Palm Sunday in Jerusalem

On Palm Sunday the CPT teams accompanied a peaceful procession of Palestinians from Bethlehem to Jerusalem. It went really well in the sense that it stayed peaceful and prayerful. Most of the CPTers stayed at the front of the procession to try and prevent any clashes, but there were none.

We got to the checkpoint between Bethlehem and Jerusalem and the army stopped us. We sat down in the middle of the road for about an hour. There were about 150 people at that point, because many Palestinians left the procession, wanting to avoid clashes with the army. When the army said we had to move or they would force us off the road, the Palestinian leadership read a statement and then we peacefully left.

Here is the statement:"We in the Bethlehem community have come to you today with a message on behalf of our people. We represent the family members and friends who are imprisoned by these concrete walls and wire fences that now create the Bethlehem open-air prison. You, like the prison guards, control our freedom and ability to live as human beings with dignity in this holy land.

Our strong delegation of civilians comes to you without weapons but with great strength and commitment to deliver this message of peace. In the name of security, you do not permit us to travel to work, to school and to worship in our holy sites in the city of Jerusalem. Your government deprives us each day of the basic human right to self-determination. Each day you keep us from being with our families at weddings, funerals, graduations, birthdays, and religious holidays...

Each day as you come to our city, you serve the system of violence that keeps our people imprisoned and without the ability to live the life of a normal human being. With your guns, tanks, and insults, you teach our children to hate. However, we believe each of you has the power and choice to choose a different ending to this story. We appeal to your conscience and humanity as individuals and as soldiers who may feel there is no way out of this system. Put your guns away, and join us in the fight for peace and freedom."

I was proud to stand behind it.