Nonviolence

The persistent struggle of the Bil'in villagers against the Separation Wall/Fence being erected on their land is increasingly getting the attention and involvement of the Israeli mainstream. In August and September, the army made a concerted effort to break the protests by force, and make of Bil'in an intimidating "example" to other villagers contemplating resistance to decrees and oppressive measures.

Each Palestinian has a special place in their heart for Rachel Corrie. She symbolized strength, perseverance, and self assuredness. Conversely, she was labeled an enemy of Israel, a nuisance of the American government and a target of ridicule by pro-Israeli propagandists. Fifty-eight years ago, my grandparents were dispossessed from their land in Palestine and this energetic little white girl from Olympia, Washington traveled half the world to try to fulfill their dream: the fruition of justice in Palestine.

by Remi Kanazi

Our hearts are filled with joy today as we heard that Harmeet Singh Sooden, Jim Loney and Norman Kember have been safely released in Baghdad. Christian Peacemaker Teams rejoices with their families and friends at the expectation of their return to their loved ones and community. Together we have endured uncertainty, hope, fear, grief and now joy during the four months since they were abducted in Baghdad.

by Doug Pritchard and Carol Rose (co-directors of Christian Peacemaker Teams)

Palestinians have reached a crossroads. The time for armed struggle is over. Nonviolent resistance is not only about getting rid of the occupation, but building a state on ethics and morals, setting a strong foundation for a prosperous democracy. Non-violent resistance not only leads us to freedom, but also prepares us for the day after the liberation.

by Rami Assali

by Michael Jansen

On Tuesday, the liberal Israeli daily Haaretz carried an editorial asking, "Where's the restraint in Bil'in?" The paper observed that the Israeli army used "sensitivity and intelligence" in dealing with Israeli demonstrators in Gaza, but pointed out that it did not adopt a similar line with Israelis, foreigners and Palestinians taking part in last Friday's protest in the West Bank village of Bil'in.
On this occasion, 100 Israeli troops preempted the weekly demonstration.

The troops entered the village as participants convened near the mosque. Without any provocation from the protesters, the soldiers fired tear gas and salt rounds and rubber-coated steel balls, scattering the crowd. The soldiers kicked and beat left-wing and anarchist Israelis, Quakers and members of the International Solidarity Movement who normally take part in this event. Twelve people were wounded and 14 arrested, 12 detained briefly, two until the next day.

By Robert Hirschfield

"IT IS MY dream that one day Israelis and Palestinians in their thousands will pull down this wall that separates them."

The words were those of Arun Gandhi, grandson of the Mahatma Gandhi, addressing Palestinian and Israeli demonstrators last August at Israel's apartheid wall at Abu Dis.

The action was organized by Palestinians for Peace and Democracy, a small group of Palestinian Gandhians who asked Gandhi to join them. It was the first trip ever to the West Bank for the 70-year-old founder of the MK Gandhi Institute For Nonviolence. He was appalled at the way Palestinians were bottled up by the settlements, the checkpoints, the wall.

"Qalqilya, for instance, is completely surrounded by the wall," he told the Washington Report. "Farmers living along the wall are cut off from their lands. In a way it's even worse than the Bantustans were in South Africa. There, at least, where farmers had land, there were no walls to keep them from it."

Palestinians asked Gandhi, as the grandson of the man who led India's liberation struggle against the British, for advice about their own liberation struggle. That began a dialogue between friends about Gandhian nonviolence-a useful but difficult dialogue, as Gandhi and the Palestinians tended to have different interpretations of the meaning of nonviolence.

by Maher Abukhater

Ramallah - Dubbed in Arabic, the Oscar winning film Gandhi was premiered in Ramallah Wednesday April 6, launching plans to screen the film throughout the Palestinian areas and Arab world.

Makers of the original film in English, including actor Sir Ben Kingsley, who won the Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal of Gandhi in the film, told a press conference, two hours before screening the film in Ramallah, that the Arabic version came in response to a Palestinian initiative.

"We saw a genuine need and we responded," he said, joined in this by the film producer Jake Eberts.

Kingsley, Eberts and Palestinian director Hanna Elias, who worked on the Arabic dubbing since September, along with the funders Kamran Elahian, founder of Global Catalyst Foundation, and Jeff Skoll, founder of Skoll Foundation, met before the press conference with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and other members of the Palestinian civil society.