It was the hottest week of the year. All Fadel Jaber wanted, was some water for his family. But Fadel lives
in the occupied West Bank , where , according Avaaz.org,
the
Israeli government has redirected water pipes to provide swimming pools for
Jewish settlers and empty faucets for Palestinians like Fadel.
“When the Israeli forces dragged Fadel off for taking water, his
heartbroken five-year-old son Khaled could be heard screaming “baba, baba!” as
his dad was torn away. This is daily life for Palestinians living under the
brutal fist of martial law where their land and water has been stolen by
settlers and they have no basic human rights. But after years of violence and
hopelessness, a movement is growing in Palestine -- a nonviolent
resistance seeking the same thing that all Israelis already have: freedom,
dignity and a state of their own.
For years, the media has focused on Palestinian militants, and to this
day, extremists on both sides are pushing peace further out of reach. But
what’s lost in all that vitriol are the loving families like Fadel’s that just
want a normal life. Now, those families are stepping forward, leading peaceful
marches, organizing sit-ins, and working with Israeli activists to seek justice
and freedom. In response, the Israeli military has thrown them in jail, beaten
up organisers, and ripped children from their beds.”
“Days ago, I went to the West Bank to meet with these
brave, peaceful people. When I proposed that our community could come to their
aid, their eyes lit up. They need funds for lawyers when they are jailed on
spurious charges, cameras to document abuses, training in media skills and
nonviolent tactics, and campaigners to take this local protest global. These
families are the real hope. If enough of us pledge €4 now, we can boost the peaceful movement over the
extremist ones and give Khaled a future worthy of his father’s dreams.”
“Avaaz will only process the
pledges if we get enough to make a real difference”:
“This occupation has gone on for too long and for too long the
resolution of this conflict has been controlled by extremists on both sides. But
today, there are a few things most people agree on: first, both the Israelis
and the Palestinians should each be entitled to a state; and second, the
treatment of the Palestinians in the occupied territories violates every sense
of justice we have, from international law to basic common sense. Even
hard-line retired Israeli military leaders say this.
But the current Israeli government is only making things worse. While they
pay lip service to peace talks and a two-state solution, they expand more
settlements in the West Bank , making a two-state solution
permanently impossible. And the Israeli military subjects Palestinians in the
occupied territories to a whole different set of laws than the Jewish settlers
who occupy those lands, even throwing children into prison for months at a
time. The best hope for ending this injustice and finally reaching peace is
this peaceful resistance movement. Here are a few of the ways we can support
them: Support life-saving legal aid to help nonviolent leaders defend
themselves from trumped up charges and kangaroo military courts; Bring in civil
disobedience experts from other movements to share strategies and tactics with
communities across the West Bank; Provide media equipment and trainings to
leaders so they can both document abuses and get the word out to the world
about this hopeful, inspiring movement;
Hire top-notch campaigners on the ground to provide ongoing support to
this movement, scale actions across the West Bank , and engage our
global community to take this movement from local to global;
Livestream their nonviolent actions on our site and organise a global
day of action across the world.
In our history we have seen how nonviolent movements have freed peoples
across the world -- Gandhi’s movement in India , Dr. King's
movement in the US , and Mandela’s
movement in South Africa . We know that it
can work, and indeed in this case it’s our only hope. Let’s give this inspiring
movement the global solidarity it needs to succeed. Pledge just €4 now and
let’s help change history”:
“The Avaaz community has been unwavering in its support for freedom,
justice and conflict resolution across the world. Today, one of the most
virulent bastions of injustice on the planet is the Israeli government’s
occupation of Palestinian lands. But even there, hope springs. And together, we
can be a part of the generation that brings freedom and peace to two peoples,
betrayed so often by governments, both of whom so desperately need it. Let’s show
what our community can do.”
MORE INFORMATION
Video / Palestinian boy upset by father's arrest garners international
media attention (Haaretz)
When Montgomery comes to Nabi
Saleh (Foreign Policy)
The Rise of Palestinian Non-Violence: A Conversation with Mustafa
Barghouti (Daily Beast)
'Drip , Jordan ': Water supply as
a focal point of occupation (Harper’s Magazine)
Is this where the third intifada will start? (New York Times)
For West Bank protesters, legal knowledge
is power (+972 Magazine)
The West Bank ’s 2012: The Year of the
Israeli Settlement (TIME)
SOURCE: Alice from Avaaz.org
AVAAZ.ORG
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