PALESTINE: Remembering Kamleh

Raul Bassi, Sydney

Many times, we will read in newspapers, or hear on the radio or TV, of Palestinians killed by the Israeli army. Sometimes, these killings are "explained" by the claim that the victims were militants, or "didn't follow soldiers orders."

But we don't know much about these dead — unless they are well-known freedom fighters.

Kamleh Mohamad Sholi, was killed on December 13, 2003, at Nablus as she was going to Al Najah National University. She was trying to cross one of these roads reserved only for Israelis, which divide the occupied territories like a chess board. When she arrived at an army checkpoint, shots were fired. Kamleh was hit by two of them and she was dead. There was no justification, nor any real explanation.

She was a young woman, 21 years old, married with two children — 18-month-old Rafifh and five-month-old Mohamed.

How do we know this?

Kamleh's uncle is a Palestinian living in Australia, Bashir Salwhala. He is a member of Canterbury-Bankstown Peace Group and the Lakemba Greens.

He grew up in Nablus, and left Palestine as refugee in the first intifada. Now he is fighting to make public the truth about what is happening in his land.

We hope that Kamleh's death can be a wake up call that behind the numbers of those killed, are people with names and families.

The only way these killings will stop is with a free Palestinian state, in complete control of its historic land, and with its people back to where they were expelled by force more than 55 years ago.

From Green Left Weekly, January 21, 2004.

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From GLW issue 567