Archive photo of Abdallah Abu Rahmah protesting the wall in Bil’in taken on May 17, 2005. (Photo: Oren Ziv/ Activestills.org)
On International Human Rights Day in 2008, my husband Abdallah Abu Rahmah was in Berlin receiving a medal from the World Association for Human Rights. Last year on the same day, December 10th, Abdallah was taken away at 2am by Israeli soldiers who broke into our West Bank home. Abdallah was arrested for the same reasons he received the prize – his nonviolent struggle for justice, equality and peace in Israel/Palestine.
My husband is a school teacher and farmer from the Palestinian village of Bil’in. When Israel built its apartheid wall here, it separated Bil’in from more than half of its land, in order to facilitate the expansion of the illegal settlement Mattityahu East. In response, Abdallah and fellow villagers began a campaign of nonviolent resistance. Every Friday for the past five years, we’ve marched, with Israeli and international supporters, to protest the theft of our land and livelihoods.
In September, 2007 Israel’s Supreme Court ruled that the route of the wall in Bil’in was illegal and should be changed. Over two years later, the wall remains, unmoved. Many were discouraged, but Abdallah told them that the pressure of our campaign and international support could bring down the wall.
As the grassroots struggle grows here, the efforts to end our actions have intensified. The army has been instructed to use weapons against the protesters and arrest participants. Our beloved friend, Bassem Abu Rahmah, was murdered by Israeli soldiers as he tried to talk with them, while participating in a demonstration. Seventy-seven others have been arrested in violent night raids.
Among the other arrestees is Abdallah’s cousin Adeeb Abu Rahmah, who, like Abdallah, never missed a demonstration and was never violent. Adeeb, a father of nine, has been in prison for five months, with no end in sight. Since the first time our home was invaded, our seven year-old daughter Luma has been waking up screaming, and five year-old Layan wetting her bed. Only our nine month-old son Laith still smiles and giggles, but I cry when he calls for his father.
Leaders like former President Jimmy Carter and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, one of the leaders of South Africa’s anti-apartheid struggle, have visited our village. They stood with Abdallah at Bassem’s grave last August. Mr. Tutu told us, "Just as a simple man named Gandhi led the successful nonviolent struggle in India and simple people such as Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King led the struggle for civil rights in the United States, simple people here in Bil’in are leading a nonviolent struggle that will bring them their freedom."
The afternoon before his arrest, Abdallah prepared a speech to be read on his behalf to the World Association for Human Rights since Israel would not allow him to travel to Germany for the ceremony. Abdallah wrote:
"I wish I could be with you to share in the joy of our colleagues receiving this year’s prize and to celebrate with you the 20th anniversary of the removal of the Berlin Wall. But the occupation not only robs us of statehood, land, and so often of our lives, it also deprives us of many beautiful moments."
"My mother passed away in a hospital in occupied East Jerusalem, our historic capital, in August but the Israeli occupation refused me a permit to be with her. An Israeli friend held a mobile phone to my mother’s ear so that I could say good bye to her and thank her for all the love she has given me. In the darkness of all these difficulties the occupation imposes on us, the solidarity of justice-seeking people like you all over the world gives us strength."
"Unlike Israel, we have no nuclear weapons, and no army, but we do not want or need those things. With your support and the justice of our cause, we will bring down Israel’s apartheid wall."
Twelve hours after Abdallah was taken to a military jail from our home, I listened as President Obama received the Nobel Peace Prize and spoke of "the men and women around the world who have been jailed and beaten in the pursuit of justice." I thought of Bassem, Adeeb and my husband, and wondered if President Obama will take action to support our struggle for freedom.
Majda Abu Rahmah is a school teacher for children with special needs from the village of Bil’in in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. This article originally appeared on the Huffington Post.
No, Obama won’t support the Palestinian struggle for freedom. Not until stories like this one can be told everywhere, until people in the US are made to realize what their nation is supporting.
It is a damn shame and disgrace.
“Unlike Israel, we have no nuclear weapons, and no army, but we do not want or need those things. With your support and the justice of our cause, we will bring down Israel’s apartheid wall.”
Although (at least) the Israelis are totally ungrateful for what the goy world to help Jews, and most Israelis (from what I’ve read) say they don’t give a fuck what the goy world thinks–because the goy world was not there for them when Hitler did his thing–I’m reminded of what someone said on this blog on another recent thread: that most living people would act just like those in the historical situation did at any time and place (assessed or surveyed later). A thought, didn’t the Italian Jews support Mussolini; many jumped on the original fascist bandwagon–which was cool until
Hitler pressured Mussolini to get serious with Italian Jews–and how about Solsinitzen’s
review of 1905 and 1917 Russia in that book that still has not been offered in English?
And now? Gaza. West Bank. The actual life of non-jews in Israel inside the green line?
What is the USA foreign aid and our military operations in the middle east leading to?
Who is this empty suit Obama? If he cannot inspire root change in the USA domestically or in terms of foreign policy, nobody can. And he’s playing it safe, his bottom line, the comfort and power of his own family. Don’t we need a leader who is more than a mere family man (good, as far as it goes)? Especially since the USA is the only current superpower? Is it reasonably possible that for the first time, a third party candidate will have a chance next cycle at the oval office? The twin pincers of our economic condition, and our foreign policy condition, getting worse by the day as Obama ignores his historical calling, as does our Congress, makes it actually plausible.
I left out a word:
Should be:
Although (at least) the Israeli settlers are totally ungrateful…
(And isn’t this interesting since so many of them were born in the USA)
I just got this message from the Gaza convoy:
Maybe if a few dozen people are killed it will make the news.
Right now, the cards are falling our way in Iran. Why toss in our hand for sanctions that lead — to where?
Nuclear Poker with Iran
… to another war for Israel. Zionists want an attack on Iran irrespective of Iranian nuclear capabilities or intentions, and irrespective of whether it is in America’s interest. The lives of our servicemen and the incessant government borrowing that will one day be paid back with very high taxes by an impoverished people are an acceptable sacrifice for us to pay, in their eyes. Our federal deficit from 2009 alone was $1.4 TRILLION. Zionism is a far greater internal security threat to the United States of America in the 21rst century than Communism was during the twentieth.
clarification:
The preceding budget deficit number is an estimate. We won’t know the final tally until all 2009 taxes are collected. $1.84 trillion is a more recent estimate.
Colin, you are right. The USA exists with justification only to support Israel–ask any Israeli on the Israeli street, or any member or supporter of AIPAC. Meanwhile, Colin, please contact your local USA reps regarding Shafiq’s comment.
“In September, 2007 Israel’s Supreme Court ruled that the route of the wall in Bil’in was illegal and should be changed. Over two years later, the wall remains, unmoved.”
This is what the Israeli Supreme Court is famous for, making pronouncements and nothing of substance happening afterward. This is the fate of all judgments that are just a dog and pony show, no teeth no follow up for the rulings which contravene the real plans of the state. Every institution becomes a joke.