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| Galloway speaks to a sold-out crowd at Greenfield Manor about his upcoming flotilla and convoy. PHOTO: Nafeh AbuNab/ American Elite Studios |
Galloway, who co-founded the Viva Palestina organization, has been a staunch anti-war, pro-Palestine, and anti-Islamophobia advocate and said he was excited to be in Dearborn to raise funds for both organizations, which were expected to split the proceeds for upcoming separate missions to Gaza.
At Saturday’s event, Galloway gave one of his trademark fiery speeches about the current political climate, media malpractice in regards to coverage of the Arab world, and the need for solidarity with the Palestinian cause.
He related the story of an 11-year-old girl who he met while delivering aid to Gaza, where her entire family was killed by Israeli shells.
“She asked me why all the other Arabs weren’t coming to help her… I promised her that I would tell her story everywhere I go.”
Galloway also spoke about the difference between Zionism and Judaism, a line that many feel is often blurred in the media.
“We are not against Judaism, let’s make that clear, we are against Zionism, and there are many, many Jews who are with us in this cause.”
Galloway cited U.S. Afghanistan Commander David Petraeus’ comment that Israel is a “strategic liability” for U.S. interests as well.
“Instead of building Israeli settlements with the taxpayers’ money in the West Bank, we should be using (that money) to help the housing sector here in Michigan,” he said.
The event was put together by a group of local activists with the support of the two organizations. Despite a quick turnaround since the event was planned a month earlier, it was highly successful and featured a diverse audience supporting the cause of occupied and besieged Palestine.
“I’ve had people tell me they’ve never seen so many people from different backgrounds united for a dinner like this,” said Mohammad Qazazz, who helped organize the event and welcomed the audience.
“One guy told me they had Lebanese, Chaldean, you know, Shia, Sunni, Christian, Egyptian, Pakastani, Jordanian, and Kuwaiti representatives all at his table united for the cause of helping the Palestinians.”
Performances included British/Palestinian hip-hop artist Shadia Mansour and Sound of Reason, a singing duo from Montreal.
Mansour recited poetry in Arabic and later gave an intense performance along with a display of Palestinian flags while Sound of Reason played a small set including their popular song “Palestine” about the heart-wrenching situation overseas.
Mansour is expected to return on Friday, Feb. 25 at 6 p.m. along with ten other artists including Lowkey as well as M1 from the popular hip-hop group Dead Prez for a concert benefiting U.S. Boat to Gaza on Feb. 25 at the Hyatt Regency in Detroit.
The event will be the first one for the new Detroit chapter of the Existence is Resistance organization, the creation of which was announced at the event.
U.S. Boat to Gaza activist Laurie Arbeiter, who also spoke, said after the event that threats against the project will not deter them.
“I can’t imagine why anyone would try to stop this effort, it’s legal, moral, for justice and toward peace, and it’s for the good of the people in Palestine,” she said. “It’s for their liberation and their freedom, and that goes beyond its borders for all of us so that we can celebrate justice.”
Mansour talked about the importance of U.S. Boat to Gaza, which is expected to launch its mission in late March/early April, and the Viva Palestina convoy/flotilla (which is expected to be much larger this time), which is targeted for late May. The two groups were also expected to meet to decide whether or not to combine efforts.
“No one knows what will happen, it’s a very serious risk but it also, it’s a sacrifice, and I think it teaches a lot of people what sacrifice is as well. To be honest, the more boats that go to Gaza the better.”
Mansour said she has seen Galloway on the “front line” of every march against war on Iraq, Afghanistan, and Palestine in her home country.
“For me to see a non-Palestinian standing up and facing every kind of enemy and biased journalist you could imagine really puts a mirror on me; makes me reflect on what I’m doing, I’m there but it’s like, ‘Am I doing enough?'”
Qazzaz said he and fellow group members were more than satisfied with the turnout.
“We didn’t expect that many people but we tried our hardest and it all worked out great,” he said.
“I feel like people have been sleeping on the cause and not taking action while people are dying in Palestine every day; like a war or something needs to happen for people to rise up.
“That’s not supposed to happen, we need be united and continue to fight for the Palestinian people.”
For more info, visit www.ustogaza.org or www.vivapalestina.org.
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