PHOTOS: Palestine Marathon promotes 'right to movement'
Under the theme, ‘Right to Movement,’ some 3,200 runners criss-crossed the streets of the West Bank town of Bethlehem in the second annual Palestine Marathon.
Some 3,200 runners competed in the second annual Palestine Marathon in the streets of the West Bank town of Bethlehem Friday. The race’s theme, “Right to Movement,” is based on Article 13 of the UN Human Rights Charter and highlights the many ways in which Palestinians’ movements are restricted: by the separation wall, checkpoints, roadblocks, and other aspects of the Israeli occupation. As in last year’s inaugural race, marathon runners had to complete two laps of the same route, as organizers were unable to find a single course of 42 uninterrupted kilometers under Palestinian Authority control.
According to B’Tselem, as of February there were 99 permanent checkpoints restricting the movement of Palestinians, including 59 “internal checkpoints,” located well within the West Bank. In addition, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) counted 256 surprise “flying checkpoints” in December 2013. Israel has also blocked Palestinian access to some of the main West Bank roads with 500-plus physical obstructions, such as dirt embankments, concrete blocks, iron gates and trenches. Such obstacles prevent vehicles from crossing even in emergencies, and restrict the movement of many pedestrians who may be physically unable to climb over or around them: the elderly, sick persons, pregnant women, and small children. Moreover, some 65 kilometers of roads in the West Bank are restricted for the sole, or practically sole, use of Israeli settlers. Palestinians are often barred from even crossing some of these roads with vehicles, thereby requiring them to get out of the vehicle, cross the road on foot, and find an alternative mode of transportation on the other side.
Another key case in point was Israel’s denial of permission for Palestinian Olympic runner Nader al-Masri’s to travel from his home in the Gaza Strip to compete in this year’s race. Reuters quoted an Israeli government official responsible for permits as saying: “the marathon is supported by the Palestinian Authority and is tainted by political shades which delegitimize the State of Israel.” The majority of the Gaza residents are routinely prohibited by the Israeli authorities from traveling to Jerusalem or the West Bank for any reason, with the primary exception of medical cases.
The Palestine Marathon comes just weeks after Palestinian activists protested the Jerusalem Marathon, which passed through parts of East Jerusalem, which is considered occupied Palestinian territory under international law. The Palestinian BDS (boycott, divestment, sanctions) National Committee, called for a boycott of race sponsors New Balance and Crowne Plaza, saying that the Jerusalem Marathon “is used to cover up Israel’s image around the world while acting as a smokescreen to its illegal annexation of and gradual ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from the occupied city.” Activists waving Palestinian flags attempted to disrupt the race at various points, but were dispersed by Israeli police.
The Palestine Marathon saw little overt political tension, other than the occasional gesture or slogan shouted at a gun-toting Israeli soldier stationed in a watchtower atop the separation wall.
http://972mag.com/photos-palestine-marathon-promotes-right-to-movement/89578/
= new reply since forum marked as read
Here is 'the word' you asked for,
Please post where I said what you claimed I did.
Specifically : ' you sit there and proclaim Abbas should not sign'
Specifically : ' you sit there and proclaim Abbas should not sign'
Go for it... Show us all...
If you can.
meet his standards of equality which dramatically differs from his position on the US when he was not satisfied
with US policy for the LGBT community..as he has not indicated where on DU in the past he advocated for the
US to be, as he said, "stripped of everything". If in fact he advocated for such a thing, it would be interesting
to learn how anyone finds that as means to prosper equality.
His lack of knowledge of what the treaties involve, the purpose of which will enhance human rights for
the Palestinians..his opinions all rest in this thread. So I have no concern about his derailing the thread,
although I agree it was unfortunate as his purpose was to denigrate the marathon. His denial is humorous
and his attempts to now define himself as being misunderstood is typical.
His post#7, indicates lack of
Response to Jefferson23 (Reply #6)
Sun Apr 13, 2014, 03:09 PM
Star Member King_David (6,716 posts)
7. au contraire ,Palestinians very much do not my advice on human rights
They should not be allowed a state by ANYONE , they should not be admitted to ANY organization or be allowed ANY recognition up to or until their is 100% Human Rights for my Gay brothers and sisters and all women and Human
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1134&pid=62030
Good to see you, Violet 
Having gone on about no new state should be allowed to be created unless it's got full equal rights for its LGBT population only applies to the Palestinians. Anywhere else, and it doesn't matter because advocating for their rights suddenly becomes 'I'm not obsessed with it's people'
I'm not involved , my family is not involved there , or my friends , I don't have any involvement there and I'm not obsessed with it's people.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1134&pid=62110
Good to see you too, Jefferson! It's been a while
