peaceful protests

Yesterday, all throughout Palestine and farther, there were protests in support of the political prisoners on hunger strike in Israeli hospitals.

It seems like unequivocal that Israel's refusal to transfer the young men, Bilal Diab and Thaer Halahla, could lead to their death. Doctors in prison are employees of the Israeli Ministry of Public Security and "their "loyalty to their employer sometimes conflicts with the needs of their patients," says the organization Physicians for Human Rights. The group reports alleged violations of medical ethics by prison doctors, such as forced treatment on shackled detainees.

To me, it sounds like the pre-cursor condition to torture. Which, if it is, needs to be documented, decried, and addressed.

Everyone in the protest knew this. Everyone knew that 12,500 of their fathers, sons, daughters and best friends had been illegally detained without reason for in some cases more than 10 years.

Young kids, no more than 6 years old, walked beside me and waved the Palestinian flag, chanting in support of the prisoners and for peace.

Older women walked with priests and young grand-kids in what seemed to be a regular part of life here in Ramallah.

I suppose I am writing this to say that I have never seen such a beautiful, and confusion demonstration before. It is outrageous that these 12,500 prisoners have been detained on administrative charges. Often these charges stem from questioning the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) why they are confiscating Palestinian land, or challenging the presence of the IDF in Palestinian villages. The prisoners are simply being human, and demanding their dignity.

I was touched by the march, because it so clearly mattered to the women and men walking with me.

I felt it and knew.