"I believe if MLK were alive now, he would write a letter from the Bethlehem jail."

-Zoughbi Zoughbi, of the Bethlehem Wi'am Center

I have faith in the power of nonviolent direct action. And I am sorely disappointed in the results of negotiation thus far for Palestine and Israel. Like MLK was tired of waiting, waiting, waiting for the white folks to feel like it was the right time to negotiate, Palestine is tired of waiting for Israel to negotiate in good faith.

Palestinians are systematically and violently discriminated against every day. Israel has been occupying their land since 1967! Like MLK, I think negotiations are worth having, but so far, the negotiations have been reflective of the lopsided situation of political power. Before FAIR negotiations can take place, I believe that Palestine will have to build a successful nonviolent direct action campaign. (or the tide of American political influence will have to shift in favor of justice) If my trip has shown me anything, it's that Palestinians are working on it. The peace-seeking organizations are growing, and villagers are uniting in the strategy of nonviolence.

I also believe that most of the hard work for peace will have to come from the people who live there. BUT, considering the U.S.'s huge role in allowing Israel to continue to operate illegally against the rest of the world's opinion, I recognize that as a U.S. citizen I have a responsibility and the possibility for effecting change in U.S. opinion and legislation.

MLK's words from his letter from Birmingham jail encourage me to act: "I cannot sit idly by in Atlanta and not be concerned about what happens in Birmingham. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly."

And further along in his letter, MLK says: "You may well ask: "Why direct action? Why sit-ins, marches and so forth? Isn't negotiation a better path?" You are quite right in calling, for negotiation. Indeed, this is the very purpose of direct action. Nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a community which has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue. It seeks to so dramatize the issue that it can no longer be ignored. My citing the creation of tension as part of the work of the nonviolent-resister may sound rather shocking. But I must confess that I am not afraid of the word "tension." I have earnestly opposed violent tension, but there is a type of constructive, nonviolent tension which is necessary for growth."

Let us recognize the potential for change through nonviolent direct action, and support the Palestinian people as they explore this potential themselves.