Yousef Abu Rabee: Farming as Sovereignty and Survival by Aya Elsehaimy

In early October 2024, Abu Rabee gave an interview to Al-Jazeera’s Bisan Owda. He spoke about the challenges he faced as a farmer trying to survive and feed his community while teaching them what he learned. He shared his hopes and dreams that the war machine would turn off its gears, so he could continue doing what his family had done for generations, growing the land. Abu Rabee knew that empowering his people to survive colonial violence was one of the most threatening acts of defiance to their occupier. In his own words, “I don’t expect to live long because I do what drives the occupier crazy the most.” Two weeks later, on October 21st, 2024, Israel killed Yousef Abu Rabee in a targeted airstrike after he miraculously survived another attack earlier that month. He was only 24 years old.