Morgan Bach, Zennie62 vlogger and Oakland Adams Point – Lake Merritt resident, is in Gaza, and posted this livestream video-blog three hours ago, today. “This is Morgan and I’m here with Susannah and friends, and we’re here to express our support and solidarity with the people of Gaza, who have been marching for the Right Of Return” for the last month and a half – and they’re still marching. Over a hundred people have been shot and skilled and hundreds more injured and diabled. So we’re here to travel around Palestine and bring some awareness to the issues that Palestinians are facing here. So we came all the way here to the boarder of Gaza. Here, behind me, you can see this watchtower and the trenches that surround the Gaza Strip. So, we are going to leave now, because there are some soldiers approaching. Follow us at #SumoGaza for updates.” As a note, The Right Of Return March started March 30th of this year.
This is not Morgan’s first trip to Palestine. Over the course of our three years of friendship, she has traveled there three times, and has been there many time before that period of time.
The “Susannah” Morgan refers to is her friend Susannah Nachenberg, also from Oakland. Morgan and Susannah made their first trip to Gaza in 2013, with Interfaith Peace Builders which is now called “Eyewitness To Palestine.” (As a note, Ms. Bach is Christian; Ms. Nachenberg is Jewish.) This is their YouTube video that was a 2013 trip fundraising request:
The American Friends Service Committee explains “ Right Of Return” this way:
Approximately 750,000 Palestinians were displaced and became refugees as a result of the 1948 war which led to the founding of Israel. None of these displaced persons were ever allowed to return to the homes or communities from which they were displaced and the Palestinian refugee population has continued to grow in the time that has passed since 1948. Today there are more than 7 million Palestinian refugees scattered around the world. The reality of Palestinian forced displacement is at the core of the Palestinian experience and the Palestinian refugee issue is at the heart of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
Palestinians and supporters contend that “right of return” is a basic tenant of international law. Visit the American Friends Service Committee (click here) website on Palestinian Fefugees and The Right Of Return for more information.
Stay tuned.