Abla Sa’adat visits Denmark

Abla Sa’adat visits Denmark

In September 2012, Abla Sa’adat visited Denmark, invited by Internationalt Forum. Abla Sa’adat, a political activist and women activist in the West Bank, was invited to Denmark primarily as a representative of the campaign ‘Free Ahmed Sa’adat’ (Abla is married to Ahmad Sa’adat, the general secretary of PFLP). Abla participated in a big number of meetings, and in all meetings she spoke about the theme: the situation of the Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons and the situation of Ahmad Sa’adat. But she also spoke about many other themes.

Meeting arranged by the Danish campaign ‘Free Ahmad Sa’adat’

Wednesday October 18 Abla spoke at a meeting in the Solidarity House (where Internationalt Forum has its office and solidarity shop) with the title: “Free Ahmad Sa’adat and all the Palestinian Prisoners in Israeli Prisons”. The meeting was organized by the Danish section of the international campaign “Free Ahmad Sa’adat” (freeahmadsaadat.dk). Here Abla spoke about the tough situation of the Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons, the situation of Ahmad Sa’adat, the extensive use by Israel of administrative detention and isolation, the hunger strike last year organized primarily by PFLP, the continued hunger strikes by individual Palestinians, etc. And last but not least – about the personal costs for the families when family members spend years and years in Israeli prisons.

Visit to Left Wing Parties and the newspaper The Worker

Abla visited Christian Juhl, member of the Danisk parliament for the Red Green Alliance (Enhedslisten = the Unity List). This list has 12 members in parliament out of 179. It was formed 20 years ago as a parliamentary umbrella by trotskyists, communists, left socialist etc. But today it develops towards an actual political party. Abla handed over to Christian Juhl a letter written on behalf of the 12 Palestinian MP’s who are in Israeli jails asking the Danish MP’s to fight for their rights – and the rights of all the Palestinian prisoners. Christian Juhl promised to distribute the letter to all the 179 MP’s of the Danish parliament.

Moreover Abla visited the small communist party APK – the Workers Communist Party, and there made a video interview. (split from the former ‘pro-Albanian’ DKP-ML).

Abla gave a big interview to the left wing daily newspaper Arbejderen (the Worker, run by the KP – Communist Party, a fusion of various sectors of the communist movement in Denmark) where she told about the Palestinian prisoners and about the case of Ahmad Sa’adat. She was also asked about the terror listing of PFLP whereto she answered: “We in the PFLP act according to our ideals, we fight for the freedom of our people, our struggle is not illegal”.

Abla visited the youth organization SUF (Socialist Youth Front ) whom she impressed by her fighting spirit!

Boycott Israel meeting: We Never forget Sabra and Shatila

Friday September 14, Abla participated in the memory arrangement for the victims of the massacres in the camps Sabra and Shatila 30 years ago, organized by the Lebanese Phalangists in coordination with the Israeli military. Abla spoke about these cruel massacres and the many other massacres inflicted on the Palestinian people. The meeting was organized by the Danish Boykot Israel committee which this year has existed for 10 years and during this period every year has organized meeting under the title: We never forget Sabra and Shatila. Abla expressed her support for the growing international boycott Israel movement.

After the meeting the many participants made a short demonstration to the nearby canals – and went shouting through the Copenhagen streets with candles in the rain – crying: Boycott Israel – Free Palestine – Long Live international solidarity.

A fantastic evening!

Visit to the province and Germany

Abla visited two local sections of Internationalt Forum in Aarhus and Aalborg in Jutland, and there participated not only in Internationalt Forum meetings, but also met with local Palestinian women, and other groups.

She went with a Palestinian delegation to a weekend conference in Germany about the Right of Return where to she brought a greeting from imprisoned Ahmad Sa’adat.

Farewell to Abla

We had our farewell dinner in the nearby Greek restaurant … We were sorry to say goodbye to Abla, but we hope to meet again.