FIRE Coverage of International Conference of Women in Black , August 2005

13th International Conference of Women in Black
Jerusalem, August 12-16, 2005

"Women Resisting the Occupation and the War"

Radio Internacional Feminista/Feminist International Radio Endeavour/FIRE
Jerusalem, August 10, 2005

International Conference of Women in Black Set to Begin in Jerusalem
as Protests Continue Against Evacuation of Israeli Settlers in Gaza

by Katerina Anfossi & Margaret Thompson

Just one day before the start of the 13th International Conference of Women in Black entitled, "Women Resisting Occupation and War" in Jerusalem, the city is the site of massive peaceful protests by Israelis, many of whom are wearing orange t-shirts or orange ribbons to express their opposition to the disengagement process in the Gaza Strip. The final evacuation of the last of 8,500 settlers from Gaza and another 500 from the West Bank will begin August 17, enforced with the presence of 50,000 police and soldiers.

Other protests led by the Israeli settlers are taking place in Tel Aviv and in the Gaza Strip and West Bank today and in days following.

Gila Svirsky of Women in Black condemned the resistance of the Israeli settlers to being evacuated from the Gaza Strip, which at times has been violent with numerous arrests, as "religious madness and materialistic greed." Svirsky declared, "Exposed at last are the plush villas, the exorbitant demands for 'replacement villas' on choice beachfront land inside Israel, and - above all - their rejection of the democratic process as inconsistent with God's will. Post-disengagement, the settlers will no longer fool anybody by their claim to having the best interests of the state at heart, and that is a good result, though achieved with great pain."

The International Conference of Women of Black scheduled for August 12-16, 2005, was planned specifically to take place during this disengagement process, which is designed to help bring peace to the region. At the conference, which was organized by Israeli and Palestinian women together, many will testify about the Israeli occupation, which Svirsky described as "the Israeli boot on [the Palestinians'] neck which lasted for 37 years," and how they "will finally see that boot lifted, beginning in 10 days." According to Svirsky, "That, above all, is the achievement of leaving Gaza - giving Gazans back their lives."

Over 700 women have registered to come from all over the world for the Women in Black conference, which 300-400 more than were originally expected. Svirsky said that participants will be coming "to see a slice of the oppression with their own eyes, helping strengthen their work as 'Women Resist Occupation and War', the title of this four-day event."

One of the conference participants, Greta Hughes from the United States and a member of the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) told FIRE, "We came to the Women in Black conference because we believe in the power of women to make a difference...when you put us all together I think we’re capable of changing the world. I think we have to, because the men have made a total mess out of it, so it's high time that we not only say that we’re going to do something, but we have to start doing it."

Click here to read this article in Spanish

Photos above: Protestors marched Wednesday night in the Old City of Jerusalem at the Jaffa Gate to express their opposition
to the disengagement process involving settlers in the Gaza Strip.