Birthday Bash for Palestine

By Pat McDonnell Twair

The one year mark of the intifadah was observed not once, but twice in Los Angeles, apparently much to the chagrin of some supporters of Israeli extremism. For that matter, the Arab-American community of Southern California has learned to register its political successes by the threats of violence it receives.

It was a somber crowd in front of the Israeli Consulate on Wilshire Boulevard as more than 60 Jewish and Arab women staged a vigil to mark the first anniversary of the intifadah. The women, who belong to Southern California Palestinian and Jewish Women in Dialogue, were dressed in black and united by paper chains.

"The chains symbolize the chains of occupation that weigh the Palestinians down with death, torture, beatings, and imprisonment and weigh heavily on the conscience of the Israeli Jews who are becoming more racist and militarized," stated a flier handed out to curious passersby.

The large crowd of color-coordinated demonstrators drew more attention than do most groups that protest in front of the Israeli consulate. In fact, consulate officials approached the women and asked for the flier, which also called for US and Israeli recognition of the state of Palestine alongside the state of Israel, and an end to the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza.

The idea was borrowed from Women in Black, an organization of women in the occupied territories who stand on street corners every Friday morning to mourn dead and wounded Palestinians.

Particularly poignant was Saba. Part of a crowd of more than 600 peace supporters who gathered Dec. 11 at the Westwood Federal Ghani of Santa Ana, who carried building in Los Angeles to celebrate Palestinian statehood and the first anniversary of the Palestinian a photo of her brother, Omar Ab-ed Yussef el-Essi, 22, who was shot dead on Oct. 14 by Israeli troops. "My brother was a good boy. He took care of the neighbors and that morning he walked to the store to buy bread for my mother when they shot him in the heart," she tearfully stated.

Her comments were interrupted by shouts from a. white car that drove out of the consulate parking lot. Rolling down his window, the driver yelled: "As far as I'm concerned, all Palestinians are animals." The event passed without incident, although a woman watching the vigil from across the street came to warn demonstrators that men standing next to her were talking about attacking the women.

More than 600 Arab Americans, Jews, and peace activists turned out Oct. 11 at the Westwood Federal Building for a major rally to celebrate the bravery of the "people of stones and the new state of Palestine." The Coalition for Peace in the Middle East sponsored the event under the theme: "2 peoples + 2 states = peace." Key speakers were actor Mike Farrell of MASH fame and Rabbi Leonard Beerman.

Perhaps in an effort to persuade city officials to cancel the rally, several anonymous threats were phoned to the federal building warning: "This time we're bringing guns and baseball bats."

Members of the Jewish Defense League (JDL) were on hand, but as they began shouting provocative slogans, police moved them from the front of the podium to the public sidewalk. From there they continued to shout throughout the two-hour event.

Farrell told the enthusiastic crowd that he had brought his 18-year-old son to the rally so that he could better understand the bravery of the Palestinian people in their struggle for self-determination and statehood. Noting that he recently returned from an eyewitness tour of the occupied territories, Farrell said he saw the demolished homes and broken bones of the Palestinians.

"They are a people who should be demoralized, but they are standing tall and straight," Farrell said. "I want these people to be models for my son."

JDL epithets grew especially strong when Rabbi Beerman stepped to the microphone to state that the intifadah is the legacy of 20 years of occupation, denial of due process, imprisonment, and death.

"It is out of the historical suffering of my people that Jews like myself cry out against the unjust policies of Israel that will clearly doom it," Rabbi Beerman stated.

Statehood Celebration

Los Angeles was the site of an earlier celebration days after the Palestine National Council's announcement of statehood in Algiers. More than 30 vehicles decorated with Palestinian slogans, flags, balloons, and bunting in black, green, red, and white paraded through busy downtown boulevards to City Hall. Startled bystanders stared at the honking cars. After reading the Palestinian signs, many responded with "V" signs. As the motorcade arrived at City Hall, a plane flew overhead trailing a sign reading "Long Live Palestine."

From that point on, the scene might have been one in the occupied territories. There was the sound of live Arabic music and many of the 300-plus celebrants were dressed in Palestinian attire. The difference was provided by the backdrop of Los Angeles City Hall, and the Palestinian flags carried by nearly everyone on hand. Israeli authorities forbid showing the flag, or even its colors, in Israel or the occupied territories.

Latino, black, and Korean human rights representatives congratulated the new Palestinian state, noting that their respective organizations have drawn inspiration from the Palestinian people's bravery against overwhelming suppression.

While the jubilant crowd danced the debke, Arabic pastries were served even to bemused police who remarked on the orderliness and enthusiasm of the celebrants.

Dr. Fadwa El Guindi, president of the Los Angeles chapter of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, told celebrants: "it is unfortunate that the Israeli government continues its denial of a Palestinian state, but it doesn't matter because the Palestinians are here and they're here to stay."

One Los Angeles television station gave a full three minutes of its newscast to coverage of the celebration from motorcade to speeches and the release of several hundred balloons in the colors of the Palestinian flag.

Pat Twair is a California-based free-lance writer on Middle East Affairs.