On March 23rd, 2019, the
Palestinian News Network (PNN) published an article about the Free Movement Marathon that takes place in
Bethlehem City located in the West Bank. This year marks the seventh
anniversary of the marathon, and individuals from around the world have joined
the movement alongside Palestinian civilians. The article states an increasing
amount of international interest among the Palestinian cause that calls for
freedom against Israeli occupancy. The West Bank has been occupied under Israeli control since the
War of 1967. Palestinian people desire independence of the West Bank and Gaza Strip to create a future state of Palestine. The marathon was established by the Palestine
Olympic Committee (POC), an organization that highlights freedom of
movement for Palestinians against Israeli occupancy. The
Free Movement Marathon (also referred to as thePalestine Marathon) gathers Palestinians and outsiders from around the world to join in the efforts of peaceful protest against Israel by moving freely in Palestinian territory. It begins at the main square in Bethlehem and guides the
runners through the Aida Refugee Camp and al-Khader village.
Bethlehem, a holy
site, attracts tourism for its historical connections to Islam, Christianity,
and Judaism. The Marathon designedly proceeds alongside the refugee camp and
the West Bank Barrier (or separation wall) to demonstrate the Palestinian
perspective of living in an occupied territory surrounded by barriers.
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| Israeli West Bank Barrier (Separation Wall) |
The article explains one
instance of Palestinian members of the Aida Refugee Camp joining the marathon near
an Israeli watchtower. They were accompanied by international volunteers for a peaceful non-aggressive protest by entering the marathon away from the starting point. Palestinians are able
to share their struggles with the world, and they will continue to fight for
Palestinian independence of the West Bank and constrained Gaza strip. About 600 participants of the 8,000 total were European
Union (EU) members that joined the marathon movement to
show their support for Palestine under the theme “EU4Palestine.” The
participation of members from outside countries signifies the international
recognition and participation of the basic human rights that Palestinians are
fighting for today. The article quotes EU Representative in Jerusalem, RalphTarraf , who believes the Palestine Marathon is a platform for Palestinians to share their message of fighting for freedom to the world.
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| Participants of the Palestine Marathon with Medals |
There is no author attributed to the news article, however
the viewpoint of the author is in favor of Palestinian rights and
simultaneously against the “illegal occupation” of Palestinian territories. The emotional ties to nationalism and fighting for freedom
are key components of the article and clear reflections of the subjective
opinion of the writer. The repetition of "basic human rights" of movement and freedom are abundant and thematic undertones as the purpose of the media story. The title given for the article states the non-profit organization,
OneVoice, but fails to discuss its connection to the Palestine Marathon
throughout the article.
OneVoice is a grassroots organization, mainly in the U.S. and Britain, to initiate negotiations of reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians.
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| OneVoice (Grassroots Org. for Israel/Palestine Conflict) Logo |
The author describes the international
participants “freely” moving outside designated tourist areas and “breaking
into” candid Palestine alongside the separation wall and refugee camp. The
author articulates the attention-grabbing conditions of Palestinian lives under Israeli occupancy through the images of the structures that exist. The author uses
pejorative language when describing Israeli occupation, because the article
never refers to ‘the state of Israel’ as an involved figure in the marathon
despite mentioning OneVoice which is a conflict resolution grassroots project.
Instead Israeli occupation is referred to as “illegal” and a “struggle” for
Palestinians in their fight for self-determination. The article quotes EU
Representative, Ralph Tarraf, twice with the same quote at the beginning and
end of the article. Ralph Tarraf is a representative of the EU in Jerusalem
that frequently writes about the Palestinian rights to freedom, and in using
his quote conveys speculative affirmation of European Union support.
An array of photographs taken at the marathon are displayed throughout the article. Aside from photos of women and children, one interesting photo on the last page of the article is a young boy holding a sign that reads “EuroVision:Art Washing Apartheid” and “BDS” which are forms of boycotting and protest of
Israel. The article ends with a positive point of view for Palestine pursuing
the marathon as a basic human right to freedom, yet the last photo portrays the
struggle of protest against Israel among civilians who continually fight for an
independent state of Palestine.
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| Ralph Tarraf, EU Representative in Jerusalem |
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