Summing-up Sheikh Jarrah solidarity day

A year has passed since the eviction/expulsion of the Ghawi and Hanoun families from their homes. A year in which we have struggled together, not only in solidarity with the families, but also for the future of us all: against the attempt to bury the possibility for a just solution for our peoples; against the injustice and oppression, which are part and parcel of so many in the reality we live in; and against the anti democratic current that is taking over Israeli society.

Over 1,000 men and women marched at the Solidarity Day event that we held in Tel Aviv yesterday — one of the hottest days of the year. At the same time, Arabs and Jews held solidarity vigils in over ten other locations in the country: Kufr Yasif, Haifa, West Jerusalem, Bil’in, Dahmash, Taybe, Nazareth, Wadi Ara, Gan Shmuel, Ranana and Beersheba.

At the end of the march and various vigils, hundreds of us joined the main demonstration in Sheikh Jarrah, where the resident’s representatives and the activists gave speeches.

The events of the Solidarity Day can be seen in this video and in this photo slide show that document most of the demonstrations that took place.

The Solidarity Day is another milestone in the long way we have traveled together and a new stage in the struggle. Yesterday we showed that the solidarity that was created in Sheikh Jarrah is not limited to Jerusalem only, in the same way that the injustice which we are fighting against is not confined to a single neighborhood. What began as a protest against a local injustice turned into the battlefront for the struggle for a just society, against occupation, against wrongdoing, against discrimination and for equality.

We still have a long way to go, but we will not give in to the hard and difficult reality around us, and we will keep up the struggle, knowing that together, through solidarity, we shall prevail.

In the meantime, we would like to invite you to watch the media coverage from today:

Report in English by Ynet, a report in Arabic, another report in Arabic.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every resident of Sheikh Jarrah and each and every activist. Thank you all, for a year of persistent, energetic and optimistic struggle. Thank you for the Jewish-Arab cooperation, and thank you for instilling the hope of a better future here one day.

For your information, during the month of Ramadan (starting next week), the Friday weekly vigils will not take place, and activities in the neighborhood will take place on Saturday nights. Further updates will be sent soon.

Yours

The Sheikh Jarah Solidarity Activists