Zohar Chamberlain Regev, who is Israeli, works as a volunteer at the Palestine Museum of Natural History, which is directed by Dr. Mazin Qumsiyeh. The Museum’s motto is respect for oneself, respect for others and respect for ones’ environment, as a form of non-violent resistance to the occupation.
Zohar was part of the international coordination of the Rumbo a Gaza campaign for years, participating in the “Freedom Flotilla”, a ship that has sought to break the blockade Israel has had on Gaza since it occupied these territories in 1967, but especially since Hamas won the 2006 elections.
As a child, she witnessed her neighbors’ houses being torn down simply because they were Palestinian. This, and the example of her parents’ activism for the human rights of Palestinians, led Zohar to denounce the Israeli colonization throughout her whole life.
In Women who Build the Future, Regev tells the story of Israel’s occupation and blockade of the Palestinian population, of how it systematically oppresses it: “it is even more oppressive of those who try to fight non-violently… there are the demolitions of houses that are sometimes like collective punishment to the family because one member of the family has done something, sometimes because the family does not have permission to build but the permits cannot be obtained legally because Israel has not issued permits for over 50 years and people have a family, they have children and they need a place to live… there are restrictions on the use of water…”.
The discrimination is aggravated by Covid-19. “I believe that it is the first country in the world to vaccinate its population, but it does not allow any vaccine [for the] Palestinian people. [It is] nonsense in terms of public health because […] the virus does not understand the wall”.
Regarding a possible reconciliation process, Zohar is clear: “It is not possible without a change in the conditions on the ground, as long as systematic discrimination, apartheid, and the violation of human rights continue on a daily basis”.
Perhaps you have heard a lot about Palestine, but you do not know the history well or what happens day to day. If so, make sure you listen to Zohar Ch. Regev.
Note: The video is in Spanish, to see it (33′) with subtitles in English: 1. Click on the Subtitles icon (white rectangle at the bottom right of the video player window). 2. Click on the Settings icon (cogwheel at the bottom right), then click successively on Subtitles, then on Automatically translate. 3. In the window that opens, scroll down the list of languages and click on English.
Translation by Madalena Translation, from the voluntary Pressenza translation team. We are looking for volunteers!
Interpretation of the video: Julia Alvares / Graça Pinheiro
