-We just celebrated the success of a hunger strike by over 1600 political prisoners despite attempts to stifle the story in Zionist dominated Western media. They succeeded in achieving a part of their basic rights including receiving family visits and ending solitary confinement.

-We are 11.5 million people and while most of us are refugees and displaced people, we remain steadfast and hopeful and connected. Thanks to persistence and now the internet and modern communications, even the feeble attempts to isolate us from each other failed. Thousands of Palestinians still go to their main city of Jerusalem without Israeli permission. Thousands connect across the Green line to the areas occupied since 1948.

-We are still the most educated people in the Middle East with the highest per capita of postgraduates.

-We now have 12 universities inside the occupied Palestinan territories. On Saturday we held the second biomedical research symposium in Bethlehem showing scientific work rivaling that done in countries with a strong tradition of research. This is miraculous considering the conditions under occupation.

-We are still the people who helped develop the Arab world and even remind it of its unity and common destiny. But more than that, our resistance shielded fellow Arabs from the original plans of Zionists for an empire from the Nile to the Euphrates. We are still the main obstacle to the victory of the racist Zionist project.

-We have an amazing history of 130 years of struggle against the most well-financed, most-organized, most-supported (by Zionists and their Western backers) colonial project in human history.

- We have the fastest growing boycotts, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement in anti-colonial struggles. In less than 7 years we accomplished far more than what was accomplished with BDS in any other place (including in 25 years in South Africa).

-Palestine is still the place where people of different religions lived together in the same neighborhod unsegregated until European Zionists came and recreated ghettos for Palestinians (Muslims and Christians) and one large ghetto for Jews called Israel coexist in harmony. Church bells and the call of the Muezzin to prayer still penetrate deep in our souls despite all the Zionist attempts to silence them (e.g. the ethnic cleansing and destruction of 530 villages and towns).

- We educate our children that racism and notions of choseness are wrong and they grow to believe that we can still have the new Palestine that will be like our old Palestine: multiethnic, multireligious, multicultural and beautiful.

- Palestinians inspired activists around the world. Polls show great sympathy for our cause among average people. Palestine is now cause celebre among those struggling against oppression. Even Nelson Mandela said that South Africa will not be fully free until Palestine is free. According to polls, a majority in Western Europe correctly view Israel and the US as the two greatest threats to world peace. Thousands of internationals joined us in the struggle locally. Israel has become so paranoid about any solidarity visits and in the process exposed its apartheid racist nature.

We are grateful to be participants in shaping a better future for all. I am 100% sure that our Nakba will end, refugees will return, freedom and equality will happen, and Israelis will also be liberated from being oppressors and colonizers and become integrated into the fabric of the new and better Palestine. We can then become a “light unto the peoples.”
—————————-
Died: Vidal Sassoon who volunteered for and fought in the Israeli army during the ethnic cleansing in 1948 (the largest since WWII). His “beauty” empire participated (and continues) in the financing of the ugly Zionist crimes against humanity.

Podcast Radio interview: Professor Mazin Qumsiyeh of Bethlehem and Birzeit Universities, author of Popular Resistance in Palestine: a History of Hope and Empowerment. – Around 2000 Palestinian prisoners, out of desperation, are on hunger strike. Some are near death. Yet western media are silent. Many prisoners have been arrested and re-arrested, under “Administrative Detention”, i.e., no charges and no trials
http://plainsfm.org.nz/podcasts/ (then click Earthwise)

Lest we forget: Palestinian Refugees: Right to Return and Repatriation. Chapter 4 from Sharing The Land of Canaan: Human Rights and the Israeli-Palestinian Struggle”. http://www.qumsiyeh.org/chapter4/

Two chapters from a new book titled “The Case For Sanctions Against Israel”
Hind Awwad: “Six Years of BDS: Success!”
http://www.odsg.org/co/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2552
Ilan Pappé: the boycott will work, an Israeli perspective
http://www.odsg.org/co/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2555

See this link to an al-Jazeera documentary about the theft of books from Palestinian homes and libraries during the 1948 war. It is a very tragic story with many of the books looted from Khalil al-Sakakini’s library and others, then kept at the Israeli national library. There is an opening poem by Sakakini dedicated to his stolen books http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/witness/2012/05/20125915313256768.html

Phil Monsour features Rafeef Ziadah – Ghosts of Deir Yassin

Mazin Qumsiyeh, PhD
A bedouin in cyberspace, a villager at home
http://qumsiyeh.org

Zionist colonization is not driven by emotion or haphazard action. It is done as instructed by the founding father of Political Zionism Theodore Herzl in 1897: “we must investigate and take possession of the new Jewish country by means of every modern expedient.” Modern expedients advocated by Herzl include planned methodical structure to remove the native people (with or without agreement of some Arabs) and create a large Jewish state. Herzl was not specific on size of the “required estate” but Ben Gurion and people of his era thought it possible to go as far as between the Nile and the Euphrates.

The plans of colonizers are remarkably similar and known from the diaries of Herzl in 1897, from the letter from Ben Gurion to his son in 1937, the Allon plan of 1967, and from the Hebron accords of 1997. It is a plan of expansion without some Arabs consenting or occasionally with agreement from some Arabs. These agreements, like the treaties that some Native Americans signed with the government of the United States in its expansionary phase, were and are violated because they are merely consolidation tools [4]. I think like these Native American chiefs some Palestinians thought that they are doing the best they could under difficult circumstances. Most of the Native American “leaders” had no concept or understanding of the true nature of the notions and emotions driving the Westward expansion of the white colonialists in the USA. They did not delve deeply into notions of manifest destiny, choseness, and racism that characterize their oppressors. One could say the ideology of Native Americans exhibited the exact opposite of their colonizers and thus they presumed that whites are ultimately human and could be dealt with as equals.

Peace for natives is to get their freedom, to live in dignity, and most of all to get the boot of colonization off our necks. Peace for the colonizers is to have the victim stop wiggling under their boots. Towards this they devised ingenious plans including a Palestinian Preventive Security force. Any rational human being can see this dictation and imbalance of power in daily news. Thus the people are left out of decisions whether on “negotiations”, on “national reconciliation”, ongoing and not going to the UN, or on how they may eventually be liberated. Despairing and riding a ship without compass or rudder, the people grumble and boil underneath and later erupt in revolt.

Needs and desires of the colonizers and the colonized are not the same. Occupiers and colonizers want more opportunities to progress via consolidation and strengthening of the status quo and allowing them to expand further. We, the occupied and colonized people, want to halt and eventually reverse the process of injustice. Palestinians want to return to our homes and lands and live peacefully as we did for millennia. We insist on return and self-determination. We insist that the country must remain multi-ethnic, multi-religious, and multi-cultural. This is not a border dispute nor is it a quibble over the Israeli illegal control of the religious sites. Like in the struggle in South Africa under apartheid, it is a struggle that pits two very different visions of the area: one of racism and apartheid and the other of justice and equality.

