Publisher's Synopsis
Foreigners are flocking to Palestine, but not for Holy Land pilgrimages or beach vacations. This book tells two stories that have become intertwined in the Middle East: the Palestinians who, tired of waiting for U.N. peacekeepers, have called upon the world's activists for protection and the foreigners who are putting their lives on the line answering that call. Together these Palestinians, Israelis, Americans and Europeans are making a non-violent, grassroots attempt to question the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza. *BR**BR*The core of this collection lies in the riveting eyewitness accounts of life under the Occupation. From the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem to refugee camps under siege, these accounts give incontrovertible evidence of the terror generated by the Israeli army. Giving context to these stories is an interview with the founder of the Palestinian-led International Solidarity Movement, which is bringing internationals to Israel and the Occupied Territories, and essays by other human rights activists such as prominent Palestinians Hanan Ashrawi and Edward Said. *BR**BR*While Bush's "war on terrorism" is hampered by the unresolved Palestinian quest for statehood, hundreds of thousands of activists have converged on western capital cities to demonstrate against militarism and for global economic justice, with a particular focus on Palestine. In the only book capturing the new international movement to end the Occupation, these harrowing and poignant stories create a portrait of diverse people making unprecedented efforts for peace. *BR**BR*'The delegations in occupied Palestine are of unusual significance.… The courageous and honorable people who have gone as active participants in non-violent struggle undoubtedly provide some measure of protection for those who have been suffering for many years under a harsh and brutal military occupation sustained by the US. The information they provide also helps to break through the severely distorted and often racist coverage that dominates in our own country.… There is a familiar principle of advocacy of non-violence: if you want to be taken seriously, stand beside those who will bear the consequences of following your advice. The internationals are living up to that commitment, and for that alone they deserve great respect and admiration.'*BR*-Noam Chomsky, Preface to Live from Palestine
