Sun Aug 6, 2006 5:04 pm (PST)
As LGBTIQ Muslims and allies, the Al-Fatiha Foundation is torn, but united in our boycott
of WorldPride in Jerusalem. As a religious organization, Al-Fatiha embraces the great symbolism that WorldPride in Jerusalem
represents: the bringing together of LGBTIQ people in a city regarded as holy by Islam, Judaism and Christianity. Yet, this
WorldPride will not be a bringing together of people; Palestinians and the vast majority of Muslims will continue to be denied
access to the city of Jerusalem. Al-Fatiha cannot, in good faith, support participation in WorldPride held in a segregated
Jerusalem, under an Israeli apartheid system.
There is no pride in a system of apartheid institutionalized by the Israeli
government and enforced by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) against Palestinian civilians. Palestinians living in the West
Bank and Gaza are routinely denied freedom of movement and unrestricted access to Jerusalem. Palestinians must carry identity
cards to go anywhere, and if granted, special permits to enter or exit Jerusalem. Every day, Palestinians must endure numerous
checkpoints which restrict and often prohibit their travel for work, for education, and for healthcare. The escalating violence
targeting civilians in Palestine/Israel precludes freedom of movement for everyone, regardless of sexuality, religion or ethnicity.
There is no pride in collective punishment of millions of people, in wholesale denial of food, water, adequate shelter,
right to property, freedom of movement, access to health care and hospitals, access to education, right to earn a living,
right to integrity and liberty. These are basic human rights. And, these are human rights that are systematically violated
by policies and practices of the Israeli government and the IDF on a daily basis throughout Palestine.
The recent
Israeli bombing of a water treatment plant and the sole power plant that supplies electricity to sixty-five percent of Gaza
Strip's 1.4 million inhabitants is just one example of collective punishment experienced by all Palestinians--regardless
of religion, political or ideological persuasion, sexual __expression or identity. To date, thousands of Palestinians are
still without access to clean water and electricity during the hottest summer months.
In addition, the recent systematic
violence by Israel targeting civilian lives in Lebanon and the deliberate annihilation of Lebanese infrastructure of water
and electric power plants, airports, seaports, highways, schools and hospitals further widens the scope of collective punishment
of millions of innocent civilians.
As an organization, and as a community that spans all continents of the globe, Al-Fatiha
stands for justice, peace and self-determination for all people. We believe that all people have the inherent right to liberty,
and to freedom of sexual and religious __expression. We equally believe that all people have inviolable human rights, regardless
of ethnicity, culture, or nationality.
The Al-Fatiha Foundation stands in solidarity with the many individuals and
organizations, such as ASWAT and Helem, which are actively working for nonviolent, peaceful solutions to the violations of
human rights in Palestine/Israel, and now Lebanon. We envision a time when all people, regardless of faith, sexuality, gender,
ethnicity, culture, or nationality, may celebrate a true WorldPride in a united Jerusalem.
In Struggle and Solidarity,
Al-Fatiha
Board of Directors
http://www.al-fatiha.org/
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