| What do you call a system that results in a road that is accessible by some residents, but not to others. Security? Supremacy? Something else? We call it apartheid. The word apartheid is from Afrikaans, and in simple terms means ‘apart’ or being ‘kept apart’. This is an accurate description for what happens across the West Bank, where settlers are given access to roads, water supplies, state funds and other protections, while Palestinians are not. This separation, or apartness, is driven by a fundamental desire to oppress the rights of Palestinian, restrict freedom of movement, and ultimately maintain Israeli occupation across the West Bank. Apartheid is not merely a historic term, but a crime against humanity, as defined in the 2002 Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court "committed in the context of an institutionalized regime of systematic oppression and domination by one racial group over any other racial group or groups and committed with the intention of maintaining that regime". An example of this system of apartheid is the congested road of Azzariyeh which runs from the Palestinian town of Azzariyeh and connects to the main road that leads to Bethlehem. Parallel to this road is Kedar Street which travels the same route. For the past 20 years, Kedar Street has been open for the sole use of settlers who drive freely across the West Bank, while Palestinian drivers sit in endless traffic, on a paralysed road. A few days ago, our activists led a demonstration to demand that Kedar Street be opened to Palestinians, and to show Israelis that this is happening on their doorstep, and not in a history book of the past. Despite the threats and intimidation by settlers, Israelis and Palestinians stood side by side to show that we will not be silent, and that we must end this apartness and break this system of apartheid. Our movement is also fighting for democracy in Israel, and taking to the streets in weekly protests across the country. We have such an important role to play in reminding everyone that there is no democracy with occupation! We can’t pick and choose which parts of democracy we like, so it is up to us to keep up the pressure! The most extreme right wing Israeli government in history is doing all it can to intimate us, and to silence us. We aren’t going anywhere - and we encourage everyone that wants to take a stand against violence, and for togetherness. to raise your voices, use your influence, and support another way. In Peace & Solidarity from Israel/Palestine, |
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