Opinion Editorials, December 2013

Prawer

On Friday, all demonstrations in many Palestinian villages had the theme against the Prawer Plan. On Saturday in 30 countries, events were held to counter the Prawer plan to ethnically cleanse 40,000 Palestinians from the Naqab (Negev) desert in the 65 year colonial Zionist program to make Palestine a “Jewish state”.  The demonstrations locally in Palestine were held in Haifa, the Triangle, Jerusalem, AlBireh, and the Negeb with the same message: Prawer shall not be passed or implemented and we emphasize the unity of all 12 million Palestinians.  All local demonstrations were attacked viciously by the apartheid forces.  I personally noted the absence of the key symbols of the Palestinian authority which should have joined the demonstration in Jerusalem (many of the leaders have VIP cards and can travel to Jerusalem). Will these “leaders” finally listen to the people?

Saturday we had a meeting to evaluate 5 years of our master of biotechnology program (joint program by Bethlehem University and Polytechnic University). Sunday, we had Bethlehem tree lighting ceremony and we welcomes a Gaza child who will be rehabilitated here (spinal cord cancer that was mostly resolved but that left the 8 year old child unable to walk). Monday we decorated a tree in the manger square with spent tear gas canisters and stun grenades (made in America, used by Israel).  We posted signs that showed our displeasure at the USAID giving money to the municipality for Christmas celebrations! Typical hypocrisy of the US funding our starvation and killing while also giving symbolically to celebrations and roads to make life under occupation a bit more tolerable. Unfortunately the “Palestinian police” removed our exhibit. They act as subcontractors for the Israeli occupation preventing free speech and carry8ing out a policy of Mahmoud Abbas friendly to US policies (a policy made in Tel Aviv).

The people of Nablus meantime buried their latest victim of Israeli racism.  An Israeli simply shot him at point blank range.  The murderer claimed he was looking for illegal Palestinian workers and that the Palestinian guy acted aggressively. Family and friends on the other hand point to the fact that this young worker was two weeks away from his wedding, had a legal job with Israelis in the area now named Ramat Gan, and had good friendly relations to Israelis who were invited to his wedding.  He would have no reason to attack Israelis two weeks before his wedding.  But let us face it, his killer is free and he will be added to the list of >70,000 Palestinians killed by Israel for being a Palestinian in Palestine, a country being transformed to a Jewish state of Israel. 

Saturday we celebrated the 4th anniversary of the launch of Kairos Palestine, a moment of truth (see http://www.kairospalestine.ps).  As Palestinian Christians around the world come to this season of joy and celebration in December and January, we Palestinian Christians with help of our fellow Muslim and Jewish human rights activists remind all to work to end Israeli racist apartheid.  We must end this suffering that lasted some 65 years and that left 7 million refugees and displaced people in order to create this monstrosity called the “Jewish state of Israel”, a racist apartheid state.  We must evolve towards a secular pluralistic democracy with a clear affirmative action plan to restore the rights of the native Palestinians.      

Meeting Thursday at 11 AM at Izbet Tabib (Qalqilia district) to discuss because the Israeli military just blocked the main road to the village.

Videos from various locations

Jerusalem http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IkZIUcPhLI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inABG6AJo8Y

Negev http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OW_6E_cXCYI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GxuDFnqU9I http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEMZohuCUEk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcevoYFcOfg

Haifa http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRj7FFDyVSk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCNGs8l4jHU

Jaffa http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39wN0YokQTM

Nebi Saleh http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rx25ItuoIF4

Gaza http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v24gxkdMTrQ

Near Ramallah http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2AaNMCho2o

Roma http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4Bm-K1SdfI

London http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGoD_kBj2Ew

Kuwait http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNfpR2O41C8

Pictures from around the world http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ek0NTW3LLHE

UNRWA released its archives material including photographs of Palestinian refugees right after the Nakba

http://archive.unrwa.org/license/home/unrwa.do

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