, staffed by ten doctors, provides crucial services to the war-torn community, offering treatment for diabetes, cancer and injuries from bombings. The centre also specialises in treating burns and injuries resulting from Israel’s bombs, providing free medical care to those who need it most.

Spanning several weeks and covering over 3,000 kilometres, the physical exertion of cycling through the mountains became a metaphor for the uphill battle faced by Palestinians daily.

This included the denial of entry to Palestine as he reached the border of Jordan. “It didn’t work out exactly as I wanted to since I can’t enter my own country without giving up my Palestinian ID but it was interesting because my friend who cycled with me and isn’t Palestinian, was able to enter and visit Al-Aqsa.”

Despite this setback, Abed remains resolute in his commitment to his cause. The denial of entry has only strengthened his resolve to advocate for the Palestinian people, using his experience to shed light on the ongoing injustices and to rally further support for humanitarian efforts in Gaza.

“This journey was never just about crossing physical borders,” he concludes. “It was about breaking through the barriers of ignorance. Even though I couldn’t enter Palestine this time, my mission continues. We will keep pushing for change, for freedom and for the right to return to our homeland.”

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The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.