RAMALLAH, February 12, 2018 (WAFA) – A number of high-profile entertainers, scholars, and civil rights icons signed a just-released letter in support of Palestinian teenager Ahed Tamimi and other Palestinian children imprisoned by Israel.
The signatories include prominent actors Danny Glover, Rosario Dawson, Grey‘s Anatomy star Jesse Williams, and The Practice‘s LisaGay Hamilton; musicians Vic Mensa, Talib Kweli and Rage Against the Machine‘s Tom Morello; civil rights leaders Patrisse Cullors and Alicia Garza (co-founders of Black Lives Matter), Angela Davis, Michelle Alexander, and Alice Walker; political commentators Marc Lamont-Hill and Angela Rye; and Seattle Seahawks defensive lineman and super bowl champion Michael Bennett.
Ahed Tamimi was detained for confronting Israeli soldiers who had forced their way into her family‘s yard soon after soldiers shot and critically injured her 15-year-old cousin who was hit in the face. Her trial is still ongoing.
Tamimi‘s story has garnered global attention, and both Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have called for her release.
The letter was initiated by the Dream Defenders, a member group of the Movement for Black Lives that was founded after Trayvon Martin‘s murder. It draws parallels between the experiences of the Black community and the Palestinian community, highlighting the impact of racism, state violence, and mass incarceration on both peoples.
“Too many of our children quickly learn that they may be imprisoned or killed simply for who they are. From Trayvon Martin to Mohammed Abu Khdeir and Khalif Browder to Ahed Tamimi - racism, state violence and mass incarceration have robbed our people of their childhoods and their futures,” said the letter.
“We the undersigned call on all US representatives to sign this bill and protect the lives and childhoods of Palestinian children.
The Tamimi family stands up to Israel‘s brutality because they believe Palestinians, like ALL people, should be free. Dream Defenders stands with them and all Palestinians in their righteous struggle. Now, and always, we commit to building a more just and loving world for us all. #FreeAhed #nowaytotreatachild”
K.T./M.K.
