Azmi Bishara's Hunger Strike

I usually forgo politics here, but this is worth mentioning. I think these nonviolent means of resistance are overdue in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. I have yet to see this story picked up in anywhere in the media...let me know if you see anything. And thanks to the original Texas Jewgirl for forwarding this.

MK Azmi Bishara Goes on Hunger Strike Protesting the Construction of
Israel's Separation Wall

"While Sharon tries to draw international public attention to his plans for
unilateral separation from Gaza, framing them as though they were some form
of political concession or achievement, we seek to draw attention to the
real processes underway on the ground in the Occupied Territories:
unilateral Israeli imposition of borders, destruction of Palestinian
communities, and an Apartheid colonial logic. The world did not tolerate
Apartheid in South Africa – It must not tolerate its construction here"

Member of Knesset Azmi Bishara of the National Democratic Assembly (NDA) has
declared an open hunger strike protesting the Israeli government's
construction of the separation wall in the occupied West Bank and in the
surrounding areas of Jerusalem. Upon declaring his hunger strike, Bishara
was immediately joined by Palestinian national figures Ahmed Ghneim, Hatem
Abdel Qader, Abdel Latif Gheith, As'ad Musilmani, Suheir Khader, Terry
Bulata, Jamal Jum'a, Musa Abu Gharbiyeh and Judeh al Jamal. The hunger
strikers will remain in a protest tent that has been pitched in the town of
Ar-Ram, adjacent to one of the sites of on going Israeli wall construction.
The wall will cut the town of Ar-Ram (as well as all villages in the
periphery of Jerusalem) off from their organic and historic connections to
the city. It will furthermore strangle the remaining Palestinian towns and
neighborhoods of East Jerusalem by effectively cutting them off from the
rest of the occupied West Bank.

Through Israel's continued construction of the wall, the historical
geographic and social features of the land are being dramatically
transformed in overt colonial fashion. The deliberate severance of
Palestinian communities from one another, (including Palestinian family
members from one another), is a crime against the Palestinian people, and is
an abomination to the principles of humanity. The underlying colonial logic
of separation which underpins the wall's construction is reminiscent of the
darkest days of Apartheid South Africa, and it is unimaginable that such
acts can pass in total silence today, or would be tolerated in any other
place on earth.

In light of Israel's persistence in carrying out its unilateral plans in
Jerusalem and the rest of the occupied territories of 1967, MK Azmi Bishara
declared an open hunger strike as of noon of July 3 rd 2004. He is also
issuing a call to step up peaceful popular and civil struggle against the
wall, appealing to democratic and progressive forces throughout the world to
mobilize towards the urgent demand of putting a stop to the erecting of an
Apartheid regime across Palestine.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

DR. BISHARA: 054-290-729

MOSA: 054290725\6

AWATEF: 066-656-605
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