Sporadic acts of heroic popular resistance are not enough to reach peace with justice. Coordination and joint action must take place. What hinders it is a system developed by the occupiers and agreed to by some of the occupied people. Personal economic benefit maintains the status quo. What is done with support from a Palestinian authority is nothing short of making this occupation the most profitable in history (several billion dollars flow annually to Israeli coffers as a result of this occupation). Already Israeli and Palestinian business deals are being executed for example in area C. This is the “economic peace plan” of Netanyahu and others. Those who may think of disrupting the status quo are investigated and punished. Most Palestinians are excellent diagnosticians and have figured this out. But I think many have not started to articulate solutions or ideas to get out of this mud hole that the Oslo Process (actually started with the 10 point program in 1974) put us into. It is not going to be easy and it does require sacrifice. But those delusional individuals who think that they have a salary or a position and they do not want to risk rocking the boat should think again. They should think of how their children or grandchildren would live under a system of racism and oppression. This is as true of Israelis as it is true of Palestinians.

Boycotts, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) give us hope. Shimon Peres, the architect of Israel’s arsenal of Weapons of Mass Destruction and a war criminal once explained: “In order to export you need good products, but you also need good relations….[If] Israel’s image gets worse, it will begin to suffer boycotts. There is already an artistic boycott against us and signs of an undeclared financial boycott are beginning to emerge.” International figures who worked against apartheid in South Africa argued convincingly of why this can help here in Apartheid Israel [5]. But BDS is only a tool and certainly not sufficient to effect the needed change. There has to be a structured program from the people which includes an articulation of a vision with concrete goals for the future. In my book “Sharing the Land of Canaan” in 2004 I argued for precisely such a program to move from apartheid to a state of all its citizens. These notions have gained widespread acceptance among intellectuals and activists of various religious and political backgrounds. To arrive to this vision, we need organization.

Organization requires visionary leadership arising organically from a maturing rising population. We should not be reluctant to push our existing leaders and if they are not willing to move then to create alternative leadership. ALL Factions have aging and non-innovative leadership and ALL factions have younger energetic and dedicated (but marginalized) individuals. Clearly the status quo is devastating for us and cannot last. We know from history that people will rise-up and DEMAND change.

Is it time for varied voices to coalesce into a thunderous uproar that cannot be ignored? May we organize meetings and discuss publicly the path forward? While many for example discussed the failure of the “two state solution” and some articulated future visions, we need more than that. Can we as a people in 1948 areas, in the WB and Gaza and in exile create mechanisms and structures that take us to where we decide to go? Can we convince the world and even Israelis that we are serious about working for a future of peace with justice and prosperity for everyone? Voices of negativism must not dominate this critical stage. This conversation must be open to people of goodwill from all factions and from independents. While it must start among Palestinians, we must later involve our trusted supporters from around the world. We do have the resources: financial, intellectual, emotional, and physical. Let those who have skills in organizing organize and those who have skills in media work do media work. Let those who have skills in social networking do that. Those who have skills in music write songs for the revolution. Imagine if we can get even 5% or even 1% of the Palestinians around the world as participants in an organized effort. The change that could happen can be monumental.

The world today only respects those who respect themselves and struggle for their own rights. We have nothing to be ashamed of as Palestinians even though 7 million of us are refugees or displaced people. We have a lot to be proud of from our history [6]. We cannot give up now that the crisis of Palestine weighed on the world conscience and when the Arab spring could change the whole geopolitical reality of the Middle East. Even if we fail at our goal this time, the positive spirit that results would enrich all our lives. It would unleash the creativity and the energy that we know is in us. Change can and must happen because it ours is an existential struggle for 11.5 million Palestinians in the world and for our children and grandchildren born and unborn. Each of us has a role to play and has skills and other resources to contribute. Even if we start slow and among a few individuals, it will grow because we have no other choice. Let us get on with it.

[1] http://www.alhaq.org/documentation/weekly-focuses/569-palestinian-prisoners-near-death
[2] Ramzy Baroud- Israel plots an end-game
http://www.foreignpolicyjournal.com/2012/05/03/illegal-settlements-bonanza-israel-plots-an-endgame/,
Jeff Halper http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2012/04/2012428124445821996.html but see also Susan Abulhawa’s reply to Jeff Halper http://palestinechronicle.com/view_article_details.php?id=19274#.T6RigYJSHIA.twitter
[3] Ben Gurion letter to his son, sent October 5, 1937 Translation here
http://www.palestine-studies.org/files/B-G%20Letter%20translation.pdf
[4] The Oslo accords were an excellent tool by Israel to consolidate its hold and in violations of the Geneva conventions allowed Israel “civil control” in >60% of the West Bank called area C. In further negotiations it was leaked how much people like Saeb Erekat were willing to keep going in handing over these areas to Israel http://www.aljazeera.com/palestinepapers/
[5] Desmond Tutu on the need for Divestment from Israeli apartheid
http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/columns/justice-requires-action-to-stop-subjugation-of-palestinians/1227722
[6] “Popular Resistance in Palestine: A history of Hope and Empowerment” http://www.qumsiyeh.org/popularresistanceinpalestine/

More than half of the world billionaires are Zionists who are shameless in their support of the apartheid state of Israel in its attempted genocide of the Palestinians. 530 Towns and villages were depopulated thanks to numerous massacres committed against the native Palestinians in the past 64 years. 7 million Palestinians are refugees or displaced people. Thousands languish as political prisoners in Israeli jails. Those political prisoners are now engaged in a hunger strike and have called for making 1 May 2012 a day of strikes and actions to highlight the Palestinian struggle. Whether the thousands of Palestinians in the small prisons or the millions of us languishing in large prisons like Gaza or Bethlehem, we say it is time for all of us to stand together.

Doing action in the direction for peace and justice is liberating to everyone.

Consider suing Israel for genocide

Action 1: Sign the The Peoples Charter to Create a Nonviolent World’: (Blog)

Europe’s airlines enforce Israeli travel ban on activists hoping to repair Palestinian schools.

Israel (the supposed democracy) prevents its own citizens from simply holding signs with the names of the ethnically cleansed Palestinian villages on the so called “Independence day” of apartheid Israel. (English)

(Hebrew including amazing video of brave citizens standing up to fascist police).

Action 2: Call Airlines to stop being sub-contractors to Israeli occupation.

Action 3: Jewish voice for peace asking you to sign in support of 60 minutes for doing a story on Palestinian Christians that actually asked us Christians to speak! I signed.

See also “Palestinian Christians respond to Israeli ambassador Lies” -

And “Israel’s not-so-stellar record on treatment of Christians”

I wrote this letter to the NY Times public editor (Ombudsperson), Art Brisbane, public@nytimes.com, (212)556-7652 and as a letter to the editor
letters@nytimes.com. Please consider doing the same.

