Peter Lippiett
Just Walk Again 2020
Fundraising for Amos Trust
Story
Mags and I walked 100 miles down the West Bank last autumn to see for ourselves the country and people of the Occupied Palestinian Territories. From the thyme-laden green hills of the north down to the dry rocky desert wadis around Jericho, this was part of the Abraham Trail.
Avoiding main roads and checkpoints we took shepherds' paths and passed through small towns and villages. We stayed with, and listened to, Palestinian families in their homes and Bedouin in their encampments. Farmers picking olives shared their coffee with us, bakers in villages brought us fresh flatbread as we passed through. Tourists, especially Westerners, are almost unknown there now, and we were welcomed everywhere.
We saw for ourselves the illegal settlements expropriating land and water, bulldozers destroying the countryside to build more, and the Separation Wall doing just that to the inhabitants of the land. We passed through the village of Duma by the little house randomly firebombed by settlers, killing three of the family of four, and severely burning the only child to survive. We heard of ancestral farmland and olive groves seized or cut off, houses demolished by the military at a few hours' notice, restrictions, huge fines, beatings, family members imprisoned for their resistance to this, petty humiliations with queues and papers needed at checkpoints, access to medical care denied, local archaeological sites raided for treasures.
Mags and Iworked in a 'native homeland' of apartheid South Africa in the mid-'70's. Our experiences here mirrored that.
Now the Israeli government with President Trump's encouragement is starting its plan to annex up to 1/3 of these Occupied Palestinian Territories of the West Bank. This is without the agreement of the Palestinian people who will once again lose their land, their rights and their freedom of movement. Annexation is illegal under international law and will lead to a permanent apartheid regime.
Governments around the world, including the UK, have already voiced their opposition. But Israel looks set to go ahead despite its claims to uphold democracy and the rule of law. So we are joining Amos Trust in walking again to draw attention to yet another injustice against the Palestinian people. Together we're going to walk 3,000 miles in our local areas and between us we will cover the distance from London to Jerusalem. Mags and I are offering 100 miles again - 'virtually' this time, along our local Hampshire paths. No thyme, coffee or flatbreads!
Why are we walking again?
- to show our solidarity with the Palestinian people
- to say “No!” to Israel’s plans to annex up to 1/3 of the Palestinian West Bank
- to raise the money needed to keep campaigning for justice for Palestinians
We are raising the money needed for Amos Trust's (www.amostrust.org) Palestine Justice campaign and the call for full equal rights. We will use the money raised to:
- run events that challenge myths about Palestine and Israel
- create resources to motivate and equip those who advocate for Palestine rights,
- demand that UK and all those who are condemning the annexation back it up with effective action. (Visit Step Out, Step Up and Take Action).
- work alongside our partners in Palestine and in the UK, and
- restart Amos' highly successful Visit Palestine programme which has led to so many people becoming involved in the Palestine campaign.
Thanks for reading all this! With love from us both,
Peter & Mags
