Girls in Gaza and Shderot, International Women's Day
The Women for Peace Coalition had planned its main demonstration yesterday in Tel Aviv. Palestinian and Jewish women planned to march together, for peace and equality, along the Tel Aviv beach promenade.Women from all over the country had planned to participate, buses arriving from all over.
The permit, previously provided by the police, was retracted; the police would not be able to provide protection because of "the situation".
At the the very last moment, unwilling to entirely cancel the event, the march was moved to Nazareth.
Handing out white and red carnations to bystanders some thousand women (and a few men) marched along Nazareth's main street, chanting for a peaceful solution to the conflict as well as for equal rights. Afterwards, a short convention took place in the "Friendship House".
One wonders what the cancellation of the demonstration permit really means. If the police think a peaceful women's demo in Tel Aviv is something they cannot take responsibility for, they have a problem. We have a problem. Of course it might also be that "someone" does not want it to be seen that women, Palestinian and Jewish that is, women cooperate.
After all, a demo like that in a central location would have attracted a lot of attention. The last minute move to Nazareth meant there was little press presence.
Also, many women were unable to attend.
For those unable to read Hebrew, the sign reads "In Gaza and Shderot, girls want to live".
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6 comments:
Yudit, to what group do belong the women wearing those pink scarves, the
Pink Pantresses?
i think it is purple: scarf in honour of international women's day
What is doing Che Guevara't t-shirt in a peace manifestation :(
Anyway I hope the terrorist hits from Gaza and inside IL stop. And the IDF stop it´s advancing.
Thanks for the information. Without your post, I would not have known. Yet the demonstration was on Shabbat, so I would not have joined, in any venue.
The signs are not only about equality for the sexes. Statements in Hebrew about the "occupation" (I can't read Arabic so missed knowing what those signs read) probably do not belong in such a women-united action. (Nor do images of Secretary of State Rice with fangs.)
Capturing common goals and dreams is a first step, and next come differences of opinion. Mixing it up turns people off, drives away support when it and positive energy are required.
Roche and Tamar do have a point, there is no use in showing Che or Condy on such a demonstration.
On the other hand, this shows something about the interests of women, next time all should become a free broom or plumeau at the end of the demo.
The demo was organized by the coalition of women's peace organizations....
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