A diverse group of five Coloradans promoting peace with justice will join dozens of internationals from around the world in offering an olive branch of peace in Palestine.  

 Ú4/15/01 Protest of Israeli roadblock at Bethlehem

From Dec. 14th to Jan. 8th, these Coloradans will join with the International Solidarity Movement ( www.rapprochement.org )  in the West Bank and Gaza to witness and help create a space for both Palestinians and Israelis to end the illegal Israeli occupation of the West Bank (including E. Jerusalem) and Gaza.

Members plan to support Palestinian demonstrations with non-violent direct action, using their privilege as western internationals to dissuade the Israeli military from it’s usual violent repression.

"I hope to demonstrate with my presence and actions that Americans care deeply about the fundamental human rights of Palestinians as well as Israelis, and we are willing to defend those rights nonviolently, with our lives, if necessary," says delegation member Val Phillips.

Beth Daoud: Married to Palestinian-American (with many family members in Palestine). Beth was in Palestine in August, 2001 when Israel took over the Orient House, the symbolic capitol of Palestine.

Nadya Waziri: Freelance reporter affiliated with Boulder Weekly, Rocky Mountain Independent Media Center and Activist Media Project.

Val Phillips: Full time student at UCD. Bachelor’s degree in middle east history from UCLA in 1991. She taught at Ramallah Friends Schools from 1992 to 1994. Human Rights Program director for the Colorado American Friends Service Committee, 1995-1999.

Eric Blair: Involved with Mexico Solidarity Network and Colombia Support Network. Worked organizing janitors and parking lot attendants with Service Employee International Union Local 105 in Denver.

Mark Schneider: Organizer for Colorado Campaign for Middle East Peace. Went to Iraq in 2000 with a delegation of Coloradans as an act of civil disobedience against U.S. law prohibiting Americans from travelling to Iraq.

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