To the editor (for publication):

Why does the New York Times allow itself to be a vehicle for distributing lies and hatred? The “public service” message from Mr. Horowitz published in the NY Times is precisely that. It claims that those who called for boycotts, divestment, and sanctions against South Africa under apartheid and now call for similar nonviolent tactics against Israeli apartheid are “anti-Semites” and worse even as promoters of genocide!

This is utter lies and defamation of decent people who act on their conscience to try to influence the Israeli government and elites in the same manner we succeeded in influencing the apartheid system of South Africa. I do know that such shrill attacks will not deter those who act on their conscience. More and more Israelis and Internationals are finally saying enough is enough of these tactics of intimidation and McCarthyism. [Below is one such voice from an Israeli Dorothy Naor which I urge you to solicit from her as an op-ed piece].

We, Palestinian Christians have also issued a call for BDS in the spirit of truth (kairospalestine.ps). Humanity will not be silenced by the tactics of those who support racism and apartheid.

Mazin Qumsiyeh, PhD
Professor, Bethlehem University
Occupied Palestine

- Our websites in different countries including support websites recorded significant increase in hits with a logarithmic growth after our phenomenally successful press conference last Tuesday (video excerpt here). We anticipate this to increase even more in time especially over the weekend (Friday to Saturday when most of our visitors will arrive). One Zionist hooligan’s attempt to shut down one of our many websites briefly was dealt with.

- French and Belgian citizens including some politicians and many in the media are asking why those governments are not standing with their citizens but instead doing the unusual thing of warning their own citizens from going to visit a people under occupation. The people of France, Belgium and other countries are very upset but are not deterred. And even more who have not booked tickets to come this time already decided to join our next campaign.

- Serge Hustache, Belgian Parliament Deputy from Hainaut wrote a letter to Yitzhak Aharonovitch, Israeli minister of “security”, to object to Aharonovitch’s calling visitors “provocateurs”.

- In a similar vein, the British government seems complicit in the siege of the West Bank and have advised their citizens to be aware that they cannot come to their defense if deported (but this can and should be challenged in British courts). In Scotland, there is a motion to the Scottish Parliament (Motion S4M-02477)* *supported by many MPs in support of our campaign.

- Israeli media and activists are inquiring vociferously about the “legality” (with Israeli apartheid laws the quotes are deserved) to deny entry to the country by individuals who broke no Israeli law and wish merely to declare themselves coming to visit with Palestinians (after all, 5.5 million Palestinians are under direct Israeli control).

- The Mayor of Bethlehem City and the Governor of Bethlehem District express support for the Welcome to Palestine 2012 campaign. We also received support from politicians and religious leaders around the world.

-Lufthanza airline is an airline that acceded to an Israeli demand and actually went beyond that canceling reservations on its flight for Sunday. Some of those whose reservations were canceled in Germany and France were not even associated with the Welcome to Palestine Campaign. Is this “collateral damage”?

- Dozens of Israeli supporters are working on the media issues inside 1948 areas and are mobilizing to support and welcome the visitors in the airport. Several of those people were questioned by Israeli police or other security agents but they are not deterred and their numbers are growing. Thanks to them, there is widespread awareness of Israeli repressive and hysterical tactics. And more Israelis are jumping on board to help.

*Frequently asked questions updated including what you can do in your country to support this campaign (we need people to read and send suggestions for updates).

* *

*We need your support to pressure your government and influence your media to insist on the freedom to visit Palestine and show solidarity with an occupied people under siege. Even prisoners have a right to a visit.*

In this Easter we recall two stories one metaphorical of freedom from slavery and the other of self-sacrifice and suffering as a way of redemption. Books have been written by archeologists and historians showing that the exodus from Egypt is really not a historical event but part of the folklore of a community interested in cohesion and feeling of hope and empowerment. Yet, it remains a story that inspires many to fight against turrany. Other books of theology were written about the meaning of the resurrection and salvation and the globalization of the message of Jesus. Here we are struggling under Israeli occupation and hope for freedom is always in the air. We are reminded that we need freedom for occupier and occupied; the occupiers may be are more imprisoned than the occupied. Both are in need of freedom and resurrection.

Zionists are imprisoned by pathologic fear. As a scientist I can understand it but as a human being I must think of how to deal with it. For the occupied people, it is rather simpler. Many may get the classic internalization of their oppressed status. In South Africa, some blacks would even say to fellow blacks who are smart that they are “white.” Some Palestinians would speak of Israelis as smarter or their products as better etc. One Israeli soldier sometimes can control hundreds of Palestinians who, if they so decided to move, could easily bypass his illegal checkpoint. One Palm Sunday just 70 of us managed to cross a checkpoint and move over 300 meters into “forbidden” zone towards Jerusalem before the military mustered enough forces to stop and arrest us. Imagine if we had thousands. No one could stop us. Hence in the civil rights movement in the USA in the 1950s and 1960s there used to be a saying among African Americans “Free your mind and your ass will follow.”

But our challenge is also on the side of the oppressor. How do we get the oppressor to free his mind? My wife came up with a parallel slogan “Free your mind, the fear becomes hollow and peace will follow.” I think this is accurate since much of the self-imprisonment of the oppressor is born of fear. Any cursory examination of the social discourse among Israeli Jews and their Zionist Jewish supporters around the world realizes that the main issue is a psychological fear: that any letting go of privileged/powerful status based on the repression and theft of Palestinian land might bring them catastrophe. This psychology of fear explains much of the sometimes exaggerated paranoia mixed with a superiority inferiority complex (endless victimization while being chosen and more superior than “goyim” societies etc).

April/Easter brings up new growth of plants and of of memories. We remember April 1920 the San Remo conference by colonial powers to subdue the Arab world. We remember April 1921 uprising against the British occupation. We remember the formation of the Arab Higher Committee in April 1936. We remember Hasan Aburas and Salem Almasri murdered by Zionists on 17 April 1936 in an orange grove near AlAujah River. We remember Abdulqader Al-Hussaini killed defending his homeland 8 April 1948. We remember 50,000 Palestinians ethnically cleansed from Haifa 21-22 April 1948. We commemorate Deir Yassin massacre carried out 64 years ago. My mother remembers her friend in teachers’ school in Jerusalem who rushed to Deir Yassin when she heard it was being attacked and was killed as she tried to help villagers. We remember Musa Misbah Alhanafi, 22 year old from Rafah killed by the occupation forces in a peaceful demonstration of students at Birzeit University 13 April 1987. We remember Khalil Al-Wazir (Abu-Jihad) assassinated by Israeli agents 16 April 1988. We remember our friend Julian Mer-Khamis killed in Jenin one year ago in April*. But April also saw many inspiring events from foundation of the Palestinian Center for Rapprochement Between People (Easter 1988) to massive demonstrations for Freedom in April 2001 and 2002. April and Easter in Palestine thus bring both remembrance and hope.

