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The Only Democracy? » Human Rights Activists in the Crosshairs » Interview with BDS leader Omar Barghouti

Interview with BDS leader Omar Barghouti

Democracy Now! shared this interview with a Palestinian leader of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement, Omar Barghouti. Jewish Voice for Peace was part of an international campaign to get the U.S. State department to reverse the decision to deny him a visa. Thankfully, the campaign was successful and the U.S. granted him a visa after unconscionably delaying. Hear what you almost missed below.

From the trancript, here’s Omar on Juliano Mer-Khamis’s death.

OMAR BARGHOUTI: It’s very hard to say who killed him, because no Palestinian group or individual had any interest in killing him. I mean, any patriotic Palestinian lost Juliano, because Juliano did a great service to the people of Jenin, especially the refugee camp, and on the front of cultural resistance. When I talked about nonviolent popular resistance, people forget that Palestinians have been resisting Israel’s occupation and apartheid in many forms, including culture—dance, music, poetry, theater and so on. And Juliano was really one of the people at the forefront of that cultural resistance.

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JESSE BACON (Philadelphia) is a freelance activist and father. He has a Masters in teaching from Roosevelt University in Chicago. He is an observant progressive Jew, and is trying to be a good ally for Palestinians and all dispossessed peoples, while staying true to the best traditions in Judaism. He visited Israel and Palestine in 1996, 2001, and 2002. He served for three years on the local steering committee of Jewish Voice for Peace-Chicago, and one year on the board of Pursue the Peace in Seattle. Read his posts here.

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