Update on Israel's 'Ethnic Cleansing' of Al-Walaja

The good news is that the bulldozers stopped working today thanks to the brave people of Al-Walaja but they still need our collective support. 100 internationls will be in Al-Walaja tomorrow morning (Friday at 9:00 a.m.).

Arrest in Al-Walaja in the Occupied Territories

(BETHLEHEM) - The video that I recorded and loaded this morning summarizes what happened to us after our arrest in Al-Walaja, a peaceful beautiful village that is slated for ethnic cleansing (for the second time).

The beatings and pepper spray used on Sheerin and the young men of Al-Walaja was truly vicious.

During the arrest, I managed to text message, take notes, and even take a couple of pictures from under the stairwell without the soldiers being aware (details maybe for my next book!).

We challenged the soldiers' demand that we not speak to each other or to them.

Many of the soldiers kept saying they are obeying orders and I and others reminded them that obeying fascist order is not an excuse in international courts of justice (we are not there yet, but I believe the day is coming).

I was truly inspired by the courage, vision and dedication of villagers like Sheerin and Dia who exemplify decency and dignified poise in front of the machine that still comes up among humans every few decades. From fascism to Nazism to Zionism, the enemy is one: racism and greed that in the end is self-destructive.

But if enough good people stand-up, the end may come sooner and more people on all sides would be saved the physical and emotional scars of colonization. Anyway, here is my statement on YouTube:

Our friend Olivia Zemor and many others were denied entry on Ben Gurion
airport.  You can read her statement here (in French, may translate using
translate.google.com): http://www.europalestine.com/spip.php?article5701

However, thousands of people from around the world still managed to enter
Palestine through Israeli controlled ports of entry like Ben Gurion airport.
Some were asked to sign stupid statements about not entering "Palestinian
areas". Of course all of this land is Palestinian areas, they should state
entering the ghettos or bantustans to make it clearer.

In the holding cell with tight handcuffs cutting our circulation, we had a sense of peace and self-confidence. We shared smiles and whispered words of encouragement to each other. It was uplifting experience and camaraderie. I myself started singing (Fairuz-Zahrat Al-Madaen, Christmas songs, the Palestinian national anthem etc).

After all we were told not to speak to each other but they said nothing of singing. I wished to dance but then I thought this might be too much for my cell-mates.

We all believe that it is a sign of weakness and desperation that the Israeli army increasingly brutally attacks unarmed people who are simply challenging occupation nonviolently or merely asking pointed questions.

From the Gaza freedom flotilla to Rafah to Bilin to Al-Walaja, to Stuttgart, to Paris, and to the rest of the world, the cracks in the walls holding empire of lies are being felt.

Again, there will be an event in Al-Walaja Friday at 9:00 to 11:00 a.m.

For those outside Palestine, thank you for acting in your spheres of influence. In the second video accompanying this article, discover the thoughts of an Auschwitz Survivor on Palestine.

Why will there not be a US foreign policy that benefits US population? Is it because certain Jews make money out of the tribalism that is Zionism? An article in Haaretz on "How much do U.S. Jewish leaders [sic] make?" http://www.haaretz.com/jewish-world/how-much-do-u-s-jewish-leaders-make-1.33
0414

Song for Kairos Palestine (Manal abdo)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IStkXO4eCks

For background on this particular story, check this report from yesterday:

Dec-22-2010: Israelis Arrest Professor Mazin Qumsiyeh and Others Again During Peaceful Protest J. Qumsiyeh for Salem-News.com

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Mazin Qumsiyeh, PhD - Popular Committee to Defend Ush Ghrab (PCDUG) "A Bedouin in Cyberspace, a villager at home. Mazin has been an Associate Professor of Genetics; Director, Cytogenetics Laboratory at Yale University School of Medicine since 1999. He previously held a similar position at Duke University. Professor Qumsiyeh has authored over 110 scientific papers in areas of mammalogy, biology, and medicine including mammalian biology and evolution, clinical genetics, and cancer research. He has published over 100 letters to the editor and 30 op-ed pieces in International, national, regional and local papers on issues ranging from politics to environmental issues. His appearances in national media included the Washington Post, New York Times, Boston Globe, CNBC, C-Span, and ABC, among others. He is the founder and president of the Holy Land Conservation Foundation and ex-President of the Middle East Genetics Association, and Prof. Qumsiyeh won the Jallow activism award from the Arab American Anti-Discrimination Committee in 1998. Those are just a small list, visit Mazin Qumsiyeh's amazing and informative Website to learn more: qumsiyeh.org.