Free Ezra Nawi

Recebi a mensagem abaixo por e-mail. Nela, um manifestação para libertação de Ezra Nawi, um ativista Israelense. O link é para recolher 11.000 assinaturas ao procurador-geral israelita e embaixadas, além de redirecionar para um vídeo de sua prisão por tentar interromper a demolição de uma casa de um beduíno palestino no sul de Hebron. Ezra já foi preso algumas vezes e logo em seguida libertado, justamente em função de ações como essas. No entanto, essa mais recente já dura mais de dez dias. O manifesto segue também para o ministro da Segurança Pública exigindo que a polícia pare de perseguir Ezra que, se condenado, pode ser enviado para a prisão definitivamente. A carta é assinada por Anat Rosenwaks ativista da parceria árabe-judaica Jewish Voice for Peace, entidade que apóio integralmente.

Dear Juliana,

Ten days ago, Jewish Voice for Peace and Naomi Klein, Noam Chomsky and Neve Gordon told you about the arrest of one of Israel's most courageous human rights activists.

His name is Ezra Nawi.

Since then, over 11,000 of you have written 110,000 letters to the Israeli attorney general and various embassies, and 20,000 have watched the remarkable video of his false arrest for trying to stop the demolition of a Bedouin Palestinian home.

The outpouring has been amazing, and has strengthened all of us working to make a moral and just world. But the message has not gotten through, not yet.

In the last month alone, Ezra has been arrested four times, twice in Susya and twice in Hebron, only to be released a few hours later with no charges. The last time he was arrested was right after this campaign began.

We need more letters, more media stories and more activism.

This time, we will not only direct your letters to the embassies but also to the Minister of Public Security demanding that the police stop harassing Ezra.

Ezra is just weeks or even days away from the sentencing. He may be sent to jail.

I find myself starting to imagine the unimaginable, life without Ezra.

Without Ezra, it would be extremely difficult for international activists to stay permanently in the south Hebron villages so they can help and protect families.

Without Ezra, the school children of Tuba might still be taking the long way to school to avoid walking near the violent settlers.

Without Ezra, the farmers of Gawawis, a small village that was occupied by settlers, would not have been able to return to their lands.

Without Ezra, the people of Tuwane might still be enduring attacks by settlers from the Ma'on outpost every Friday night, and have no access to most of their lands.

Without Ezra, many of the families in the South Hebron area would have no one to call when they are under attack, trapped at checkpoints, or worried about their homes.

Write a letter now so none of us has to imagine life without Ezra Nawi, not even for a day.

His name is Ezra Nawi.

Anat Rosenwaks
Activist with Tayyush, the Arab-Jewish partnership