- Jan Benvie, the very inspiring staff member of Christian peacemaker Teams (CPT) with whom I had the honor of working at our nonviolence workshop in Amman last October, is back in the field with CPT, in Hebron, occupied Palestine. Here’s a press release CPT put out on Friday over her name:
CPT RELEASE
Conference in Hebron
by Janet Benvie
26th January 2007
On the 25th of January nearly 200 Palestinians and international peace activists, including CPTers Bill Baldwin, Bob Holmes and Dianne Roe, participated in an open-air conference beside the Israeli military checkpoint at the top of Shuhada Street in Hebron. The conference was the second event organized by Palestinian ISM in Hebron, calling for the Israeli military to open Shuhada Street, in accordance with an Israeli High Court decision in December 2006. (see http://haaretz.com/hasen/spages/809722.html )
There was an almost carnival atmosphere about the peaceful event, as young and old, Palestinian and international, gathered together to listen to speeches and to chant, sing and dance. Everyone was united by the desire for freedom, justice and peace.
People held placards that called for freedom of movement, an end to the illegal Israeli occupation and an end to settler violence, as well as for the opening of Shuhada Street. Palestinian residents of Tel Rumeida, the community most severely affected by the closure, spoke eloquently about the harsh living conditions caused by the movement restrictions enforced by the Israeli military. A local school headmistress spoke about the difficulties her students face every day trying to get to and from school. A twelve-year-old boy from Tel Rumeida, spoke about his experiences of growing up in a land under military occupation.
Shuhada Street used to be one of the city’s main thoroughfares. The Israeli army has prevented Palestinians from using the street for the past six years, and has also enforced the closure of all the stops and stall on the street. This has had a profound, detrimental effect on the livelihood of thousands of Palestinian families.
CPTer Jan Benvie later spoke with an Israeli peace activist, in another area of Hebron, who told her that he had been prevented from passing through the checkpoint to join the conference. The military often prevent Israeli peace activists, who want to stand in solidarity with Palestinians, from entering Hebron.
Last week, on Thursday 18th January, the Israeli police prevented some 150 Peace Now (an Israeli peace group) activists from traveling to Hebron. The Israeli’s wanted to protest in Hebron against settler violence, following the airing of a video showing a settler verbally attacking a Palestinian family. (see http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3350480,00.html )
Issa Amro, a Palestinian nonviolent activist, and one of the conference organizers, told CPT that they plan to hold weekly events until the Israeli army abides by the court ruling.
Photos of this conference, and other events in Hebron, may be viewed at: http://www.cpt.org/gallery/view_album.php?set_albumName=hebron