News, June 2003, Al-Jazeerah.info
Human Price of the Israeli Occupation of Palestine
Israeli daily aggression on the Palestinian people
Mission and meaning of Al-Jazeerah
Cities, localities, and tourist attractions
Volunteers
plan protest against Israeli brutality
Gulf News, Abu Dhabi |By
Shireena Al Nowais | 21-06-2003
More than 2,000 people from all over the world will join forces with the
International Solidarity Movement (ISM) in Palestine this summer to
protest the brutality of the occupation and the injustices perpetrated by
the Israeli forces against Palestinian civilians.
From July 1 to August 15, civilians from many countries will risk their
lives in a "Freedom Summer" campaign in a non-violent
confrontation with Israeli forces in an attempt to put an end to the
occupation and draw attention to the struggle of the Palestinian people
and their just cause.
Huwaida Arraf, spokesperson and coordinator of the ISM, and Adam Shapiro,
Organisers of the ISM, spoke to Gulf News during their visit to the UAE as
part of an Arab tour on their movement and the "Freedom Summer"
campaign.
They said volunteers from the Arab world, the West and several other
countries will converge on the West Bank and Gaza Strip to march through
some cities before staging a sit in near a wall being built by Israel
around Nablus to tighten its grip on the city's residents.
"The ISM is a Palestinian-led movement of Palestinian and
International activists working to raise awareness of the struggle for
Palestinian freedom and an end to Israeli occupation," Huwaida
explained. She stressed that the movement uses non-violent methods to
resist the Israeli occupation forces.
Along with her husband, Adam Shapiro visited the Arab countries, stopping
in Abu Dhabi for two days.
On the purpose of their visit, Shapiro said, "We are trying to
combine efforts to support the Palestinians and to encourage Arabs to join
and support our campaigns whether it is by sponsoring another individual
to visit Palestine or by contributing to the foundation."
They agreed that the Arabs do support the Palestinians but that the
support they are asking for is different. Arraf said, "We are trying
to change the image that we are victims. Yes Israel is strong but we are
stronger, working together we can beat them."
"The Arab world does send a lot of aid, but it is what I call
emergency aid or putting a bandaid on an infected wound."
"They send a lot of food, medicines, blankets. All this is very
important but it is not helping the Palestinian people to fight Israel or
prevent the continuous brutalities committed against the people."
Elaborating on the issue, she said, "Israel's main power lies in its
media. America's money goes into their media to support Israel while the
Arab money goes into building hospitals and schools."
She said, "This is how the Americans have managed to build up the
people's and government support and why the Arabs have failed to retain
what is rightfully theirs."
She called for Arabs to boycott American and Israeli products and for the
Arab media to shed light on the Palestinian resistance rather than their
defeat.
Arraf said, "The first few days of the campaigns are reserved for
orientation and non-violence training. Activists are equipped with
practical, logistical and legal information. Also work structures and
affinity groups are formed, responsibilities are assigned and strategies
and methodology are discussed."
Arraf suggested that Arab people could sponsor someone who is allowed
access into the country but cannot afford it.
"Through our website, www.palsolidarity.org
people will find more information on how to join or support the
foundation," she said.
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| Earth, a planet hungry for peace |
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| The Israeli apartheid (security) wall around Palestinian population centers (Ran Cohen, pmc, 5/24/03). |
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| The Israeli apartheid (security) wall around Palestinian population centers in the West Bank (Ran Cohen, pmc, 5/24/03). |
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