Thursday, August 23, 2007

Like Festivals?

You're inivited:-

Olive Harvest 2007: You Are Needed More Than Ever!

Join Us in Palestine for the 2007 Olive Harvest Campaign!

Palestinian farmers and agricultural organizations, in coordination with the International Solidarity Movement, the International Women's Peace Service, and the Christian Peacemaker Team announce the 2007 Olive Harvest Campaign. The campaign will begin on October 16th, after the end of Ramadan, and will continue for six to eight weeks, depending on the size of the harvest. [Jews will be harvesting too. like our own "Meshek Achiyah" at Shiloh]



The Olive Harvest is an annual affirmation of Palestinians' historical, spiritual and economic connection to their land, and a rejection of Israeli efforts to seize it. Palestinians are the indigenous people of this land who have farmed olives here for thousands of years. [since maybe 638 CE at the most. that's 1369 years at the very most. and don't forget, there were Jews here first with their olive trees]

International and Israeli volunteers join Palestinians each year to harvest olives, in spite of efforts by Israeli settlers, soldiers and bulldozers to destroy this vital piece of Palestinian life. The Olive Harvest Campaign provides a wonderful opportunity to spend time with Palestinian families in their olive groves and homes. After a two-day training session, volunteers for the Olive Harvest Campaign will stay in Palestinian homes or international apartments in West Bank communities and accompany Palestinian families to their olive groves to serve as witnesses to document and expose attacks by settlers -- supported by the Israeli Army -- on farmers and their families.

In addition to olive harvest, volunteers will have the opportunity to join Palestinians in nonviolent protests throughout the West Bank against the construction of the annexation barrier, settlements and settlement roads.

For more information on preparation, travel and arrival in Palestine, please see the ISM Palestine website, www.palsolidarity.org/main/join/.
ISM support groups located around the world can help answer your questions about the movement and Olive Harvest Campaign. Many will provide training sessions. For information on how to contact local ISM support groups worldwide, please also see the ISM website.


But if you want a real good festival, try Shiloh on the 15th of Av.

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