Palestinian women’s voices to be heard in Newcastle

At a time when Palestinian women are usually forbidden from travelling beyond the occupied territories by the Israeli occupation forces, solidarity activists in Newcastle upon Tyne are hosting a very special delegation this weekend. Palestinian women from Nazareth, Jerusalem and Jenin will be speaking at the DiverCity Hub in the city on Saturday, and again in a ladies-only event in nearby Ponteland on Sunday.

Sponsored by the local branch of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), Friends of Al-Aqsa and the Camden Abu Dis Friendship Association (CADFA), the event is part of the Building Hope and Voices for Palestine Project organised by the association. The tour takes in London, Hastings, Peterborough, Cambridge, Hebden Bridge, Thetford and Diss, as well as Newcastle.

“The Israeli occupation authorities and far right politicians are hell-bent on silencing Palestinian activism and Palestinian identity as a whole, so it is as important as ever that we accommodate and host events such as the Palestinian Women’s Voices Tour,” said Chandni Chopra, who has organised the events in the North East (although, she insisted, she couldn’t have done it without CADFA). “We absolutely must showcase Palestinian culture, identity and testimony. This is a chance for local people to hear about the long-term impact of living under a brutal, illegal, military occupation. These women’s voices will encourage everyone who listens to carry on the struggle for a free Palestine.”

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Moreover, added Chopra, the people of occupied Palestine will know that they are not forgotten. “This is an important aspect of our solidarity activism, but we must also act on what we hear. When our politicians let us down so badly, we have a duty to stand up and speak out for justice.”

Also speaking at the event on Saturday will be journalist and author Yvonne Ridley, who is a native of the North East. In the wake of the recent Israeli military offensive against the Palestinians in Jenin and its refugee camp, she will be speaking about her experience covering the 2002 Israeli attack on the West Bank city.

“What I saw in Jenin 20 years ago still haunts me today,” said the MEMO columnist. “The latest round of violence reminds me that the children so scarred by the brutality in 2002 will be enduring more of the same evil two decades later. It’s called the cycle of violence and the wheels are oiled by the West.”

CADFA invites everyone who believes in equality and human rights to attend the tour programmes. “Everyone is welcome,” said the association. “At this point when terrible violence is making the news, this is an opportunity to hear first-hand what the apartheid situation in occupied Palestine means for three ordinary Palestinian women from different backgrounds.”

The Palestinian Women’s Voices event starts at 1pm on Saturday at DiverCity Hub, 120, Buckingham Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE4 5QU. On Sunday, the ladies-only programme starts at midday at Merton Hall, Merton Road, Ponteland, NE20 9PX.

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