Protestor who disrupted Netanyahu in Congress attacked, hospitalized, arrested
Submitted by Ali Abunimah on Tue, 05/24/2011 - 13:42
Rae Abileah a CODEPINK activist who disrupted Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech
in the United States Congress this morning was physically attacked,
hospitalized and then arrested from hospital according to reports.
According to CODEPINK co-founder Medea Benjamin:
Rae Abileah is in the hospital, after having been assaulted and
tackled to the ground by members of the audience in the House Gallery
during Israel Prime Minister Netanyahu’s speech to Congress. Abileah,
who is with the group CODEPINK: Women for
Peace, interrupted Netanyahu with a banner that said “Occupying Land Is
Indefensible” and shouting, “No more occupation, stop Israel war crimes,
equal rights for Palestinians, occupation is indefensible.” She rose up
to speak out just after the Prime Minister talked about the youth
around the world rising up for more democracy. As this 28-year-old
Jewish American woman spoke out for the human rights of Palestinians,
other members of the audience—wearing badges from the conference of the
American-Israel Public Affairs Committee [italics mine]—brutally attacked her.
The
police then dragged her out of the Gallery and took her to the George
Washington University Hospital, where she is being treating for neck and
shoulder injuries.
“I am in great
pain, but this is nothing compared to the pain and suffering that
Palestinians go through on a regular basis,” said Abileah from her
hospital bed. “I have been to Gaza and the West Bank, I have seen
Palestinians homes bombed and bulldozed, I have talked to mothers whose
children have been killed during the invasion of Gaza, I have seen the
Jewish-only roads leading to ever-expanding settlements in the West
Bank. This kind of colonial occupation cannot continue. As a Jew and a U.S.
citizen, I feel obligated to rise up and speak out against stop these
crimes being committed in my name and with my tax dollars.”
Abileah stands in solidarity with the Palestinian and Israeli
activists who are routinely jailed and beaten for speaking out
for democracy.
These actions were part of a week of protests called Move Over AIPAC.
In a subsequent update on the Move Over AIPAC website, it was reported that
Abileah was arrested from George Washington University hospital.
http://electronicintifada.net/blog/ali-abunimah/protestor-who-disrupted-netanyahu-congress-attacked-hospitalized-arrested
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