This is a month of Spring in Palestine. Where we still have access in our ghettos and concentration areas, we can see the beauty and bounty of nature. The season for green almonds is almost over (we ate far too many over the past few weeks). The Loquats are showing fruit but it won’t be ripe for a few more weeks. The Olive trees are in bloom. And the citrus flowers produce the most magical aroma. Tender grape leaves are sprouting like the phoenix from the rough branches. They all remind us that long winters are always followed by Spring. We still have hope. We dream of and work for freedom. Like that story of 2000 years ago, hope in the miracle of resurrection and redemption endures. Happy Easter to all.

* This video is a tribute to our friend Juliano, a great hero of humanity. Next Friday, Friday 13, the freedom theater bus will come to Al-Walaja, they will build a performance together with the audience.

The first Welcome to Palestine (WTP) Campaign in December 2010 brought 100 individuals. The second WTP in July 2011 saw hundreds of individuals purchase airline tickets and attempt to board planes to Palestine. Israel sent a “black list” of 342 participants from the ages of 9 to 83 years old to prevent them from boarding planes sparking huge protests in several international airports. The Israeli military also turned the airport near Tel Aviv into a military compound. One hundred twenty-seven women and men were arrested at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv and then imprisoned for several as they insisted on their right to visit Palestinian associations and families.

Still, a lot of good resulted from this as well. As a result of legal challenges, many European airlines not only fully refunded the tickets, but also agreed not to repeat the incident. Furthermore, the publicity shed light on Israel’s attempts to deny visits by internationals for humanitarian peaceful support to millions of Palestinians living under occupation. Lastly, despite these obstacles, many activists were in the end able to join the activities carried out throughout the occupied areas throughout the week of July 9th, 2011. The international community recognizes the basic human right of Palestinians to receive visitors from abroad and support the right of their own citizens to travel to Palestine without harassment (see here). We pledged that where Israel works to isolate us, we invite all to join us openly and proudly. We reject all attempts to isolate and silence us. We are thus having larger programs to challenge the siege.

With the help of the international community, we will achieve our goal of peace and freedom and thus restore the values and principles that we share as human beings. We believe in global popular resistance as a method to achieve implementation of International Law and Human Rights, especially where governments fail to act. We believe that every single one of us is a change maker, and nobody has the right to deny access to suffering populations. We call on more internationals to join the hundreds who already booked their tickets and come help us begin to build a school, work with farmers, and join the struggle to bring peace with justice.

Below are frequently asked questions about this campaign.

Email: media@palestinejn.org

Campaign websites: http://palestinejn.org and http://bienvenuepalestine.com

Frequently Asked Questions: Welcome to Palestine April 15th-21st, 2012

Who is traveling to Palestine the week of April 15th, 2012?

Fifteen hundred to twenty-five hundred human rights activists between the
ages of 9 and 90 years old from over 15 countries.

Who invited them?

Palestinian civil society organizations, peace and human rights defenders, as well as activists on the ground made the call. They include the following (list in formation):

Al-Awda Center, Beit Sahour

Al-Rowwad Cultural and Theatre Training Centre, www.alrowwad-acts.ps

The Alternative Information Center – AIC – www.alternativenews.org

BADIL Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights – website

Bil’in Popular Resistance Committee www.bilin-village.org

Friends of Freedom and Justice, Bil’in www.bilin-ffj.org

Handala Center – www.handalla-center.org

Holy Land Trust: www.holylandtrust.org

International Solidarity Movement: www.palsolidarity.org

Les Enfants, le Jeu et l’Education www.ejepal.org

Occupied Palestine and Golan Heights Advocacy Initiative

Palestinian Centre for Rapprochement between People
www.PCR.PS

Palestinian Conflict Resolution Center (Wi’am) www.alaslah.org/

Palestine Justice Network www.palestinejn.org

Palestine Solidary Campaigns in many countries

Palestine Solidarity Project
WWW.palestinesolidarityproject.org

Popular Committees in different villages and towns

Siraj Center for Holy Land Studies, www.sirajcenter.org

Youth Against Settlements (Hebron)

What happened in previous Welcome to Palestine Campaign events?

We had two previous campaign events: Christmas 2010, and July 2011. In 2010, one hundred activists traveled to Palestine in the spirit of Christmas to join local Palestinians for a week of activities. Together we worked towards peace and justice as we believe Jesus would want us to do. We spent time with refugees in camps, met with villagers facing home demolitions, land confiscation and construction of the Apartheid Wall on their land. We prayed, sang, and shared meals with the marginalized, with children, women, and the elderly.

One July 9th, 2011, we made second call for internationals to join us on the anniversary of the International Court of Justice ruling which declared that the Apartheid Wall and colonial settlements are illegal. The goal the campaign in July was to have activists enter Palestine without having to represent their intentions. Several airlines canceled reservations for hundreds of Europeans based on lists they received from the Israeli authorities. The Israeli military also turned the Airport into a military compound. Israel sent a “black list” of 342 participants from the ages of 9 to 83 years old to prevent them from boarding planes thus sparking huge protests in several international airports. One hundred twenty-seven women and men were arrested at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv and imprisoned for several days as they insisted on their right to visit Palestinian associations and families.

The event exposed Israel’s behavior to the world. The events demonstrated the following:

- Though the Israeli police and military kept filming the activists during their arrest and provoked them on several occasion (for example, beating a young woman in front of the other volunteers), they were not able to produce one image of violence on the side of the Welcome to Palestine campaign participants.

- Not only is there a siege on Gaza, but also a blockade on the other side of Palestine. Israel has too many atrocities to hide there and they do not want any solidarity with the Palestinians.

- The Israeli government and its supporters want to demoralize Palestinians and expel them, not let internationals show them that they are not isolated and that women and men of conscience are aware of their suffering and the way it endangers the values of justice, international law and human rights in the whole world. But we persist and grow.

- Other good results happened despite Israeli government brutality. For example as a result of legal challenges, many European airlines not only fully refunded the tickets but had to agree not to repeat such a mass denial of boarding. Another example is that the publicity shed light on the attempts by Israel to deny visits by Internationals for humanitarian support to millions of Palestinians living under occupation. And many Internationals activists did join us activities were carried out throughout the occupied areas throughout the week (July 9-15) that included solidarity and peace building. We learned and adapted and grow from dozens in the first campaign to hundreds in the second campaign and now we expect over 1500 to arrive for this campaign.

What do you believe? What do you hope to accomplish?

We believe in the power of collective action to transform situations of injustice to situations of justice and hence peace. Internationals have joined Palestinians in our struggle for freedom and for peace over the past few decades. Such joint action has shown its efficacy to bring hope and to transform reality in eh previous actions as noted above.

