MER - www.MiddleEast.org - Mid-East Realities

MID-EAST REALITIES - www.MiddleEast.Org - Washington - 12/08/2003:

It's the anniversary again of the first uprising that became known as the "Intifada" and has added a new word to the dictionary worldwide.

On this day 16 years ago it began.

It had actually been going on in various forms throughout the past 20th century, now more violent and with greater world effect than ever into the 21st. But before this date in 1987 it was just called opposition to the Israeli military occupation.

With the coming of the "Intifada", the "Uprising", the Palestinians were able to give definition and slogan to their historic quest to free themselves from Israeli (and in an important sense from U.S.) occupation and to achieve real independence and fullfillment of their historic rights as enshrined in more U.N. resolutions than any other world issue.

Adjusted to be comparable to the U.S. population, just since the Intifada began the occupied Palestinian people have suffered more than a quarter million killed and more than 4 million injured.

The Palestinian people are to be saluted for their still-growing sacrifice, bravery and determination in the face of still-growing brutality, oppression, and treachery.