Dear friends
I am finishing yet another book; this one tentatively titled "Joyful Participation: Reflections on activism for sustainable human and natural communities" Below is a promotional blip, biography., and some excerpts. If you are (or know of) an editor who can help me in this endeavor (>400 pages already written), please let me know with much thanks. I am also still planning a trip to Ireland and the US at the end of the year if interested to host us (me and my wife).
Promotional blip: An acclaimed scientist and activist reflects on his fve decades of activism; the mistakes, successes and pitfalls. Born and raised in the Shepherds field, Qumsiyeh reflects on his life including his 29 years in the USA from the eye of both an insider--a US citizen who traveled 48 states--and an outsider, a Palestinian immigrant to the US.
This journey takes the reader on a whirlwind tour from Zionist attacks on him and his people to the events of September 11, 2001, to encounters with the FBI and homeland security to traveling country roads with the Wheels of Justice bus tour to civil disobedience actions upon his return to Palestine. Professor Qumsiyeh learned valuable lessons from interactions with the rich and powerful, with activists, with the poor in inner cities and with new immigrants and most of all from actions with his people and from indigenous people globally. They are learned from brushes with death and struggles with illnesses and arrests.
He explains why he decided to return home to Palestine, and how he started the successful Palestine Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainability. Lessons are learned from decades of successful activism, from mistakes and pitfalls, from thousands of fellow activists, and from ups and downs of a life of danger and opportunity. These lessons of resilience and hope will inspire readers of all backgrounds.
Professor Mazin Qumsiyeh previously served at US universities including Tennessee, Duke and Yale. Qumsiyeh published over 200 scientific papers, over 30 book chapters, hundreds of articles, and several books on topics ranging from environmental impact of colonization to environmental and climate justice to cultural heritage to human rights to biodiversity conservation to environmental health. But he is most proud of having been a founder (donations of hundreds of thousands of dollars and of his time full time for past ten years) and volunteer director of the Palestine Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainability, Bethlehem University (PIBS see palestinenature.org and review our annual reports here).
He oversaw a number of projects, including co-founding a number of activist organizations, formulating the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, and environmental and climate justice and empowerment projects with farmers, women, and children that benefitted tens of thousands. He spoke and mobilized hundreds of thousands of people in over 47 countries he visited over the past few decades. He is laureate of the Paul K. Feyerabend Foundation award, the Takreem award, the Peaceseeker of the Year award, the Social Courage Award from the Peace and Justice Studies Association at the Joint Conference of PJSA, and the Gandhi-King Conference, among others.
For this same activist work he also got attacked by a number of governments and the global Zionist movement and was arrested/detained a number of times. He articulates these experiences here to draw lessons useful for other activists. More background is here, and here.
Excerpt 1
I have been held and questioned before coming in and out while I studied in Jordan and the US. This one was the first since I relocated home to Palestine so it was probably a reminder of who is boss. It was not to be the last and only got worse with arrests and detentions. But I am not bitter or angry and I remain extremely optimistic. They questioned me about publishing an article titled Boycott Israel in the official Magazine of the World Economic Forum (held this time of year in Davos). The overreaction created lots of publicity and media coverage for us and the president of the WEF closed the magazine (cutting his income)...they pressed me on why I returned to Palestine... See boycott and WEF controversy
Excerpt 2
On Palm Sunday 28 March 2010, over 100 of us local Palestinians (Christians and Muslims) and internationals including Israelis, breached the tight security separating the Palestinian cities of Bethlehem from the occupied city of Jerusalem. Donkeys and people were arrested! We were initially some 150 strong and started from the Church of Nativity at 11:45 AM carrying palm leaves an banners asking for freedom of worship and movement (as demanded by international law).
The demonstration included individuals riding 2 donkeys and a horse. Appropriate since Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey. Like him, we knew this was not going to be an easy entry but we did believe in the goodness of humanity. We arrived at the main gate used for tourist buses at around 12:30 and decided to just keep going. The few soldiers and police at the gate tried to close it but we managed to get in and the huge 8 meter high metal gate stopped half way perhaps as a safety mechanisms since there were dozens of people passing and they could be crushed if it continued.
The Israeli security forces tried to close other fences but we kept going. As word reached their offices, the Israeli army was mobilizing its forces and soon several army jeeps arrived and blocked the road half way between the gate and Deir Mar Elias (the monastery at the edge of the city). They blocked our way. Ibrahim Salah riding his donkey was speaking to them in Hebrew and saying why can't we go to Jerusalem. It is our right to travel.
He was the first to be violently knocked down off his donkey and arrested. The next was an American girl, then some Palestinians. All violently wrestled to the ground when even many were just peacefully walking back to the gates. It seemed like a calculated move to punish some of us so that others get the message not to try this again. Some 60 of us ended up being rounded up in between a wall, a hill, a gate, and a cordon of police officers.
We expected to be all arrested. The occupation soldiers instead plucked random people that they thought were the key people. Israeli forces released 4 Israelis and the one American student. They kept 11 Palestinians that they kidnapped and are charging them with "incitement", "participating in an unauthorized demonstration" "entering 'Israel' without a permit (as if occupied Arab East Jerusalem is Israel)," and "interfering in police business." Lawyers will show that this is all bogus. But in any case, the popular resistance movement is growing and is willing to pay the price for such significant achievement as this.