Palestinians throughout historic Palestine and in exile believe in and work for peace based upon justice and trust that with the help of the international community we will achieve our peace and freedom and restore the values and principles that we share as human beings. We believe in popular resistance as a method to achieve implementation of International Law and Human Rights. We believe that every single one of us is a change maker, and nobody has the right to deny us the access to suffering populations.

Palestinians suffer not only from the brutality of the occupation and colonization, from the annexation of their lands, from the eviction of whole families and house demolitions, but also from isolation, being deprived of their freedom of movement and from open and honest visits by the International community.

Humans from around the world will show solidarity with Palestinian popular resistance by observing and obeying international law inactions of land reclamation, education and peace building in a joyous and fraternal atmosphere.

Will Israeli authorities allow us to enter?

Israel, the occupying authority is obligated by international treaties not to prevent Internationals entry at its border points. Israeli authorities do attempt to deny entry illegally under International laws and there are numerous cases of denial of entry. Reciprocity between countries demands that no national of countries with diplomatic relations with Israel should be denied entry simply because that national wishes to visit Palestinians. Entering Palestine through Ben Gurion airport by hundreds of people over 48 hours will send a message that we want Israel to recognize the basic human right of entering to Palestine by those who want to visit us. See the Right to Enter Campaign at http://www.righttoenter.ps/ . The choice of how to behave at the border is certainly an individual choice done in context of the ground effort to affect a change in Israeli illegitimate behavior. Many groups did decide to challenge the undemocratic and arbitrary policy of denial of entry.

Israel destroyed the only Palestinian airport, built with money from Europe. As a result, we have no other option but to go through Israeli security, even though we want to visit our Palestinian friends. We are pacifists and we will have nothing dangerous in our bags. We call on our elected representatives and our governments, to ensure that we shall be normally and properly treated on our arrival in Ben Gurion airport, as are Israeli citizens when they come to our countries.

We denounce the blockade on Gaza, but Israel imposes a second blockade, equally intolerable if not more deceitful, upon the Palestinian territories of the West Bank, refusing people entry without reason, humiliating travelers in a racist manner, often for hours, because of their Arabic-sounding names or their plans to visit such places as Bethlehem, and asking them questions that have nothing to do with security, like the names of their grandparents, their religion, or their knowledge of the Arab language.

What can be done before by those outside the country?

Let all your friends and contacts know about this program and spread the word. Also, you could also write to the media. If you are coming, you should write a letter to your Foreign Ministry/State Department and/or other officials (higher and lower) to inform them and demand that they pressure Israel into allowing you and others to come. But those not coming could also write letters. Below is a draft of letter:

Dear ——,

I will be traveling to Israel/Palestine on April 15 with hundreds of Internationals from over 15 countries to participate in Peace building efforts with Palestinians in places like Bethlehem, Jerusalem, and the Jordan Valley. Israel had in the past spent hours interrogating internationals including citizens of our country and many times have denied them entry solely because they wish to work or visit with Palestinians in the occupied territories. Diplomatic protocols demand reciprocity and respect of our country’s passport. Thus we ask you to contact Israeli authorities and demand that our delegation be allowed through as Israeli citizens are allowed entry to our country. I ask that you inform us of the response you receive from Israeli authorities.

Your name and address

What should local groups and activists do before the event?

Local groups can either endorse or cosponsor the program or be listed as a partner group. All groups and individuals locally should recruit volunteers (we have a need for 100-200 volunteers). We have workshops for volunteers to train them. Volunteers can help recruit local support, help with logistics, and help with media work.

What are guidelines/expectations from participants and volunteers?

-Our call is unified for all Palestinians, not just the Palestinians in WBGS or Jerusalem only, but inside the Green Line and elsewhere, especially refugees. There is a unity in the Palestinian cause which cannot be broken.

-The concern of the group is bigger than just the project and involves repeated efforts to bring Palestinians and Internationals together to end apartheid and ethnic cleansing.

-The planning committees reflect the Palestinian diversity whether political, social, or geographical variety. Each of us agrees to not try to impose or influence the work in the direction of dominating it by one or more political, social, or geographic entity. Dozens of organizations, popular committees, and essentially all political factions support the action and we agree to work together on this. Thus, our activities are to carry Palestinian flags and no factional flags.

-No media messages or other communication will be permitted to promote one political, social, or geographic group. All media communication must be coordinated with the media committee.

-Mutual respect from all volunteers and activists are expected (both local and international). We need also to respect cultural and religious norms and respect committee decisions.

-We adhere to non-violent approaches among ourselves and towards the Israeli apartheid soldiers. We also adhere to all other rules and decisions by the organizers for the functions planned in the different locations.

-We understand that these functions are peaceful forms of resistance and other peace-building efforts. But we also understand that there is always risk of uncivilized response from Israeli soldiers and settlers.

What is the Cost for attendees from abroad?

Internationals are responsible for cost of airline tickets (should coordinate with local group coming as you may get even better discounts) plus cost of food, lodging, transportation, and other logistics locally (roughly 30 Euros/day). All logistics will be taken care of at our end including pick-up at the airport. Lodging will be at family homes or in hostels and NGOs and all arranged by local committees.

For more information, visit

http://www.BienvenuePalestine.comand

palestinejn.org
Email us at info@palestinejn.org

*Come join us, recruit others to join us, publicize widely, and reach out
through social media. You can also help organize delegation*

Call for Participation

Welcome to Palestine Invitation

Welcome to palestine 2012 FAQ

Mazin Qumsiyeh

Below are relevant links and material so that we can stand by those freedom lovers. But first two quick items:

1-Many of you asked about the answers to the test for the course I teach on human rights that I posted earlier to the list. After sending it to over 20 people, I decided to post the questions with suggested answers (but of course much more can be said and discussed) here.

2-Muslim and non-Muslim to join Jerusalem solidarity.
(the Zionist movement mobilized to defame the march by claiming it is an Islamist march. Well, there are many Muslims and also Islamic groups like Hamas that do support the march but also leftist groups and all people who agree that Jerusalem is being slowly transformed and it multiethnic, multireligious character eroded slowly to make it a Jewish Zionist city)

Hana Al-Shalaby entered her 14th day on hunger strike to protest her unlawful kidnapping and being held in “administrative detention”. Profile here http://www.addameer.org/etemplate.php?id=161

Video by Sanaa on prisoners.

Israel issues third consecutive detention order against prisoner of conscience Ahmad Qatamesh.

In my book on “Popular Resistance in Palestine: A History of Hope and Empowerment” I explained how the women movement in Palestine was very strong in the 1920s and even successfully lobbied the British government to release Palestinian political prisoners. And on May 17, 1936, prisoners in Nur Shams (3 km east of Tulkarem, made into a refugee camp after 1948) declared a strike and confronted the prison guards. The prison warden, a Mr. Grand ordered soldiers to shoot and one prisoner was killed, several wounded as prisoner shouted in defiance “Martyrdom better than jail”. On 9 Sept 1939, freedom fighters took over Beer Al-Saba’ government facilities and released political prisoners from the central jail. Political prisoners in Israeli jails organized themselves into effective committees which carried on collective strikes that were especially potent in the 1980s and early 1990s.

