‘Gaza Teaches Life, Sir’ campaign greeted by enthusiastic crowds nationwide

(CHICAGO 01/30/2012) – Despite living under siege for more than 5 years and despite Israel’s genocidal attack three years ago on the 1.6 million Palestinians living in Gaza, the American Muslims for Palestine’s commemoration campaign had one clear message: Gaza Teaches Life.

Borrowing (with permission) from Rafeef Ziyadah’s poem, “We Teach Life, Sir,” the national campaign honored the victims of Operation Cast Lead by honoring the determination and resistance of the Palestinian people. Operation Cast Lead was the name of the Israeli military’s three-week assault on the 1.6 million Palestinians living in Gaza that killed 1,409 – including at least 355 children – and wounded 5,300.

Spoken word artist Remi Kanazi, AMP’s keynote speaker throughout most of the nationwide tour, thrilled crowds with performances of poems from his new book, “Poetic Injustice: Writings on Resistance and Palestine.” Events were held in the Midwest and the West Coast for a variety of audiences, from youth through senior citizen. Other key speakers included Dr. Hatem Bazian, AMP chairman; Osama Abu Irshaid, political analyst and editor of al Mezan newspaper; Dr. Mohammad Al Natour, Ali Abunimah, Annan Shehadi, Osama Shabaik, Thaer Ahmed, Sami Kishawi and Taher Herzallah of the Irvine 11, and Kristin Szremski, AMP director of media and communications.