Here are the names of our friends who were kidnapped by the Israeli army for daring to do what every human being on earth is entitled to do (move freely within their own country): Abbas Zaki, member of the Fatah Central Committee; Ibrahim Salah, from Bethlehem; Mohammad Al-Hubani, from Bethlehem; Mahmoud Zawahreh, Al-Masara; Fadi Hamad, Associated Press photographer from Bethlehem; Hassen Breijeiyah, Al-Ma'sara; Marwan Fararjeh,Bethlehem; Toni Shahwwan, Beit Jala; Ahmad Al-Azza, from Azza Refugee Camp; Shadi Fawaghreh, Wad Rahhal; Marwan Abushaaban. We had significant local and national and international media coverage and our people continued to demand access to Jerusalem. Oh and yes, a donkey and a horse belonging to Ibrahim were also arrested by the mighty army of apartheid Israel for they too need permits from the Israeli military to get in. Maybe more arrests will come tonight. The repression only strengthened our collective will to move forward. We were all elated at this success. We know some Israeli officers; maybe the private "security" company that is contracted by the Israeli government to manage these apartheid wall systems.
Entering Jerusalem beyond the apartheid wall on Palm Sunday showed what popular resistance can achieve. When I talked to one of the people they kidnapped, he indicated they were all in good spirits and were holding together. See Palm Sunday protest and see also Palestinian Christians demanding entry to Jerusalem without the regime of special permits (apartheid system).
Excerpt 3
Some of our actions were also highly effective and gained significant visibility. On 15 November 2011, I and five other Palestinians wearing the Palestinian Kufiya engaged in an action similar to the US black freedom riders. We simply stated that we can and should be allowed to ride public buses from the West Bank to Jerusalem. But of course in the apartheid system we in the occupied areas are not allowed to Jerusalem and not allowed into Israeli buses.
The event was being broadcast live on the internet including via a hidden camera in my smiley face button at my shirt. We had Israeli Jewish supporters who boarded the bus to provide some level of protection from settlers who might attack us. The first couple of bus drivers refused to allow us onboard. One started and then changed his mind when my turn to board the bus came. I insisted and deposited mty fare!
The Israeli military had arrived by that time but did not stop us. They military jeeps drove in front of the bus and behind the bus tailed by a long line of press cars. At the checkpoint into northern part of Jerusalem, the jeep in the front speeded up, stopped to tell the gate guards something and they dutifully waved us through. Then the military was waiting fr us. It then dawned on me they wanted simply to rack-up more charges (not only "attempting to enter without permit," etc., but actually entering!) A few moments later and as some Jewish settlers left the bus, an officer came and asked us to disembark. We refused. Moments later, one of the press corps came to tell all the gathered press that Israeli police were ticketing their vehicles. Some had to go but most had drivers to take care of such things so they stayed.
Then came an officer from the border guards who gave us 5 minutes to get out or else we will take you out. They indeed dragged us out. They handcuffed all ecept me (maybe my age). We got good media coverage, and there were videos that were excellent. They took me to the Shabak ("Israeli intelligence") guy before they took me to the investigator for the bus issue.
The Shabak guy did not ask me about the bus at all. He introduced himself as head of the Shabak area of Ramallah (and previously of Nablus and Jenin). He asked me if I was abroad recently. I said yes. He said what happened when you came back. I said I was interrogated at the bridge. He said "Come-on, interrogating is a big word." I said I did not know what else to call an 8 hour delay including 2 hours of actual harsh questioning. He said, "What else they told you?" I said that the interrogation would continue and that there was a captain "Suhail" or "Suhaib" or something like that who would call me later. He said that that it was him and his name is "Shihab"! I said, "Well then, maybe we will save another visit!" He told me that is not likely as I seem to continue to "cause problems and violate laws." I said there is something called international law and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; denial of freedom of movement and entry to Jerusalem while allowing colonial settlers to live on our land and have freedom to travel in and out of Jerusalem on segregated buses is a violation of the International Convention Against the Crime of Apartheid. We also engaged in a political discussion and I explained about why Israel now has no incentive for peace (the three main sources of income for it would all dry up if there is peace), and my views of a democratic, pluralistic country for its entire people.
One young Ashkenazi soldier was very arrogant and even called me "Professor Teez" (Teez is Arabic for "ass"). We all (freedom riders) laughed it off and I told him that I did not insult him and that when someone insults me they demean themselves first. When he repeated it after my interrogation by the Shabak, I stood up and confronted him, and the Druz officer intervened and the soldier moved away. There were other incidents with other people similarly showing that our collective attitude was strong, defiant, and resilient. We all had Palestinian Kufiyas, and kept wearing them. Fadi even wrapped himself in the Palestinian flag the whole time except when they did the full body search. We have some video from inside the compound which I will share later. 111,167 signed a petition to support us Freedom Riders.
BBC, Daily Kos, Mondoweiss, BDS, Ha'aretz, LA Times on Freedom Riders inspired by Civil Rights Movement Freedom Riders.
Mazin Qumsiyeh
A bedouin in cyberspace, a villager at home
Professor, Founder, and (volunteer) Director Palestine Museum of Natural History
Palestine Institute of Biodiversity and Sustainability Bethlehem University Occupied Palestine
facebook pages Personal Institute
French
