Last night, I watched a documentary called “Rachel – An American Conscience”
about an American peace activist who was crushed to death in Gaza by an
Israeli bulldozer only four years ago. I couldn’t sleep afterwards because
it was so horrific to think that we are all going about our business as if
everything is OK with the world when it patently isn’t for millions upon
millions of people outside our bubble. There isn’t anyone who after seeing
this film wouldn’t feel enormous rage for what is being allowed to happen to
the Palestinians – anyone that is who has even a modicum of humanity inside
their pampered body. So, when I read the following article about this ship
sailing to Gaza this year to challenge Israel’s claim that it no longer
occupies Gaza, I was ready to pack my bags straight away and join them.
Maybe some of you might think so too or at least be prepared to make a
donation towards the supplies that the ship is taking for the Palestinians
if it can get past Israel’s military blockade in the Gazan waters. Check out
the website Free Gaza for more details and become inspired by
people who haven’t given up on humanity.
Anyone from Melbourne wishing to see the documentary about Rachel Corrie
mentioned above, can do so on Saturday 16 June at 6.00pm at the State
Library of Victoria. Also, the Reverend Helen Cox will be giving some very
moving readings from Rachel’s diary before she died from 5.15pm . Please
enter through Entry 3 on Latrobe Street, Melbourne City. Tickets for this
session are $5 and can be bought at the door.
I urge everyone in Melbourne the weekend of 16 and 17 June to come to our
‘67 Occupation Exhibition and Palestine Film Festival at the State Library
of Victoria (see our website for full details 67.com click here ). Between
9.30am and 6.00pm, you can experience for yourselves what occupation really
means for some 4 million Palestinians today. You will also learn about the
catastrophic loss suffered by the Palestinian people when the newly-created
Israel forced the flight of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from their
cities, towns and villages in 1948 and then proceeded to forcibly and
illegally annex another 23% of their land to what Israel had been unjustly
given by the United Nations Partition of 1947. Not a single Palestinian has
been offered compensation for the loss of home, land and personal possessions
in almost 60 years and Israel has consistently refused to allow the
inalienable right of Palestinians to return home. Some of course would
probably not find even a trace of their former homes since Israel razed
hundreds of villages to the ground and others would find complete strangers
living in their houses that their families had held for centuries. Many who
fled in those early days for safety returned weeks later to find European
Jewish immigrants already living amongst their belongings. One thing that
has certainly been dispelled by historians is the absolute myth that
Palestine was a land without people. There would have been many of our own
Australian ex-servicemen who would have been able to testify to the
wonderful hospitality of Palestinian families when they were stationed in
Palestine during the First World War. - SK
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