Honor the victims of Deir Yasin by working for Palestine today

(CHICAGO 04/05/2012) – Sixty-four years ago, Jewish terrorists crept into the tiny village of Deir Yasin and brutally massacred its slumbering residents. Those who weren’t killed were rounded up and forced into exile, leaving behind everything but the clothes on their backs – and perhaps the key to their homes.

And so began the Nakba or Catastrophe – the nightmare that has plagued Palestinians since the United Nations carved up their nation and handed it to the Zionists, who wasted no time in waging war and declaring independence.

“The Nakba is not just one historical event, but an ongoing event” said Dr. Osama Abu Irshaid, AMP board member. “The Nakba is a process that developed the systematic dispossession of Palestinians; it’s the destruction of a civil society for the intended purposes of a colonial enterprise to be set in its place.”

The travesty of the Nakba is evident throughout Palestine, from Israel’s siege on Gaza to the Apartheid Wall and the calamity befalling Jerusalem on a daily basis.

We must never forget the victims of Deir Yasin. We must honor the deceased and those permanently in exile by striving to bring justice to the people of Palestine. For in so doing, these noble Palestinians will not have suffered or died in vain.

The American Muslims for Palestine (AMP) today is honoring the residents of Deir Yasin by working hard to raise awareness about Israel’s continuing violation of international law and human rights abuses. We can honor the victims by playing a role in this New Era of Activism. Go to ampalestine.org and sign up to receive action alerts and notifications for AMP’s educational events. Join the growing Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement. Educate yourself about Palestine and then talk to your family, friends and co-workers.

AMP also supports the Arab nations, which are struggling for freedom and dignity. Their revolutions give Palestinians the hope that they one day will be able to return to their homes in Jerusalem, Acca, Haifa, Yafa, and Safad to live in a free Palestine.

Finally find your elected representatives at govtrack.us and contact them to demand they pressure Israel to end the occupation and to life the siege on Gaza. The voices of Deir Yasin are not silent. They are present today in the Palestinians who are calling for freedom and justice. We can honor the victims of Deir Yasin by answering those calls. We must recommit ourselves to answering those calls and to bring liberty to Palestine.