A 30-foot tall plastic wall cast an intimidating shadow over an otherwise sunny Red Square at Wednesday afternoon’s rally against Israel’s construction of a barrier intended to stop Palestinian terrorists. Georgetown students and faculty experienced a small part of the disruption and tension in the Middle East as they navigated among camouflaged protesters wielding posters and megaphones, role-players asking them for identification, counter-protesters distributing flyers and the enormous gray wall itself.
Students for Justice in Palestine said they organized the rally to raise awareness and foster debate about the fence, which they characterized as an “apartheid wall” and an obstacle to peace in the region. “People have come by today who have never heard of the wall. There are issues here beyond the cycle of violence, and we will be happy if we can reach just a couple people today,” said Maria Moser (CAS ‘04) a media representative for SJP. As the rally drew to a close, the protestors gently lowered the wall.
The controversial subject and disagreement over key facts created a tense and chaotic environment in Red Square for members of SJP and the Georgetown Israel Alliance, as well as impassioned bystanders. “Are they forgetting about the fact that the Palestinians keep blowing themselves up in the middle of Israeli cities?” asked Doran Arik (CAS ‘04), walking by.
While the Israeli government has repeatedly emphasized that the wall is intended only to stop terrorism, others at the rally pointed out the adverse side effects on the Palestininians.
“It will dissect the Palestinian land. They will have to go through it to get to hospitals, schools, and jobs,” said Emil Totonchi (SFS ‘06).
Materials distributed by SJP say the fence violates rights guaranteed in the Geneva Convention such as freedom of movement, property, and health. The GIA, however, asserts that modifications in the location of the wall have been made to accommodate Palestinian interests.
Israel’s plan to connect and reinforce the various barriers surrounding Palestinian-controlled territory has met with controversy ever since its unveiling last year. The International Court of Justice will consider the legality of the barrier next month, and there have been heated debates on the issue in the United Nations.
The Israeli government defends what they call a “security fence” as the most effective way to stop suicide bombers and snipers, but the Palestinian National Authority considers it an “apartheid separation wall” and an attempt to unlawfully annex land.
SJP was skeptical of claims by the Israeli government that the wall is only temporary, saying that no government would allocate over a billion dollars to an interim measure. Jonathan Aires (SFS ‘06), president of the GIA, defended Israel. “Look at Egypt, Lebanon, and Jordan. They built walls then took them down as soon as the conflict was resolved. They are willing to pay any price for security,” he said.
“We understand that security is a major concern, but you can’t get security for one group by denying another basic human rights,” said Moser.
Stefan Fink (Ph.D. ‘75), professor of German, agreed that the fence is not an answer. “Walls produce terrorism, neighbors have to get along with each other,” he said. Fink brought a small chunk of the Berlin Wall to the rally to draw a parallel between the conflicts caused by the two barriers.
Pamela Lilleston (CAS ‘04) watched the rally as she sold doughnuts for Habitat for Humanity. “Everyone knows about the Palestine-Israel issue, but not necessarily about the wall. It’s good to see people getting active, no matter what side they’re on,” she said.
The SJP encouraged students to get involved with the issue by attending a speech they sponsored by Phil Wilcox, a former consul general in Jerusalem and current president of the Foundation for Middle East Peace, on Wednesday night.
