FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
16 April 2007
From Wednesday, April 18 to Friday, April 20, the Palestinian village of Bil’in will hold their 2nd Annual International Conference, highlighting the non-violent struggle against the Israeli Occupation. Palestinian leaders along with Israeli and international spokespersons will reunite in the West Bank to relay a message of international solidarity and non-violent resistance.
Members of the Bil’in Popular Committee have sent out the call and are expecting a huge turnout of registrants. On the first day of the conference, participants will hear from speakers from all over the world, including: Mohammad Khatib and members of the Bil’in Popular Committee; Dr. Ilan Pappe, Israeli author of The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine; Dr. Azmi Bishara, Palestinian Israeli Knesset member; Stéphane Hessel, former French Ambassador; Amira Hass, author and journalist for Ha’aretz; Sam Bahour, Palestinian activist and entrepreneur; Palestine Information Minister Dr. Mustafa Barghouti, and many more.
Day 2 of the Bil’in Conference will focus on workshops, with a spotlight on non-violent resistance strategies to oppose oppression. Such workshops include: Boycott, divestment and sanctions; Media advocacy; and Direct action—to be led by Palestinian, Israeli, and international volunteers. Additional workshops will be led by Jeff Halper from the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions; George Rishmawi, co-founder of the International Solidarity Movement; Uri Avnery, Israeli journalist; and more. Scattered throughout the first two days will also be cultural activities, including dabka, films, and fun.
On the 3rd Day of the Conference, Palestinians from Bil’in will manifest the previous two days into a major non-violent, direct action against Israel’s Apartheid Wall, which has been built in the village. Last Friday, Israeli Forces shot 15 activists with rubber-coated steel bullets at the weekly demonstration. The Wall separates Palestinians in Bil’in from their land, stealing 60% of the land and placing it on the other side of the Wall. Since February 2005, Palestinians have been joined by Israeli and international solidarity activists who have been non-violently opposing this illegal confiscation.
For more info regarding registration and accommodation, visit: www.bilin-village.org
For further information, contact:
Mohammad Khatib, 054-557-3285, 02-248-9007
Abdullah, 0599-107-069, 054-729-8210
ISM Media Office, 0599-943-157, 02-297-1824