From Sabbah’s blog comes this interesting story about an Italian judge who was injured by the Israeli army during a peaceful demonstration against the Wall in Bil’in, West Bank. These nonviolent demonstrations have been continuing for three years without interruption, this one on its anniversary.
But what was most interesting about this report is the work it reflects of a quiet hero, LUISA MORGANTINI (above), one of many nonviolent protesters who are invested in the civil and human rights injustices that continue to be perpetrated against the Palestinian people during this, their 41st year of military occupation, whose only purpose is the colonization or further stealing of their lands.
LUISA MORGANTINI just happens to be the Vice President of the European Parliament. This is actually her report (uncorrected for English grammar and spelling). It is interspersed with photos from her past experiences with the Palestinian cause for justice.
PRESS RELEASE
ITALIAN JUDGE INJURED BY ISRAELI ARMY IN PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATION AGAINST THE WALL, IN BIL’IN (WEST BANK)
Bil’in, (West Bank) 6th June 2008
A demonstration against the wall in Bil’in, a Palestinian village close to Ramallah, just concluded the Third Annual Conference (2nd-4th June) organized by the Bil’in Popular Committee for non-violent resistance with the participation of the Vice President of the European Parliament Luisa Morgantini and of the Nobel Peace Prize winner, Maired Corrigan Maguire, and also of many Palestinian and Israeli personalities and delegations from France, Belgium, Germany and different European countries. From Italy a delegation of 40 people belonging to the Italian Women in Black, many NGOs, the association Aktivamente, and representatives from Giuristi Democratici (Italian Democratic Lawyers) attended.
After the end of the meeting, there was near the wall a football match, opened by Luisa Morgantini and Jibril Rajoub, President of the Palestinian FIFA: the match was played by International, Palestinian and Israeli activists together, but interrupted by teargas fired by the Israeli army.
At one thirty p.m. started the weekly Friday non-violent protest against the wall, which in Bil’in confiscated more then 60% of the villagers’ land: although the demonstrators marched until the gate of the construction site of the wall peacefully and without forcing it, the Israeli soldiers immediately intervened firing a big quantity of teargas at man-height and injuring some demonstrators among those a judge from Sicily, Giulio Toscano, belonging to the Italian Democratic Lawyers’ delegation (Giuristi Democratici). Luisa Morgantini with crying eyes and burning the throat and the lungs for the gas inhaled, declared her “commitment to the popular and non violent struggle in Bil’in like in all the villages where the wall is steeling lands and its sources for the life of Palestinian people through an Israeli policy of colonization and military occupation which kills peace and justice”. Also the Nobel Peace Prize winner, Maired Corrigan Maguire, was intoxicated by the teargas.
Since three years up to now, Bil’in and the persistence of its inhabitants and of all the Palestinian, Israeli and International Peace activists represent an extraordinary example of non-violent resistance against the wall and the confiscation of Palestinian lands, resulting from 40 years of Israeli military occupation.
Further Info Luisa Morgantini 00972 54 72 71 742 or Office in Rome 0039 06 69 95 02 17
Or visit Luisa’s site: www.luisamorgantini.net
Never heard of these people, or Luisa’s work until now. Thanks to (Haitham) Sabbah
