From Occupation to Asylum
If he goes home, he may be arrested. If he tries to leave this country he will be arrested. And he may be deported eventually. Ghazi Briegieth, a Palestinian man who has been a warrior for peace, finds himself in a tight and precarious situation.
If you google his name, you will find over 300 listings of his peace activities. He hosted delegations for Christian Peacemaker Teams in his village in the West Bank. He co-founded an organization that brings together Palestinian and Israeli parents who have lost children in the conflict. He led nonviolent protests and nonviolent direct actions against the occupation. He has spoken all over North America and Europe for peace and an end to the U.S.-funded Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories. And now, if he goes back to Palestine, the Palestinian Authority may likely arrest him on suspicion of being a collaborator because he collaborates with Israelis and American Jews to bring an end to the violence and an end to the increasingly brutal occupation. So he has applied for asylum in the U.S, but that means, according to his attorney, that if he tries to leave the country, he will be arrested at the border or airport.
On July 29, The Peace Center @ CAL hosted him for yet another talk about peace in Palestine. With a fairly knowledgeable small crowd, he shared stories of growing up under the occupation, losing two brothers who were shot by Israeli soldiers, being himself detained and questioned by the Palestinian Authority, and his journey towards asylum in the U.S. His asylum process has dragged on for over two years now, during which time he has struggled financially. The Urban Village, which hosted the event on July 29th, has been raising money for his support and helping him find work (He is an electrician by trade and adept at many types of handiwork).
If you want to contribute toward his support or find out more about how you can help him, contact Bert Newton at elbertwalkernewton@yahoo.com or 626-793-1103.