4,500 March in Jerusalem In Support of Palestine
Jul 17, 2011 19:15:03 GMT -5
Post by PrisonerOfHope on Jul 17, 2011 19:15:03 GMT -5
4,500 March in Jerusalem In Support of Palestinian Statehood
Procession in support of PA plan to seek recognition of state at UN
Thousands of left-wing activists marched in Jerusalem on Friday afternoon in the largest demonstration of support for an independent Palestinian state in the nation’s capital in over a year. Under the banner of “Independence for Palestine,” the march, which was organized by the Sheikh Jarrah Solidarity Movement, drew 4,500 participants from across the country.
Obama has clearly sided with the Palestinians, all verbal protests to the contrary notwithstanding
The march started from Jaffa Gate and ended in the weekly protest in Sheikh Jarrah, a direct inversion of the right-wing Flag March on Jerusalem Day, when tensions rose in east Jerusalem between right-wing marchers and Arab residents. March organizers said the route was also chosen because it was the border of east and west Jerusalem.
Palestinian and Israeli flags fluttered in the breeze as activists young and old carried signs that said “Only free people can negotiate,” and “67,” signifying a return to ’67 borders. MKs Zehava Galon (Meretz) and Dov Hanin (Hadash) joined the march.
Arab youth groups from Lod, Jaffa, and Nazareth also took part, in addition to all of the popular committees from the east Jerusalem neighborhoods.
“I really believe, in the most democratic way possible, we must exercise our rights,” said Mahmoud, the leader of the Jaffa chapter of Palestinian Rights Within Israel.
The march was held as a series of actions expressing support for a Palestinian bid for statehood in the UN in September.
“I’m not optimistic [about September],” said Pessah, an 88-year-old professor of Jewish studies who marched along with his daughter. “I’m taking part to show there are different opinions… I see it as a positive thing that there are people that think differently, that want the country to be different than it is now. Even though it’s not easy for me, I came to show that Palestinians need their own state,” he said.
The march continued peacefully and there were no arrests or police incidents. “We’re very happy, there were more people than we expected,” said Dolev Rahat, a 26-year-old Sheikh Jarrah activist from Jerusalem. He said the biggest problem was keeping the demonstrators off the light rail track, per an agreement the activists made with the police.
Some of the march’s spectators were doubtful of the success of the message. “I don’t think this helps, why would it,” asked Fuzi, a 40-year-old shuttle driver from the Old City who drank coffee with his friends while watching the march pass Damascus Gate. He said he was more concerned with the high cost of food and apartments, and making ends meet for his family. “This is a different war, we have our own real war,” he said. “I don’t have anything against it, but we’re talking about different things,” he said, adding that there was a “big gap” between the demonstrators and the aspirations of the working class in east Jerusalem.
Sheikh Jarrah Solidarity Movement said in a statement the message of the march was to change the country’s perception of a UN declaration of statehood as a “natural disaster like a political tsunami” to “an act of people thirsty for freedom.”
www.jpost.com/NationalNews/Article.aspx?id=229557
Procession in support of PA plan to seek recognition of state at UN
Thousands of left-wing activists marched in Jerusalem on Friday afternoon in the largest demonstration of support for an independent Palestinian state in the nation’s capital in over a year. Under the banner of “Independence for Palestine,” the march, which was organized by the Sheikh Jarrah Solidarity Movement, drew 4,500 participants from across the country.
Obama has clearly sided with the Palestinians, all verbal protests to the contrary notwithstanding
The march started from Jaffa Gate and ended in the weekly protest in Sheikh Jarrah, a direct inversion of the right-wing Flag March on Jerusalem Day, when tensions rose in east Jerusalem between right-wing marchers and Arab residents. March organizers said the route was also chosen because it was the border of east and west Jerusalem.
Palestinian and Israeli flags fluttered in the breeze as activists young and old carried signs that said “Only free people can negotiate,” and “67,” signifying a return to ’67 borders. MKs Zehava Galon (Meretz) and Dov Hanin (Hadash) joined the march.
Arab youth groups from Lod, Jaffa, and Nazareth also took part, in addition to all of the popular committees from the east Jerusalem neighborhoods.
“I really believe, in the most democratic way possible, we must exercise our rights,” said Mahmoud, the leader of the Jaffa chapter of Palestinian Rights Within Israel.
The march was held as a series of actions expressing support for a Palestinian bid for statehood in the UN in September.
“I’m not optimistic [about September],” said Pessah, an 88-year-old professor of Jewish studies who marched along with his daughter. “I’m taking part to show there are different opinions… I see it as a positive thing that there are people that think differently, that want the country to be different than it is now. Even though it’s not easy for me, I came to show that Palestinians need their own state,” he said.
The march continued peacefully and there were no arrests or police incidents. “We’re very happy, there were more people than we expected,” said Dolev Rahat, a 26-year-old Sheikh Jarrah activist from Jerusalem. He said the biggest problem was keeping the demonstrators off the light rail track, per an agreement the activists made with the police.
Some of the march’s spectators were doubtful of the success of the message. “I don’t think this helps, why would it,” asked Fuzi, a 40-year-old shuttle driver from the Old City who drank coffee with his friends while watching the march pass Damascus Gate. He said he was more concerned with the high cost of food and apartments, and making ends meet for his family. “This is a different war, we have our own real war,” he said. “I don’t have anything against it, but we’re talking about different things,” he said, adding that there was a “big gap” between the demonstrators and the aspirations of the working class in east Jerusalem.
Sheikh Jarrah Solidarity Movement said in a statement the message of the march was to change the country’s perception of a UN declaration of statehood as a “natural disaster like a political tsunami” to “an act of people thirsty for freedom.”
www.jpost.com/NationalNews/Article.aspx?id=229557
