Leafy sees

Peaceful protest in Jerusalem often goes unreported, unfortunately.

If there is no blood & violence, the media doesn’t care.

During my years of activism, I have met more than a few Palestinian Gandhis.

One of them is our friend Salah Diab, human rights defender of Sheikh Jarah.

Salah is someone I have known for almost a decade. He is a hero & inspiration; I am honored to meet him. During the many years of protests in Sheikh Jarah, some of the Israeli activists became very close to Salah. He is a very honorable, one of the most peaceful people I know. It was a great shock to me that Salah is being accused by the Israeli authority of organizing illegal protests.

I attended one of his court hearings. He was incarcerated for his part in peaceful protest. I could not believe that a man like Salah could be in jail when I think he should be acknowledged as a human right defender & be protected by international law.

Even after serving in the Israeli prison, Salah didn’t give up on peaceful Protests against ethnic cleansing in Sheikh Jarah.

Last Friday in Sheikh Jarrah, I was looking for Salah in the crowd, but he wasn’t there. I assumed he was preparing for Iftar, the meal after Ramadan.

A little while before the protest, the Israeli army forces raided Salah Diab’s House, broke his leg & pepper sprayed him.

Last I heard, he had a court hearing that began on Saturday night & some activists gathered for a support vigil in front of the Masqobia, where his hearing took place.

Right now, I don’t know if Salah is a free man or not & whether or not the Israeli authorities will continue to persecute yet another unsung Palestinian Gandhi.