The Contribution of Women to Peace and Reconciliation
The Contribution of Women to Peace and Reconciliation
The Contribution of Women to Peace and Reconciliation
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medical, education <strong>and</strong> agriculture sec<strong>to</strong>rs. Demonstrations also <strong>to</strong>ok<br />
place during the 1982 Israeli invasion <strong>of</strong> Lebanon <strong>and</strong> against the PLO.<br />
Huge demonstrations <strong>to</strong>ok place not only in the West Bank <strong>and</strong> Gaza<br />
Strip, but also inside Israel, including both Palestinians <strong>and</strong> Israelis.<br />
One important form <strong>of</strong> the popular resistance was the hunger strike <strong>of</strong><br />
the Palestinian prisoners that was also supported by the Palestinian pop -<br />
ulation, the most famous being the strike in March 1987 which lasted<br />
for twenty-one days <strong>and</strong> was supported with strikes <strong>and</strong> demonstrations<br />
all over the occupied terri<strong>to</strong>ry.<br />
<strong>The</strong> First Intifada started at the end <strong>of</strong> 1987 as a non-violent resistance<br />
movement all over the West Bank <strong>and</strong> Gaza Strip, with a united leadership<br />
that organized all the actions against the occupation. <strong>The</strong>se included<br />
demonstrations, general strikes, refusal <strong>to</strong> pay taxes <strong>to</strong> the occupation<br />
authorities, <strong>and</strong> public education as a reaction <strong>to</strong> the closure <strong>of</strong> education<br />
facilities, both schools <strong>and</strong> universities. During this Intifada, the social<br />
solidarity grew among the Palestinians, as did the international <strong>and</strong> Israeli<br />
solidarity movement with the Palestinian struggle for their self-determination<br />
<strong>and</strong> anti-occupation. Many solidarity movement groups were<br />
very supportive <strong>of</strong> the Palestinian struggle for freedom. Politically, it led<br />
<strong>to</strong> the Palestinian <strong>Peace</strong> Initiative, which resulted in the recognition <strong>of</strong><br />
the PLO as the only <strong>and</strong> legal representative <strong>of</strong> the Palestinian people.<br />
After the Oslo Agreement <strong>and</strong> the establishment <strong>of</strong> the Palestinian Au -<br />
thority, the Palestinians continued with their non-violent resistance <strong>to</strong><br />
the Israeli aggression, which <strong>to</strong>ok the form <strong>of</strong> l<strong>and</strong> confiscation, building<br />
colonial settlements, house demolitions, arresting <strong>of</strong> Palestinians etc.<br />
After the building <strong>of</strong> the Apartheid Wall by the Israeli occupation author -<br />
ities in the West Bank, which started in 2002, a non-violent popular resistance<br />
started in the villages <strong>and</strong> areas directly affected by the Wall.<br />
<strong>The</strong>re have been continuous activities in these villages, the most famous<br />
being Bi’lin, Ni’lin, Ma’asar <strong>and</strong> Budrus. <strong>The</strong> people <strong>of</strong> these villages,<br />
with the solidarity <strong>of</strong> other Palestinians, Israelis <strong>and</strong> international people,<br />
are trying <strong>to</strong> resist the building <strong>of</strong> the wall through regular demonstra -<br />
tions <strong>and</strong> also through the Israeli legal system. International support <strong>and</strong><br />
solidarity for this struggle is growing in Europe <strong>and</strong> the USA.<br />
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