WEST BANK, July 3, 2011 (WAFA) - Some 40 Palestinian civil society organizations, popular resistance committees and political factions announce the “Welcome to Palestine” (www.palestinejn.org) initiative July 8-16 where hundreds of internationals will work with hundreds of Palestinians for peace. The hundreds of men, women and children will arrive July 8 at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel.

The “Welcome to Palestine” initiative states: “The international community must recognize the basic human right to receive visitors from abroad and support the right of their own citizens to travel to Palestine without harassment. Where Israel works to isolate us, we invite all to join with us openly and proudly. We do not accept the attempts to keep us apart or to force us to speak less than with full honesty.”

This July initiative comes in a planned series of events and follows similar events carried out in December under the slogan of “ending apartheid and ethnic cleansing.” The week of activities starts on July 9, the anniversary of the International Court of Justice ruling on the illegality of the Settlements and the apartheid wall in the occupied Palestinian Territories and the anniversary of the Palestinian Civil Society Call to Action, and will span the following areas: 9/7 Ramallah, 10/7 Bethlehem, 11/7 northern West Bank, 12/7 Hebron and Jordan Valley, 13/7 Naqab, 15-16/7 Jerusalem.

The July “Welcome to Palestine” initiative will take participants (Palestinians and internationals) to different parts of the Palestinian Territory from the north to the Naqab and highlight the power of nonviolence and peace-building efforts. Visitors will be accommodated locally and will enjoy Palestinian hospitality and a program of networking, fellowship and volunteer peace work in Palestinian towns and villages together with hundreds of local activists.

F.J.