A Week of Palestinian Calls for the Release of the CPT Volunteers Held Hostage in Iraq
Ramallah, Occupied Palestine: Over the last week Palestinians from across the political spectrum have issued impassioned
appeals and demonstrated for the release of the four Christian Peacemaker Team volunteers who were taken hostage in
Iraq, three of whom had previously served in Palestine with CPT and ISM.
Calls for the release of the hostages were made by the head Mufti of Palestine, Ikram Al Sabri; the coordinating body
for all Palestinian political parties, the National and Islamic Forces for both Palestine and Hebron; Shawkat Samha the
Mayor of Jayyous; the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades; Qadura Fares, the Coordinator of the National Committee to Resist
Settlement and the Wall; Ferial Abu Haikal, the Headmistress of the Qurtuba Girls School in Hebron, and many other
community leaders from Hebron.
Demonstrations calling for the release of the CPT volunteers were held in Hebron, At-Tuwani and Ramallah. More are
planned over the next week in Nablus (tomorrow at 11am) and Ramallah (tomorrow at 4:30pm). Below are statements by these
individuals and groups, as well as links to their full statements in English and Arabic when available, and reports on
the demonstrations.
Ikram Al Sabri, the Chief Mufti of Palestine on December 5th: "There is a duty for all Palestinian people, institutions
and factions to commit to sending a call to release these people who have been kidnapped. They are very important for us
to help continue our struggle, whether here in Palestine or in Iraq, to gain our country's freedom. We repeat our call
to release all the civilian people who have been kidnapped all over the world, not only these four."
For full text see: Full Text
The Palestinian National and Islamic Forces, the coordinating body for all Palestinian political parties, on December
2nd: "We call upon all the people of Iraq, on all people of faith and honour, on all people of conscience to act for the
release of those activists who struggle on our behalf against occupation and injustice. We raise our voice alongside all
National and Islamic factions in the district of Hebron who issued a statement on this most serious matter, on November
29th, 2005, which reflects the feelings of all Palestinians from all factions and persuasions."
For full statement in English: Link forthcoming on palsolidarity.org
For full statement in Arabic: Link forthcoming on palsolidarity.org
For press conference remarks: Press Conference Remarks
The Palestinian National and Islamic Forces of Hebron on November 29th: "We appeal to our brothers in the resistance and
all those with alert consciences in Iraq, with whom we consider ourselves to be in the same trench confronting American
aggression and occupation, to instantly and quickly release the four kidnapped persons (two Canadians, one Briton and
one American) from CPT, in appreciation for their role in standing beside and supporting our Palestinian people and all
the Arab and Islamic peoples."
For full statement in English Link forthcoming on palsolidarity.org
For full statement in Arabic Link forthcoming on palsolidarity.org
Shawkat Samha, the Mayor of the West Bank Village Jayyous on November 30th: "They subjected themselves to grave dangers
when they stood in front of Israeli bulldozers. We knew them as people who were against the occupation and supported
freedom for occupied peoples, like the Palestinian and Iraqi peoples."
AP Article: AP News Article
The Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades on December 4th: "Those are the same friends of the martyr Rachel Corrie who was crushed
under an Israeli bulldozer as she stood in the defence of our people and her friends against the Israeli Zionist
occupation. We came to know them as they took a courageous stance against the new system of apartheid and the racist
separation Wall. They suffered as we did, and were wounded by the bullets of the occupation, while others were exiled
and imprisoned. Therefore, we ask the kidnappers to release those hostages."
For full statement in Arabic (insert link)) Link forthcoming on palsolidarity.org
For full statement in English: (insert link). Link forthcoming on palsolidarity.org
Qadura Fares, Coordinator of the National Committee to Resist Settlements and the Wall on November 30th: "From Palestine
we call upon you to release the four from the Christian Peacemaker Teams who were kidnapped from Baghdad. This is an
organization that has helped and continues to help our people living under Israeli occupation in the city of Hebron and
in other regions throughout our occupied homeland. They expose themselves to danger in order to provide protection to
our women and children in front of Israeli military checkpoints.”
For full statement in English: Link forthcoming on palsolidarity.org
For full statement in Arabic Link forthcoming on palsolidarity.org
Ferial Abu Haikal, the Headmistress of the Qurtuba School in Hebron on December 5th: "We still remember the nice moments
while we were under curfew with the CPT members who we have known since 1995. They came and gave food to people under
curfew and showed their love and solidarity with our schools and our children. We will never forget these moments,
because the CPT were the only people =standing with us at that time. As a women who works with them, I send my call for
the Iraqi resistance to release these people because CPT are very important people for us."
For full statement see: Full Statement
At the December 2nd Demonstration in At- Tuwani, Hebron District, another Palestinian said: "We have been suffering from
the Israeli occupation since ages. CPT members first came here two years ago. They have documented such suffering, and
were badly beaten by the Israeli settlers for that. As such, we have to stand by them because they hold a message of
peace as we call upon the kidnappers to release the kidnapped CPT members in Iraq. They have become human shields for
our children against Israeli aggression. We demand that they are to be set free as a reward for their good deeds here in
Tuwani and in the rest of Palestine."
News story: News story
On the 1st of December, 300 Palestinians demonstrated in Ramallah in solidarity with the four. The demonstration was
attended by Abu Hasan Morrar a representative of the Islamic Council of Palestine, Shawkat Samha the mayor of the town
of Jayyous, Fatima Asi of the Women For Life group in the Salfit region and Mustafa Barghouti the general secretary of
the Palestinian National Initiative. All called passionately for the hostage's release, as demonstrators held up signs
in Arabic and English describing the four as their friends. A statement on behalf of the Popular Committees Against the
Wall was read adding to the call. Palestinians and internationals who know the hostages personally were on the
demonstration which was attended by Palestinians from Bil'in who spoke and called on the kidnappers to release the
hostages.
News story: News story
Press Conference in Hebron Held by the National and Islamic Forces on November 30th:
Wire Service Photos
Ikram Al Sabri at December 5 Press Conference in Ramallah Yahoo News Yahoo News Yahoo News Image Image
December 1 Ramallah Protest for Release of Hostages Yahoo News 1 Yahoo News
November 30 Hebron Protest Yahoo News
For More Information Contact: ISM Media Office: 02 297 1824 or 057 572 0754 CPT Hebron: 02-222-8485