[Peace-discuss] Fwd: (Fwd) Nonviolent women's march in Biddu brutally dispersed

[Al Kagan]

>From: "Gush Shalom (Israeli Peace Bloc)" <info at gush-shalom.org>
>Subject: (Fwd)  Nonviolent women's march in Biddu brutally dispersed
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>Date: Sun, 25 Apr 2004 15:29:07 +0200
>
>
>------- Forwarded message follows -------
>From:          	"Jessica" <jessican at batshalom.org>
>To:            	<info at gush-shalom.org>
>Subject:       	Fw: Anarchy in our souls
>Date sent:     	Sun, 25 Apr 2004 14:08:32 +0200
>
>
>Sent: Sunday, April 25, 2004 2:29 PM
>Subject: Anarchy in our souls
>
>Gila Svirsky writes:
>
>Friends,
>
>I just spoke to Molly Malekar on her way to Sha'arei Tzedek Hospital in
>Jerusalem, and here is what she reported:
>
>"We were about 60 women, only women:  roughly 1/3 Israeli, 1/3
>Palestinian, and 1/3 internationals.  We gathered at Bidu to protest the
>construction of the wall in this village.  It was a quiet march, with
>women carrying signs and walking toward the area where soldiers were
>guarding the construction of the fence.  At a distance of about 10 meters
>(30 feet) from them, we stopped walking because the soldiers turned to
>point their rifles directly at us.  I called out to them in Hebrew, "Don't
>shoot, we're not armed, this is a nonviolent demonstration."  Suddenly
>there was an onslaught of teargas and stun grenades, falling all around
>us, completely out of proportion to the quiet, nonprovocative nature of
>our action.  The grenades fell right there at our feet and we were
>choking, unable to breathe.  Most dispersed and ran back.  Soldiers
>charged toward us and fell upon the women, grabbing some whom they
>arrested.  By then, there was no demonstration at all, nothing to
>disperse.  Most of the women had run back, trying to recover from the tear
>gas, but I remained as I wanted to talk to the soldiers to prevent the
>arrest of the four women.  Suddenly out of nowhere four horses charged,
>with border police mounted on them.  I started to run away, but one of
>them ridden by a girl soldier caught up with me and she struck me on my
>head with a baton.  I fell, and then a second horse charged toward me and
>I felt more blows on my head and back.  There was no provocation
>whatsoever at any point while this was happening."
>
>Molly is the director of Bat Shalom, which is the women's peace
>organization that forms the Israeli side of The Jerusalem Link: A Women's
>Joint Venture for Peace (the Palestinian side is called the Jerusalem
>Center for Women).  Molly is the most wonderfully serious and thoughtful
>woman you would ever want to have at the head of your organization. Anyone
>who has ever met Molly knows that she has never engaged in provocation,
>but has only been cautious and respectful.  I asked her by cell phone, on
>her way to the hospital, how she feels and she said, "A horrible headache,
>my ears hurt, and aching from the blows.  But let's think about how to
>wake people up to what is happening out there.  We have to wake people
>up."
>
>Wake up, world!  Hear O Israel, wake up!!  Israeli soldiers have made
>brutality a way of life against Palestinians, then they turned their
>weapons and death upon international peace activists, and now they are
>brutalizing Israelis who express disapproval of their ways.  Who will be
>the first one killed?
>
>Writes US woman activist Starhawk, who participated in some of these, "The
>Israelis who are involved in the day to day resistance ... said to me that
>they know it is only a matter of time before there is an Israeli 'shaheed
>'- a martyr of the occupation.  Being Israeli is no longer a protection
>against the violence of the military."
>
>What's worse:  Nonviolence is no longer protection against the brutality
>of the military, regardless of whether you are Israeli or Palestinian or
>international.  No one should be assaulted for peacefully demonstrating,
>and yet that has become the norm.  Today, any single demonstration that
>takes place in the territories -- whether by Palestinians or Israelis,
>women or men, nonviolent or violent -- is treated to the same brutal
>behavior of guns, stun grenades, and clubs.  And no one investigates the
>incidents in a serious, unbiased manner, and the soldiers learn that they
>can be more and more cruel, and no one gives a damn.
>
>What has happened?  The occupation has happened.  The occupation has
>corrupted the soul of Israel.  A situation of "Ein din v'ein dayan", as
>the Bible says:  "No law and no one standing in judgment".
>
>There is anarchy in the soul of Israel today, and it won't be gone until
>we uproot the occupation from our land and from our hearts.
>
>Gila Svirsky
>Jerusalem
>
>*******************************
>Coalition of Women for Peace:
>http://www.coalitionofwomen4peace.org
>
>
>
>
>
>
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-- 


Al Kagan
African Studies Bibliographer and Professor of Library Administration
Africana Unit, Room 328
University of Illinois Library
1408 W. Gregory Drive
Urbana, IL 61801, USA

tel. 217-333-6519
fax. 217-333-2214
e-mail. akagan at uiuc.edu