Peaceful demonstrators during the 1987-1991 uprising were fined 500-1000 shekels (about $200-400, almost half a year’s pay at the time) and jailed for 8-12 months (ref). The ranks of prisoners in Israeli jails swelled to over 20,000 at one point. In September 1988, the Israeli army released the number of detainees it held at 23,600 and torture was common (ref.). In total over 700,000 Palestinians spent time in Israeli jails.

Israel radio reported on an open hunger strike by prisoners in the prison camps of Jenin, Ramallah and Nablus who demanded improvement in their deplorable detention conditions (ref). 90 prisoners in the Ansar 2 jail in Gaza engaged in an open hunger strike to protest the deplorable condition especially during the harsh winter season (ref.).

In 13 prisons, prisoners from all factions rejected food and water starting on 26 September 1992 (ref.). These collective actions forged solidarity and raised political consciousness of all who participated

Al-Ansar prison in South Lebanon, where thousands of Palestinians and Lebanese political prisoners were held by Israeli occupation forces, showed incredible acts of resistance and resilience ranging from hunger strikes to refusal to obey orders to writing (ref.). On December 6, 1998 (and during President Clinton’s visit), over 2000 political prisoners engaged in a hunger strike to press for their release.

Thousands of Palestinian prisoners in the Israeli jails started a hunger strike that lasted from 15 August to 2 September 2004. During this time, the Israeli authorities tried various methods from persuasion to threats to beatings to break the strike and 13 UN agencies operating in the occupied areas expressed their concern (ref.).

Outside the prisons, Palestinians and internationals protested and worked diligently to spread the word about the prisoners’ demands and their plight. It started with the prisoners families, many of whom joined the hunger strike. Crowds assembled August 16, 2004 outside local offices of the Red Cross and marched to the Gaza headquarters of the United Nations where they delivered a letter addressed to Secretary General Kofi Annan, calling for him to apply pressure on Israel and improve conditions for the prisoners. They demonstrated again in the thousands two days later (ref.). The Palestinian National Authority, Palestinians inside the Green Line, and the International Solidarity Movement called for hunger strikes outside the prisons (ref.). The strike slowly gained strength. Then Israel’s Public Security Minister Tzahi Hanegbi stated: “Israel will not give in to their demands. They can starve for a day, a month, even starve to death, as far as I am concerned” (ref.) but eventually gave in recognized some basic humanitarian rights the prisoners were entitled to.

Palestinian female political prisoners in Telmud Prison were mistreated and on November 28, 2004 their spokeswomen who complained about the mistreatment was beaten and punished. When others complained, the prisoners were all punished. They engaged in a hunger strike (ref.). Prisoners continued to use hunger strikes to protest ill treatment and draw attention to their plight. For example on February 16, 2006 Jamal AlSarahin died in prison. He was a 37 year old “Administrative detainee” (never charged or brought to trial) who had been detained for 8 months prior and badly mistreated. Prisoners declared a one day hunger strike (ref. ) and on 11 March 2006, a sit-down strike in front of the ICRC in Hebron was held to demand better treatment for prisoners

On 27 June 2006, 1,200 Palestinian political prisoners in the Negev Desert launched a hunger strike to protest the arbitrary and oppressive practices of the prison administration. In total over 700,000 Palestinians have spent time in Israeli jails and the latest statistics showed that 11,000 are still held according to the Palestinian Prisoners Society (ref.)

By 2009, Palestinians in Israeli prisons were able to achieve a number of successes by nonviolent struggle and civil disobedience including wearing regular cloths (no orange uniforms), access to news, reasonable visitation rights, better access to health care. But the Prison Administration continues to chip away at those rights (ref.).

The sacrifices of prisoners were highly appreciated: “Prison became a rite of initiation, so much so that if one had not been imprisoned, his or her loyalty might be questioned, and prison records earned by the young replaced the stature once enjoyed by the elders.” (ref.). But more importantly prison built common bonds and strengthened social cohesion and resistance under occupation. One ex-prisoner stated: “Like any human community, there are contradictions, but there is a common thread in the experience in prison that gives us strength, a common goal, a common purpose. We are joined together in struggle, so our shared experiences only make us stronger” (ref.).

This happened near the Palestinian village of Hizma and the villagers rushed to save the children. The Israeli cars could double back and go through the wall on the Israeli only roads. We in the Palestinian cars had to wait as ambulance after ambulance took the dead and injured away. Below are links to picture and video (some of the video was rightly blurred so that the disturbing images of burned children are not seen). A person also sent me a link to Facebook pages in Hebrew where some sick Israelis thank God these were Palestinian Children (also see below). But I also saw very kind comments by Israelis on the liberal Haaretz (though this also has anonymous ugly comments some could be misrepresenting who they are or trying to create division). This made me really angry that a tragedy that saddened so many decent people (Jews, Christians, Muslims etc) is used in ugly fashions.

Forgetting about my own personal troubles, I thus started to think based on the issue of compassion and dignity more. A story like this should generate compassion and it certainly helps us identify decent human beings (like the Israelis and Palestinians of all religions who helped save the lives of so many children). But why did so many ignore it or feel no compassion because it is not their children or belong to their self-identified (fictional) group.

A 33-year old Palestinian Khader Adnan is on his 61 days of hunger strike (because he is held without charge in so called administrative detention by Israel). How many will care if he dies or care now about him? Regardless of his background, isn’t he someone’s husband, someone’s father, someone’s son, someone’s uncle? Below is a letter from a friend about Khader Adnan’s situation. These and other stories that break our hearts do not seem to elicit even a blip of compassion and care from millions who may tangentially hear about these things. Some people say there is “compassion fatigue” among some of us but I disagree. I believe once you have true compassion for fellow human beings you can never tire of it; compassion here is defined as compassion for all human beings not selected members of your “tribe”, “nation”, “religion” or other concocted group identity (to me this is the opposite of compassion).

Eleven years ago (4 June 2001), I published this letter in Haaretz titled “Sincere condolences” about another tragedy which is relevant here:

“Upon hearing the news of the wedding party turned to tragedy by collapse of the building in Jerusalem, my shock and sadness were intense. It only got worse and turned to tears when I later saw the video footage and read about the alleged construction problems. The video footage reminded me of the footage of my sister’s wedding. I was touched by the ordinariness and beauty of this event and then the tragedy that ensued. I grieve for the victims and my thoughts and prayers are with the families and with you all. Please accept my sincerest and humble condolences.
I am a Palestinian American who works for human rights, including the Palestinian refugees’ right to return to their homes and lands. I believe that all people of Israel/Palestine must and will eventually live in one democratic and secular state with a constitution that protects all its citizens and treats them equally. We are so similar and it is a shame that political ideas (Zionism and other forms of nationalism) divided us. In 1967, as a 10-year old child in Beit Sahur, I witnessed something that still touches me to this day – a reunion between my grandfather and his Jewish best friend from high school. Two old folks who had not seen each other between 1948 and 1967. Two old folks who cried like children. Both are gone now. I thought of this, and how much I miss the wisdom of my grandfather as I saw the recent events and the tragedies and the victims of violence in our homeland.

