SIWAR ASLIH

Siwar is a psychology and education student at Haifa University. She is from Arabeh in central Galilee; the people of Galilee managed to stay in their land after the nakbah of 1948. Siwar, who is on a short speaking tour of the UK, will speak to us about her personal experience at an Israeli university, in the context of the plight of Palestinians at Israeli institutions.

In October 2000, Arabeh village held a peaceful solidarity demonstration to oppose the mounting Israeli aggression against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and West Bank.

During the demonstration Siwar’s 17 year old brother, Asel, standing
out with his Seeds of Peace T-shirt was severely beaten by Israeli
Police. While on the ground injured he was then, at close range, shot
dead. Twelve other Palestinians taking part in solidarity demonstrations in
the Galilee and nearby Triangle were killed by Israeli Police. Siwar’s mother,
Jamelih, together with other families, set up The Victims Families Committee to
demand justice and an enquiry to investigate the killing of her son and
the 12 other Palestinians. When the families were joined in their demands
by Palestinians and Internationals, including some UK MPs, the Israeli
government set up the Orr Commission of enquiry. In 2003, 3 years later,
the Commission found that the Israeli State could not be held responsible
for their deaths. The Commission also stated that Palestinians holding
Israeli passports were viewed as a hostile community. But Asel was a
leading member of Seeds of Peace, a US organisation working for peaceful
co-existence between Israelis and Palestinians. A further two years later deaths. The Orr Commission, despite the growing mountain of evidence, closed its
enquiry. No charges were filed, no convictions were sought, no action was
taken against any of the Police involved in the 13 extra-judicial
killings.

In 2006 director Julie Gal made a film – October’s Cry - about the events in
Arabeh, focusing focusing on Jamelih and her fight for justice for her son.