VTMBH Article: Body
Udi Eloni participated in a Manhattan demonstration against the occupation, by Michal Daniels,Yedioth Ahronoth, 17 May 2002. Translated from Hebrew by Jonathan Lincoln.
Last Saturday afternoon, a group of protestors gathered outside the Israeli Consulate in New York as another group, including singers Dudu Topaz, Yaffah Yarkoni, left-wing politician Yossi Sarid, protested in Tel Aviv. Both groups called for a withdrawal from the territories and a return to the negotiating table.
The protest was organized by members of Meretz, a left-wing political party, Peace Now, and Ha Shomer Ha Tsair, a left-wing youth movement, in New York. About 500 protesters made their way from the consulate, on 2nd Avenue, to the offices of the Palestinian Mission to the Untied Nations on Park Avenue. Protestors carried banners that read, Two states for two nations, Israel and Palestine.
Among the protesters was Udi Eloni, the son of [Israeli human rights activist] Shulamit Eloni, who has been living in New York the last couple of years. In English, Eloni declared, Liberate Palestine from the occupation now! Liberate Israel from the occupation now! He held Palestinian and Israeli flags.
Yedioth Ahronoth asked the following questions:
<i>What does Liberate Israel from the occupation now mean?</i>
The occupation is responsible for everything. I always carry the two flags.
<i>So your support of Israel is selective?</i>
I cannot support Israel while Sharon is Prime Minister and there is an occupation. I am refusenik, I refuse to accept the occupation.
<i>And what about Israeli victims of terror?</i>
The occupation is responsible for all of this. Today, every demonstration in support of Israel is really a demonstration in support of Sharons policies. The demonstration I participated in was pro-Israel. To demonstrate against the occupation is the most pro-Israel thing you can do. It was a Zionist demonstration.
<i>What kind of Zionist demonstration calls for the liberation of Palestine?</i>
We finished the demonstration by singing the Tikvah [The Hope which is the Israeli national anthem].
<i>How did people on the street react?</i>
There was a lot of support. People made peace signs and said, good for you, and some people clapped their hands. I went to a Palestinian rally in Union Square the same day. I also brought my flags with me there.
<i>Did they accept you?</i>
They accepted me very nicely. They said, good for you. Its a good thing there are people like you.
Last Saturday afternoon, a group of protestors gathered outside the Israeli Consulate in New York as another group, including singers Dudu Topaz, Yaffah Yarkoni, left-wing politician Yossi Sarid, protested in Tel Aviv. Both groups called for a withdrawal from the territories and a return to the negotiating table.
The protest was organized by members of Meretz, a left-wing political party, Peace Now, and Ha Shomer Ha Tsair, a left-wing youth movement, in New York. About 500 protesters made their way from the consulate, on 2nd Avenue, to the offices of the Palestinian Mission to the Untied Nations on Park Avenue. Protestors carried banners that read, Two states for two nations, Israel and Palestine.
Among the protesters was Udi Eloni, the son of [Israeli human rights activist] Shulamit Eloni, who has been living in New York the last couple of years. In English, Eloni declared, Liberate Palestine from the occupation now! Liberate Israel from the occupation now! He held Palestinian and Israeli flags.
Yedioth Ahronoth asked the following questions:
<i>What does Liberate Israel from the occupation now mean?</i>
The occupation is responsible for everything. I always carry the two flags.
<i>So your support of Israel is selective?</i>
I cannot support Israel while Sharon is Prime Minister and there is an occupation. I am refusenik, I refuse to accept the occupation.
<i>And what about Israeli victims of terror?</i>
The occupation is responsible for all of this. Today, every demonstration in support of Israel is really a demonstration in support of Sharons policies. The demonstration I participated in was pro-Israel. To demonstrate against the occupation is the most pro-Israel thing you can do. It was a Zionist demonstration.
<i>What kind of Zionist demonstration calls for the liberation of Palestine?</i>
We finished the demonstration by singing the Tikvah [The Hope which is the Israeli national anthem].
<i>How did people on the street react?</i>
There was a lot of support. People made peace signs and said, good for you, and some people clapped their hands. I went to a Palestinian rally in Union Square the same day. I also brought my flags with me there.
<i>Did they accept you?</i>
They accepted me very nicely. They said, good for you. Its a good thing there are people like you.