For two days now the Israeli bulldozers have been digging up land that belongs to people from Beit Sahour. Bulldozers and tanks are making their way in to our land to establish a new road. Only they and perhaps God knows what their aim is. Are they planning on connecting the new settlement (Har Homa in Jabal Abu Ghnaim) to the Israeli Military camp located to the east of Beit Sahour? Or they are planning on establishing a road exclusively for the use of Jewish settlers to go from Jerusalem to Togoh? Their excuses are always accepted by the world; they cite that every action is for their security.
For two days now the Israeli bulldozers have been digging up land that belongs to people from Beit Sahour. Bulldozers and tanks are making their way in to our land to establish a new road. Only they and perhaps God knows what their aim is. Are they planning on connecting the new settlement (Har Homa in Jabal Abu Ghnaim) to the Israeli Military camp located to the east of Beit Sahour? Or they are planning on establishing a road exclusively for the use of Jewish settlers to go from Jerusalem to Togoh? Their excuses are always accepted by the world; they cite that every action is for their security.
Perhaps if more people experienced the reality, cowered in their homes at night whilst bombs and bullets rained down, stood at a checkpoint for hours, experienced the humiliation at the hands of 18 year olds armed by their government, spent hours traveling a few miles to work. We can go on and on, but when is the world going to open their eyes to the reality of the Israeli occupation and their aggressive actions.
At the moment there is a concerted American effort to bring both Palestinians and Israelis to the negotiation table, to resume peace talks. How can we negotiate peace whilst the Israeli government persists with its policy of killing innocent Palestinian children, settlement building, land confiscation, and much more, despite their claims of the contrary? At the same time the Israelis demand a complete cessation of violence. But what is violence? Who decides the framework to determine which act is an act of violence and which isn’t? When Palestinians shoot, it is called an act of terrorism, when Israelis shoot, it is ‘protection’.
We need intervention that is going to make a difference. It is time to stop the rhetoric and take positive action to safeguard the rights of all people in this area. Everyone is entitled to live in peace and safety but this cannot be achieved whilst Israel continues to oppress and dominate the lives of Palestinians. We must struggle for our freedom and justice.
