RAMALLAH, January 15 (JMCC) - When Americans remember the words and life legacy of the great Dr. Martin Luther King this year, civil rights veteran Dorothy Zellner hopes they remember the small army of people that acted in line with King's teachings, making the movement a success.
Around the world, Palestinians study and practice King's doctrine of non-violence, Zellner
writes in the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
Two weeks ago, I was in Bil’in, a small village about half an hour by bus from Ramallah, which in turn is about a half hour from Jerusalem. I went to attend the funeral of a 36-year-old kindergarten teacher, Jawaher Abu Rahmah, who was killed by American-exported tear gas used by the Israeli army, the IDF, the previous day in a demonstration against the separation barrier erected by the Israelis that divides the villagers from their land.
These demonstrations, which include many progressive Israelis as well as other internationals, have occurred every week. This Dec. 31 concluded five years of protests in Bil’in. Every Friday, members of this village of 3,000 and their supporters attempt to march to show their opposition to the wall. I say “attempt,” because, as I witnessed on another occasion in another village, the usual procedure is that only moments after the march begins, the IDF begins to hurl tear gas canisters, stink bombs and sound bombs at the protesters.