Episode 15 - People of Color in the US and Palestinian Queers for BDS

Darnell Moore, a visiting scholar at NYU's Center for the Study of Gender and Sexuality, and Lisa Weiner-Mahfuz, a Jewish Arab writer and co-founder of intersections/intersecciones consulting, joined us on the program. The two recently returned from a delegation as guests of Palestinian Queers for BDS to the occupied Palestinian territories in the West Bank. Following the delegation, the two co-authored an article entitled Our Eyes Witnessed: On People of Color in the United States and the Palestinian BDS Movement.

From the article:

We call upon our brothers and sisters of color in the US to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian movement for self-determination. Our struggles against white supremacy and imperialism across the globe are linked. We must do the hard work of witnessing one another's struggles so that we can be effective and knowledgeable allies across those struggles. Falling prey to the Israeli government's Zionist project works against all of our interests. Let us work together to stop this occupation and the US government's long history of supporting and financing of it. As a quote from an aboriginal woman so aptly states 'If you have come to help me you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound with mine, than let us work together.'

Lisa and Darnell were no less eloquent on the live radio broadcast.

Also on the program, we had an exclusive interview with Taiseer Khatib, a Palestinian living in Israel who, under a law passed in January, is threatened with having his wife torn from his family. In fact, these are conditions which up to 30,000 Palestinians living in Israel who are married to Palestinians from Gaza or the West Bank face. Taiseer's wife was granted a permit to reside in Israel for the next year, but many Palestinians are not so fortunate. And then there is also the consideration for what the state of Israel will decide for Lana, Taiseer, and their two children next year.

DJ Ev Daddy and Matt are also following closely the case of Sheikh Khader Adnan, who, as of February 10, 2012, had been on a hunger strike for 55 days. For just as long, Khader has been incarcerated by the state of Israel without being charged with any crime. This is the longest individual hunger strike in history, and is just twelve days short of the hunger strike of Bobby Sands and a hundred others of the Irish Republic Army.

Sheikh Khader Adnan is now reported to being throwing up blood. He remains shackled to a hospital bed as he has lost 35 kg and has refused to see doctors.

From Palestine News Network:

After the 42nd day of a hunger strike, it is expected that individuals will begin to lose their hearing and vision, and suffer bleeding of the gums, intestines, and esophagus. The body will eventually stop functioning. After the 45th day, there is a high risk of death due to vascular system collapse and/or cardian arrest.

Please, for the sake of humanity, take action to free Khader Adnan.