An emotional meeting between to rivers of demonstrators, one Israeli and one Palestinian,took place Saturday noon in the center of a-Ram. The two rivers came from different directionsand united into one big demonstration against the monstrous wall that is about to cut off a-Ramfrom Jerusalem and from its environment. The drum band of a-Ram boy-scouts led the marcherswith their beat.
The Israelis started a spontaneous march when the Border Police stopped their buses and triedto prevent them from reaching the demonstration. They left their buses where they were andcontinued on foot in the blazing heat.
The demonstration was organized by “Gush Shalom” and “Ta’ayush”, on the initiative ofSirkhan Salaimeh, the mayor of a-Ram, who called on the Israeli public to support the 60thousand inhabitants in their fight against the wall, which is out to destroy their lives.A-Ram is a center of commerce between Israel and the West Bank, and its isolation will kill itseconomy.
“There is no life for Israel without life for Palestine. There is no existence for Israelwithout existence for Palestine. There is no security for Israel without security forPalestine!” Gush Shalom activist Uri Avnery declared. He spoke from a bloc of concrete put inplace in preparation for the wall. With him spoke Knesset members Barakeh and Tibi. LeenaDelasheh of Ta’ayush called: “We, Israelis and Palestinians, are united in our struggleuntil the wall will fall, here and everywhere!”
The demonstrators carried posters saying “Peace, Not Separation!”, “First of All – the Wallmust Fall!”, “They choke a-Ram!”, “A Prison for the Palestinians, a Ghetto for the Jews!”
Before and after the demonstration, the Israelis toured the path of the wall in the north ofJerusalem. “Until now I thought that it is terrible,” a demonstrator from Haifa said, “Now Iknow that it is far more terrible!”
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The scout band leading the march
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Palestinian and Israeli women at the demonstration
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The mayor, Sirkhan Saleimah, speaking
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The monster is coming near: new section of the wall between a-Ram
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A demonstrator with the two-flags poster
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. Israelis and Palestinians in the first row. Among them: MKs Barakeh and Tibi.
Previous Gush Shalom actions .