From Hebron
December 13, 2015

The struggle for freedom and a dignified life is an everyday task

December 12 (Global Political Prisoners Day). We are in Hebron. We were following carefully the different speeches of the fighters and preparing to be part in the act when some very loud noises interrupted our attention.

The noise came from 20 men in heavy boots running loudly down the street that were entering by force to Imad Abushamsiya’s home; he’s an activist for the rights of political prisoners and the Palestinian cause. His brave wife quickly called him because he was in his neighbor's house. His children and wife did not hesitate to take out their camera and as they could they recorded what was happening. The Zionist occupying forces were in pursuit of their eldest son (16 years old) to take him arrested. In search of him they revised every corner of the house, leaving everything upside down, even my personal belongings, which at that time were there and they left all scattered on the floor.

As this was not enough for them, they went to the neighbor's house which they also – though without turning everything upside down - revised thoroughly. The neighbor who was with his wife and their young children quickly got his family in one of the rooms. In this house was also Badee Dawiki, another activist, whom they took off the cell phone at the time of the requisition. They were more than 20 soldiers, armed and protected as if they were to resist a battalion of the mafia or criminal attack. When they went to the neighbor's house, one of the soldiers told the owner of the House and Badee in Arabic that he knew them and also knew they were dangerous men. They ignored his words. Then looking at me constantly, they asked them also in Arabic by me, who I was, and they answered only "she is international" (since there is a status to be an international activist and so they have more "caution" in doing you something or reviewing your belongings).
Zionist forces withdrew after a while, without physically hurting anybody although having damaged some curtains and furniture in the house. We could make the connection with the internationalist Act that was performed in Buenos Aires with the companions of Las Heras and many other organizations. There, we had little time because we didn't know if the fascist murderous soldiers were to return.  Badee could talk calmly about how it began to be organized Global Political Prisoners Day and I also wanted to comment that in Palestine on 18 December the Palestinian Prisoners Club, joining the 12-12, is calling to do actions in the city of Bethlehem for the freedom of political prisoners. The idea was that Imad Abushamsiya intervene, telling his experience as a former political prisoner and of living in one of the Hebron neighborhoods that is surrounded by settlements and the forces of repression.  But due to the raid that the Zionists had done on his home “ in search of his son” he could not attend the internationalist act.

Though the evening did not end there; at two in the morning other 10 soldiers again broke into Imad’s home, opened each of the doors of the rooms in which we were sleeping (two children and who writes this brief note) and left to Imad, his wife and the eldest daughter an arrest warrant for the 16-year-old son.
What is the crime committed by this young boy and his family, just to give an example? Not accepting the occupation, not accepting living in a ghetto, and fighting with all their possible forces against the theft of their land and their life.
Today, still many NGOs and currents that claim to fight for the Palestinian cause say a non-violent intifada and the two-State solution are possible. It seems a joke, a bad joke in very bad taste. Here, in these brief lines, you can see as a small sample, which the policy of two States mean: suffering the building of Zionist settlements in the best lands, while the Palestinians are living in ghettos and under daily harassment, among a generalized lack of jobs and of conditions to have a life of dignity, as quality healthcare and education. As for example, hundreds of primary school children and teachers are mobilized and facing the occupying forces to be able to attend their studies, without knowing what consequences this can have for them.
In short, Palestinians are trying to survive and fighting for a dignified life and to be free. And if the Palestinian youth rebel as they can, they are told: "don´t be violent". I.e., the Zionists repress and kill them; they are jailed in dungeons where even violators aren’t sent; they lack jobs -and those who get one have to endure conditions of super exploitation; and when the youth rebel they are told, among other things, that they are criminals... or that they are a group of young people who don't know what they are doing.
In this case I will take the slogan that the campaign for a Global Political Prisoners Day carries out: "the revolt of the slaves is not a crime; it is justice".

Pamela Parson,
Correspondent of International Worker Organizer