My grandfather wrote to me in 1974 that if he was to give me one piece of advice for the future it would be to realize that the world changes and that we have to remove our own shackles, which come to us from society and culture. It is time we started thinking and reflecting carefully on the futility of separation, nationalism, and militarism. It is time to insist on and teach ourselves to live together in equality and humanity. If the Berlin wall tumbled, Apartheid in South Africa was dismantled, and Europe is unifying, why can’t we do the same? Imagine if the billions of dollars we spend on weapons were spent to better our economies, desalinate sea water, develop closer relationships and friendships, and provide therapy for the over 17,000 injured in the recent violence.

In the midst of our tragedies, let us work together for a better world.

The accident-

• Photos here.
• Video here.
• The article and image of the Facebook pages of the Israelis grateful these are Palestinian Children (scroll down past the French) But see above for my comments.
• By contrast see comments under this story from the liberal, left leaning Haaretz.

Below is a letter from a friend about Khader Adnan’s situation:

“I haven’t been posting about Khader Adnan, a Palestinian political prisoner who entered his 59th! day of hunger strike today, because, to my shame, I felt overwhelmed, and I had no idea how to stir any reaction in you, how to make you understand that a man is dying, how outrageous this is. it felt so insufficient to just keep writing some emails that you’ll probably not read, although i receive emails and posts about him several times a day. how do we make the reality of the immense abuse, murder, massacres etc of people in our area in any way clear to so many who have been told for too long that this has nothing to do with them, that this is “unfortunate”, that “these things happen”. if they happened to your brother, you would scream in outrage. but somehow, there is this wrong feeling that these things won’t happen to “us” – a feeling that is based on a very shitty perception of all the victims of these crimes as somehow “others” – they are not us. we can’t identify. And i can’t help but write that any such feeling of “this has nothing to do with us” – together with the reality that if it did happen to any of “us”, you WOULD feel outrage – is possible because there is somewhere the notion that your rights don’t apply to “them”, or maybe, they are less than, less human, or maybe they have done SOMEthing to deserve it? Because how can these things happen?

I am sorry that I am attacking you, my friends and family, in this condescending and presumptious way. I am dispairing, I don’t know how to make you react – forget react, for one moment, how to make you REALIZE, ACKNOWLEDGE, FEEL – any more.
But here I am trying again, though in this pretty cynical way:

Khader Adnan is entering his 59th day of hunger strike to protest his “administrative detention” (meaning they imprison him without even charging him with anything, without the prospect of a trial and the possibility to defend himself, without letting even his lawyer know WHY they are holding him, etc.) and the outrageous treatment he received at the hands of the Israeli military/security/police etc forces (torture, denial of rights, humiliation, etc.).

If you don’t know what 59 days of hunger strike mean – I am afraid every day to read he has finally died. He is in hospital, chained to his bed, still denied all kinds of rights. And yesterday, an Israeli court – after having POSTPONED the hearing of his lawyer’s appeal to a decision that he will stay in administrative detention until May 8 – decided that in spite of his condition, HE WILL REMAIN IMPRISONED UNTIL MAY 8.

THIS IS A DEATH SENTENCE. Since day 45 of his hunger strike, Adnan could die any moment.
The judge furthermore argued that it is ADNAN WHO IS TO BLAME FOR HIS SITUATION.”

Mazin Qumsiyeh
Striving to stay human

Let me start by saying that I use Palestine and Palestinians as examples for this not because we have more corruption than say Israelis or Egyptians but for two reasons:

1) I am more knowledgeable about this particular subject and writing about what we know best makes it more personal and gives us better insights as to weaknesses and strengths of humans.

2) We are under an existential threat: a colonial power that is interested in eliminating our presence from the land. Most of our land is taken already (we are reduced to use of 8.3% of our homeland and these are disjointed cantons). Most of our people are refugees or displaced people (7 million of 11 million). Most of our economy (agriculture, natural resources, and tourism) was usurped by the colonizers. The pressures on us are thus tremendous. Strengths are critical and weaknesses are amplified and used by our colonizers to their advantage. Without addressing weaknesses (not necessarily removing all of them but reducing them), it is hard to envision the final push to end the injustice and bring a durable peace.

Every hour here I am reminded of what the prophets of old days realized with contemplation and deep thought: that each human being is a battle field. From individuals who cheat, those who take foreign aid money to serve their own selfish interest, those who lie, those who misuse authority, countless employed and not doing much for an income that they cling to etc.

There is war is within each human mind: between evil and good, between love and hate, between tribalism and humanity, between corruption and dignity. Those who slid down the wrong path can be salvaged but it takes much harder work on their part than those who stayed true to their better-selves. The Buddha realized this is not an unnatural conflict but that it is part of who we are. Only by deep meditation and reflection, he realized that it is possible to maintain a balance in favor of the goodness. Only by this very deep reflection (in many religions this is called prayer), are we able to let go of the carnal desires and go higher in levels of understanding, empathy, and compassion for fellow human beings. Addiction to greed and selfishness (in the case of some also tribalism) must be challenged with firm kindness and without malice or hate.

This is not to say we do not need revolution; we actually desperately need it. But we must start with a revolution in our minds to get rid of all the nonsense that was put there by parents, teachers, clergy, and society. This revolution should be about dignity and restoring self-respect. Without liberating our minds from all those self-imposed chains in the form of internalized colonization, we will never be able to gain liberty. It will be harder here in the Middle East than it was in Europe in the Middle Ages. This is because religious doctrines (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) are more entrenched and because there are much Western interference (Started with Sykes-Picot and Balfour/Cambon). Natural evolution to unlock creativity and human potential here is hard but not impossible. We are confident that eventually we will succeed because the trend in humanity is intermarriage, cultural mixing, separation of religion from state, and global connectedness. Our individual job is to accelerate this trend by openly promoting dignity and self-respect as the best antidotes to greed and corruption.

1) Video: On Sunday 5 Feb 2012, villagers from Al-Walaja and international supporters went to the area where the Israeli apartheid authorities were still destroying lands to build a wall that will isolate the villagers from their remaining lands and allow for further expansion of the illegal colonies of Gilo and Har Gilo. Already over 90% of the village lands were taken for colonial settler activities in the past 6 decades. The area this short video was taken is just around the oldest tree in Bethlehem district (an olive tree > 3,000 year old).

