On 30 August 2018, the Women’s Cultural Group in collaboration with IPCI hosted a talk for ladies at its Mariam Bee Sultan Centre. The speakers Firhan Farrah (whose son was the youngest person to be imprisoned by Israel) and Rula Tammini, spoke of the suffering of Palestinian children prisoners in Israeli jails and in particular of Ahed Tammimi whose home has been slated for demolition has been subjected to more than 150 military raids. Only 11 years old, Ahed tried to intervene during her mother’s arrest.
Her acts of defiance led to international attention to the Palestinian cause and she became the poster face of the struggle by Palestinian children struggle when she slapped an Israeli soldier. These incidents of brutality against defenseless children embarrassed Israel and led to her imprisonment for 9 months.
Shameema Mayat of the Women’ Cultural Group spoke about Gaza which is a mere 42 km long by 8 km at its widest where its residents have suffered for 60 years living in this prison with no employment, food, water, electricity, education, health, or hope, except as dictated by Israel. This year in just over four months during the peaceful protests of the Great Return March Israel has killed 171, of whom 27 are children. Of the 18 000 injured, 3 600 were children. 70 ambulances were hit and 3 medical crew murdered. There are many worse atrocities taking place around the world. What is unique about Palestine is that this brazen evil is legitimised and enforced not only by the “civilised” West, but even by Egypt, Saudi & other Muslim states. Troubling is a questioning by our people for the support of Palestine when Syria’s devastation is greater. Often this is accompanied by criticism of BDS. When Nobel Laureate Obama’s only response to this monstrous evil, is “Israel has every right to defend itself” then you will understand why the emphasis on Palestine.
WCG urges the public to support these visits by Palestinians to keep their protests alive in the public space.