On loss and faith – in my mother’s memory

BDS Berlin is deeply saddened to learn about the passing away of Wafieh Barghouti,  the fearless woman and political dissident and mother of BDS co-founder Omar Barghouti. We extend our condolences to him and the family.

Some of us, of course, still vividly remember the intensive week we spent together with him in Berlin, the talks he gave, the pannel discussions he participated in, and – he insisted on this – the visit of all Berlin memorials for the victims of fascism and colonialism. This made it more clear than anything that Omar is deeply convinced that the struggle for Palestinian rights is a universal struggle.

The attempt to prevent his attendance at his mother’s funeral is a shameful practice aimed at punishing, him, a principled human rights defender for promoting Palestinian rights as well as the rights of others. We stand in solidarity with Omar and against the hardships imposed by the Israeli regime and believe that equality, justice, and freedom will prevail in Palestine.

Berlin, September 18, 2018