Sami Abu Shehadeh, member of Balad party in Israeli Knesset, is visiting the US for the first time:
"There are 1.7M Palestinian citizens of Israel. We didn't emigrate. Israel emigrated to us. Often our legitimate political demonstrations are met by inhumane violence by Israel"
"There are 1.7M Palestinian citizens of Israel. We didn't emigrate. Israel emigrated to us. Often our legitimate political demonstrations are met by inhumane violence by Israel"
"There is a continued process of ethnic cleansing from the Nakba to #sheikhjarrah. And taking land is the main way this is done. This is why #LandDay is so important" Sami Abu Shehadeh
"I don't know why they get crazy when we call Israel apartheid! In every sense that is what Israel is. Israel controls everything including Gaza and the borders. There are different legal systems for different people. If you are Jewish, you have supremacy in Israel"
"One status in Gaza. Israel has decided they don't deserve water. It's an open air prison. Then West Bank you live under occupation but better than Gaza conditions. Then East Jerusalem is better than that. Then some Palestinians are citizens of Israel: we can vote! But not equal"
"In every major decision in Israel we, Palestinians citizens of Israel, are not there. Or there are one or two Arabs so Israel can celebrate the first Arab etc. Usually they are first and last Arab there!"
"Like white and Black people in the US, Jewish Israelis really believe they are better than Palestinians. They say 'Palestinians are lazier! More corrupt!'"
"A Jewish state by definition is not a democracy. It wants supremacy of one group over the indigenous people. A Jewish state should never be called a democracy."
"So what are we proposing? Regardless of how you pray, or if you don't pray, everyone has equal rights! Every one should be an equal citizen of the state. Not a new idea! That's how it is in other countries. But we are called an extreme party."
"In Israel a political party that calls for equality is blocked at every turn. You must first accept your inferiority to the Jewish people. And now that some of us have been elected, it is a huge challenge."
"But things are changing with many organizations like @btselem and @amnesty declaring Israel is an apartheid state. It is a racist state. It is all one apartheid state."
"One state solution? Two state? 30 states? That's not so important. What matters is decolonization and democracy."
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