Yesterday we got a call to attend the demonstration described below. There didn’t seem to be much Western press in attendance. I hope this news reaches the U.S. especially, as the only news regarding Palestine lately refers to the political infighting between Fatah and Hamas in Gaza. Not only does it paint an untrue portrait of outright civil war in Palestine, but I think it also encourages viewers to falsely view all Palestinians as violent and unwilling to resolve conflict. On top of that, it is distracting the world from the daily violence inflicted upon this place by the Israeli occupation and apartheid culture. Read on for my report of yesterday’s amazing demo:
A Call to Fight the Occupation – Not Each Other
3 February 2007
by the International Women’s Peace Service – Palestine
With the intention of forming a human chain across Ramallah from the Hamas-controlled parliament building to the Fatah-controlled PA headquarters, an estimated 500 to 1,000 Palestinians gathered yesterday in the West Bank city of Ramallah to protest the internal violence plaguing Palestine. The demonstrators, from towns all over the West Bank, held hands and stretched out from the parliament to the center of town, at which point everyone began marching, singing and chanting with signs and banners towards the PA Headquarters.
Organized by the Palestinian Farmer’s Union, the demonstration gathered farmers, workers, schoolchildren, women’s groups and international activists together to demand an end to the recently violent conflict between Fatah and Hamas. The infighting has resulted in numerous injuries and deaths, mainly in Gaza, leaving many Palestinians calling for national unity and support from leaders in ending the violence. Many demonstrators feel such internal conflict weakens Palestinian resistance against the Israeli occupation, as one large banner depicted a destroyed olive tree and read, “Let’s work together to protect the land, and halt Palestinian bloodshed.”
At the PA headquarters, the crowd chanted for about ten minutes outside the entrance when the gates opened and armed Palestinian guards welcomed the demonstrators inside the government compound. After a few moments, a presidential spokesperson arrived and informed the people of President Abbas’ strong support for national unity and an end to the fighting among Fatah and Hamas members.
A Call to Fight the Occupation – Not Each Other
3 February 2007
by the International Women’s Peace Service – Palestine
With the intention of forming a human chain across Ramallah from the Hamas-controlled parliament building to the Fatah-controlled PA headquarters, an estimated 500 to 1,000 Palestinians gathered yesterday in the West Bank city of Ramallah to protest the internal violence plaguing Palestine. The demonstrators, from towns all over the West Bank, held hands and stretched out from the parliament to the center of town, at which point everyone began marching, singing and chanting with signs and banners towards the PA Headquarters.
Organized by the Palestinian Farmer’s Union, the demonstration gathered farmers, workers, schoolchildren, women’s groups and international activists together to demand an end to the recently violent conflict between Fatah and Hamas. The infighting has resulted in numerous injuries and deaths, mainly in Gaza, leaving many Palestinians calling for national unity and support from leaders in ending the violence. Many demonstrators feel such internal conflict weakens Palestinian resistance against the Israeli occupation, as one large banner depicted a destroyed olive tree and read, “Let’s work together to protect the land, and halt Palestinian bloodshed.”
At the PA headquarters, the crowd chanted for about ten minutes outside the entrance when the gates opened and armed Palestinian guards welcomed the demonstrators inside the government compound. After a few moments, a presidential spokesperson arrived and informed the people of President Abbas’ strong support for national unity and an end to the fighting among Fatah and Hamas members.
No comments:
Post a Comment