To all those who are the patient recipients of my ongoing info re the struggle for the ending of the occupation of Palestine...

The International Solidarity Movement, as it exists today, is proving to be a great force for non violent resistance to one of the greatest injustices in our world. It is important to remember that this movement is the latest manifestation of an ongoing struggle which has been in existence for a long time... My own personal memory goes back to the time of the Gulf war when, in its aftermath, nearly 200 people, from countries all over the world, together with great activists from Palestine and Israel, carried out Peace Walks which were active non violent confrontations of the occupation. On one of those occasions approx.175 people were arrested and put in prison, to be released 48 hours later...I also remember the peace camp with the Bedouins on the road to Jericho when their eviction was being resisted, where Israeli attempts to evict were resisted time and time again...Likewise there have been years of protest and resistance to the imprisonment of Mordechai Vanunu for having the courage to reveal the truth of Israel's nuclear capability to the world. He has been held in solitary isolation for possibly 15 years (forgive me if my numbers are wrong but I know I am not far out). This has been described by the medical foundation for care for those who have been tortured as the greatest experience of torture that there is. There are also the groups like the peace keeping team in Hebron that has been working to resolve conflict for many years...There must have been so many more efforts being made like this for so long.

For me, one of the greatest aspects of this history of resistance, which will eventually succeed, is to do with the people who have lived this resistance for every moment of their lives; who have been born into it, have lived for all their lives in it and who have died without experiencing their freedom. When I speak of freedom I am addressing the physical and psychological loss of freedom caused by the occupation. The inner presence of spiritual and 'personal' freedom seemed very evident to me...It is those words, heard so often; ' you are always welcome', and 'thank you for coming to our country' which remain the strongest memory. Resistance of such caliber must succeed and those who go to learn, to support and to participate in the struggle really do receive more than they can ever give...I can only say that one is never the same again after this journey...Thank you to every person living this pain...Courage to those who go to work through the freedom summer...

Go nonviolently, resist the injustice....

SALAAM

love Liz Yates.