The New Dark Age

Written by The Alternative Information Center (AIC)

When Umm Kamel was evicted from her home in Sheikh Jarrah (Jerusalem) on 9 November, where she had been living with her family since 1956, it was the second time in her life she was forced by the state of Israel to leave her home. The first time was in 1948, when she and her family were forced out of their home in Jerusalem.

On Thursday, 4 December, Palestinians, Israelis and internationals gathered to march to Talbyieh to demand the return of Umm Kamel and her family to their home.

A female Israeli doing civil service with Rabbis for Human Rights (www.rhr.israel.net) described to the Alternative Information Center how important she saw it that Israelis show their support in the fight for equal rights. “It makes all the difference to show up, even if it is just a few people.”

The demonstration stopped at a roundabout near the beginning of the German Colony neighborhood, one of the closest spots to the house where Umm Kamel lived with her family before the establishment of the state of Israel. At the roundabout, a tent was put up, a symbol of the situation for Umm Kamel and the struggle of the Palestinian people.

“I am really a daughter of the Palestinian people, whose history is to go from place to place to place” Umm Kamel said to the group of the march. “I would like to know, why they [the state of Israel] took me out of my home. I can not forget what the state of Israel has done to me. […] I demand the right to return and it is not only my right—it is the right of all Palestinians”

“Is it my fault that I’m a Palestinian?” Umm Kamel continues, “this is the Israeli democracy and humanity—it is their [the state of Israel’s] policy toward the people of East Jerusalem.”

Umm Kamel has been living in a tent near her old home in Sheikh Jarrah since 14 November, though the tent has been demolished by the Israeli authorities three times.

Since her husband, Abu Kamel, died on 23 November, however, the Israeli police have not demolished the tent in which she is living. However, as a Palestinian woman close to Umm Karmel, stated, “They [Israel] do not give up. They want to surprise us. They never give up and no one knows what will happen.”

The only negative incident that occurred during the demonstration was when an Israeli with a strong American accent yelled from his car “we don’t want you—any of you!”

The future for Umm Kamel is as unknown as it was three weeks ago, when her family was forcefully removed from their home. It would appear that the Israeli authorities are not sure how to handle the situation. They realized during the last three weeks that this case is becoming a symbol of the situation for Palestinians in the occupied East Jerusalem and that it will not vanish away. Yet Israel has not backed down and returned the family home. One thing is sure, the protest is strong and will not end, no matter how many times the Israelis demolish the protest tent.

To watch the video, click here http://www.alternativenews.org/videocasts/jerusalem-diaries/jerusalem-diari es-umm-kamel-returns-home-20081209.html