Students join the Annual Peace March
“Let us, on this International Day, reaffirm our commitment to translating solidarity into positive action. The international community must help steer the situation towards a historic peace agreement.”
Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon
Since 1977, the General Assembly has observed the 29th November as an International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
This year’s march was commemorated by a march that started near the borders of Beit Hanoun, north of the Gaza Strip, and moved south.
The route taken by the group which included Al Fakhoora students and many international activists, is significant as it followed the edge of the ‘buffer zone’ between Israel and Palestine, which has been imposed by Israeli forces.
Since the blockade, this buffer zone has doubled in size, from a 150metre stretch to 300 metres; making farmland, orchards and crops difficult to access for farmers in the region and bulldozing much of the zone.
After the march, the Al Fakhoora students presented a number of thank you letters to the members of the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) who took part in the march and continue to offer their support.
Al Fakhoora student, Hazeem El Bitar wrote: “We appreciate the stand you have taken on our behalf and are humbled that you put yourself in harm’s way for our cause. We are here today to thank you. You have dedicated your time and your effort; this is a great show of humanity and nobility”.
The ISM is one group of many groups committed to resisting the Israeli apartheid, and daily take risks to further the cause that they believe in. Founded by a small group of Palestinian and Israeli activists in August 2001 the group use non-violent, direct-action methods and principles to further their cause.