2) The “Herzliya Conference” just concluded. This is the annual conference that brings the elites of the Israeli military industrial complex together to plot “strategy” in a coastal town named after the founder of Political Zionism Theodor Herzl. This location is on ethnically-cleansed Palestinian land (see for history of the location). Shimon Peres, a war criminal and architect of Israel’s arsenal of Weapons of Mass Destruction appropriately opened as a key note speaker. There were several sessions that touched on Iran including “Iran: Will Sanctions Work?” and “The Ticking Clock: Dissuading and containing Iran’s strategic ambitions” where war criminals like Danny Ayalon debated whether it is enough to continue to use clandestine terrorist operations in Iran or whether we need to push the US to start another war like they did on Iraq (one million civilians killed so far) on behalf of Israel. There was a session on “Galilee: Setting Priorities for Regional Development” where a number of Jewish Zionists discuss how to transform the Galilee into a Jewish area (without consulting the native inhabitants of the Galilee).

The Galilee and Negev were left with a good number of Palestinians after the ethnic cleansing during the foundation of “Israel”. There were sessions titled things like “Advancing Israel Normalization in the International Community” where efforts to whitewash apartheid are celebrated and plans for new propaganda and lobbying campaigns debated. There were also sessions celebrating the anniversary of the Jewish National Fund or KKL (Keren Keyemeth L’Israel), a group that participated for decades in ethnic cleansing and continues to do so (e.g. in the Negev where Bedouins are being displaced to Judaicize the Negev). Participants were also taken to military bases and training facilities of the apartheid army so that they could visit with the most moral army that caused the largest post-World War II refugee crisis and that has murdered over 25,000 children. There was even some talk about how to get Mahmoud Abbas (whose term has expired long ago) to return to fruitless and endless negotiations. After all, the “Peace process industry” needs to be revived so that more time is allowed for continued rape of Palestine (expanding colonial settlement etc)! In over 20 sessions, not one dealt with what the natives of Palestine (Christians and Muslims) go through or how we feel. To cap the “conference” the Israeli government made announcements of more land confiscation (e.g. 430 dunums in Nahhalin) and more home demolitions (e.g. in Al-Aqaba).

Shamelessly, the head of the United Nations Ban Ki Moon addressed this gathering of apartheid leaders. Also Mr. John Baird, foreign minister of Canada (with MP Irwin Cotler) came to claim that Canada supports Apartheid Israel. Mr. Riad Al-Khoury from Jordan came and thus also lent his blessings to apartheid. There was also the Zionist Zoelnick (head of the World Bank) and a few other American Jewish Zionists “discussing” how best to get Israel even more money and arms from our taxes.

I guess I should look on the positive side: that this year, there were less of those “Internationals” willing to show their faces at this circus. But it is a distraction to blame these rich elites but ultimately it is our responsibility to make sure that we end their games of domination, war, and destruction. People are taking on the responsibility of change and each of us can do more to advance peace with justice. The horrific events in Egypt (where 80 people were killed when fans of two football teams collided) also remind us of the worst element of human weaknesses. It then matters a lot what those who disapprove DO.

Unfortunately, many of our closest supporters and even Palestinians themselves do not understand basic issues relating to Palestine and the Israeli apartheid system. Because of these misunderstandings, they make devastating choices including for example supporting the mythical “two state solution”. I will not discuss here why it is mythical and why it is what led us to 20 years suspension of the Palestinian liberation Struggle in return for an industry of negotiations (yes an industry that is profiting some Palestinians who became invested in the status quo (i.e. in the occupation) and addicted to the “security aid” and “humanitarian aid” that comes primarily from the US and Europe (respectively). I already discussed this in detail in my 2004 book “Sharing the Land of Canaan”. But I am also willing to debate anyone in pubic on these issues.

3) Example of action: I wrote to these email addresses the letters below about Brussels Air promoting Israeli apartheid. Please read and if interested to write or take action based on your conscience, then please do. That is how change happens in society: when enough people say enough is enough!

To Brussels Air and Ink Global
wlemmes@brusselsairlines.com
gsciot@brusselsairlines.com
info@btheremag.com
jane.wright@ink-global.com
jenny.mcneely@ink-global.com
Bart.Beirlant@standaard.be

You did not respond to my earlier email (copy below) sent three weeks ago about your January 2012 Brussels Air magazine’s shameless promotion of Israeli apartheid. But then when I returned home from Belgium, I noted that this was not the first time you are promoting Apartheid Israel as a destination. In fact, your web-page which I just checked http://www.btheremag.com starts out with the August 2011 issue promoting Tel Aviv and stolen Palestinian food (Falafel) as if it is an Israeli food “Tasting Tel Aviv: Where Fashion meets Falafel”. So I am now personally boycotting your airline and will be promoting a boycott of your airlines.

Sincerely,
Mazin Qumsiyeh, PhD

Earlier email:

Dear Colleagues in Brussels Air and Ink Global

It was my first trip on Brussels Air and it will likely be the last. Your B.There! Airline magazine soured my trip since it promoted apartheid. Imagine if at the height of Apartheid in South Africa, your magazine chose to highlight the white part of the segregated country and promoted it in three distinct locations in one issue, something you do not do for any other of the nearly 200 destinations to normal cities/countries. This is precisely what you did by promoting Apartheid Israel in three locations in your January 2012 issue: On page 14 you promoted “Tel Aviv Art weekend”, on page 50 you promoted a Tel-Aviv “food blog”, and in page 55 you had feature article advertising (free) an Israeli company (Uploads). Brussels Air according to your magazine and website flies to nearly 200 destinations around the world. Yet, I saw most of those not mentioned in this magazine let alone deserving of three free promotional items.

This alone is favoritism but is scandalous when we add the fact that Israel is recognized by people around the world as an apartheid state and there is a worldwide movement for boycotts, divestments, and sanctions (BDS) called for by Palestinian Civil Society.

I realize Brussels Air contracts with a British company to do their magazine and the mistaken bias likely originated with Ink Global. Perhaps in your next magazine you can promote Palestine alternative tourism (www.atg.ps and http://sirajcenter.org/ ) or highlight the way Belgians are traveling to help their fellow human beings like in the upcoming welcome to Palestine Campaign (http://bienvenuepalestine.com/). I would be happy to help.

I have an email list of more than 50,000 activists and depending on your answer to this email, I will write to them to encourage a boycott of this airline. After all, there are other ways to travel without being pelted with free advertisements for apartheid Israel.

Sincerely,

Mazin Qumsiyeh, PhD
Palestinian – American Professor and author currently on speaking tour in Belgium

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4) Sabeel 7th Young Adult Conference. Challenging Oppression, on a Donkey: Christ, Resistance, and Creative Discipleship.
4 -15 July 2012