Palestinian Man On Hunger Strike For Baby's Right To Reside In Beitol Moqaddas
Reageer (0)31-7-2010
BERLIN, -- A Palestinan man went on hunger strike in front of the Israeli embassy here, to fight for his daughter's right to reside in occupied Beitol Moqaddas.
Speaking to Iranian news agency IRNA, Firas Maraghy stressed his hunger strike was aimed at getting the Israeli travel documents for his seven-month-old baby which would allow her to reside in the city.
"I come from Jerusalem and I have Israeli travel documents. I want my seven-month-old baby daughter also to own travel documents so that she can go with me to Jerusalem without a problem," said Maraghy who began his hunger strike on July 26.
"Why can't I have this right for my daughter to live there, while other people coming from this end of the world, can live so much easier. They can't explain that. It's so racist," he added.
Maraghy, whose wife is German, pointed out Beitol Moqaddas was his "home" and his hunger strike was geared at defending his daughter's right to live in his native city.
"Maybe after 20 years, she may say that she don't want this (to live in Jerusalem) but it is a father's duty to protect her right," he reiterated.
He pointed out Israeli authorities have refused to issue the necessary travel documents for his daughter despite repeated requests.
Maraghy approached German officials to help him with his case.
He slammed Israel's racial laws in Beitol Moqaddas which are openly discriminating against Palestinians as part of a wide-scale ethnic cleansing programme.
"My grandfather was born in Jerusalem before the Israeli state was created and I was born in Jerusalem before (Israeli foreign minister) Avigdor Lieberman came to Israel.
He vowed to continue his hunger strike until his daughter receives the required travel documents.
Thousands of Palestinian residents have also their Israeli-conferred status as a resident of East Beitol Moqaddas revoked over the past years and with it the right to live permanently or work in the occupied Palestinian territories.
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