Spring Break
Event stresses Palestinian plight
LEILA MATTIMORE
Issue date: 4/15/09 Section: News
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The Athens for Justice in Palestine group is hosting its Solidarity Day, a mini-cultural festival, at the Tate Plaza today in an effort to enlighten students on the plight of the Palestinians. Exhibits will feature food, poetry, music, traditional dance and photos.
"The event is intended to bring attention to the situation in Palestine and show students what life under occupation [by another country] is like," said Ayla Zamangil, an AJP officer.
SOLIDARITY DAY
When: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.Where: Tate Plaza
"We will be having a 6-feet by 12-feet wall to represent the wall that separates Israel and Palestine."
The "wall" that divides Israel and Palestine also has separated people from their families, places of business, hospitals and schools.
Checkpoints - or guarded gates along the wall - are part of a grid system intended to control military activity.
"People have to pass through checkpoints to get to school or work," said Aliya Naim, AJP secretary and junior international affairs and Arabic major.
"They are not guaranteed to be able to pass. Many pregnant women have died or had miscarriages trying to get through checkpoints. They aren't built so that you may have a contiguous area including hospitals and schools."
The AJP, a University student organization, addresses human rights violations against Palestinian people and also raises awareness concerning the ongoing conflict in Gaza, according to its mission statement.
"Once you know what is going on [in Palestine], you cannot ignore it," Zamangil said.
She said she first learned about the conflict in high school and felt compelled to get involved.
"We have the right and responsibility to stand up against what's going on [in Palestine]," said Yasmin Yonis, a sophomore AJP member.
She said AJP members believe it is their responsibility as U.S. citizens to understand the role the American government has played in the conflict.
"Many Palestinians do not just see the occupation [of their country] as an Israeli occupation," she said.
"They see it very much as an American-Israeli occupation. [Israelis] could not [occupy Palestine] without the United States' support."
AJP has participated in several protests this semester.
Following Israeli aggressions in Gaza, AJP members protested at CNN's headquarters in Atlanta on Jan. 3, at the Israeli consulate on Jan. 5 and in Woodruff Park on Jan. 10.
For more information about AJP visit www.uga.edu/palestine.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 24
gumborue
posted 4/15/09 @ 10:46 AM EST
the US didnt create Israel. but the US desperately needs an ally in the Middle East.
jane
posted 4/15/09 @ 6:02 PM EST
If the palestinians would recognize Israel and stop their terrorism, the situation would change.
erin
posted 4/15/09 @ 6:57 PM EST
If the author of this article is seriously thinking of pursuing a career in journalism, she should definitely reconsider. The opening paragraph is full of blatant bias and does not do justice to the goals of the profession. (Continued…)
Bryant Knight
posted 4/15/09 @ 7:10 PM EST
Erin: The opening paragraph does seem a little biased, but I think you're overexaggerating.
The opening paragraph needs to be catchy, and the reporter definitely achieved that goal. (Continued…)
Deez Nuts
posted 4/15/09 @ 7:13 PM EST
Why should they recognize Israel? Israeli's stole the Palestinian's land. I wouldn't recognize anybody who stole anything from me.
I'm tired of people thinking it's the Palestinians who need to change. (Continued…)
Erin
posted 4/15/09 @ 8:18 PM EST
There is absolutely no balanced context for this article - it is completely one-sided. A journalist with integrity reports information that is accurate - presenting both sides of the conflict. (Continued…)
great article, Leila Mattimore
posted 4/16/09 @ 12:23 PM EST
"The reality is that Israel exists whether you or anyone else likes it or not...Your so-called outrage poorly conceals an ugly streak of viral hatred. (Continued…)
jane
posted 4/16/09 @ 3:02 PM EST
Palestinians aren't a race...and being against a policy is different than being against the existence of a nation.
Frannie
posted 4/16/09 @ 6:06 PM EST
I agree with ".".
jane
posted 4/16/09 @ 7:09 PM EST
The plight of Palestinian Arabs was a consequence by their failed war of aggression against Israel. Had they not violently rejected the UN's 1947 partition plan to divide Palestine into a Jewish country and an Arab country, the Palestinian Arabs would have had their own country nearly 60 years ago and would not have been political pawns of Arab extremists ever since. (Continued…)
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