Khitam Saafin, president of the Union of Palestinian Women's Committees, has been in Valladolid on the occasion of the Seventh Week international anti-apartheid Israel. - How did UPWC and for what purpose?
He started in 1980 as a national organization for Palestinian women left fighting for Palestinian freedom. And born with two specific objectives are: to raise social awareness of women's Palestinian civilians and trying to change and improve your life so that they adopt the criteria of progressive life in accordance with modern standards for Palestinian society.
- What is the role of Palestinian women in Israeli occupation?
"Since the beginning been involved in the resistance against the occupation. This struggle takes place both inside and outside Palestine and we must remember that fight at all levels, both political and military level. Palestinian women participate in all campaigns that are being made against 'apartheid', campaigns that are related to the release of prisoners or boycott campaigns. Although it is not something that comes free because unfortunately many fall. This last year 38 women have died in the 'checkpoints' (control areas). The role of women is critical because the most important men in the fighting or are dead or in jail or in exile, so that somehow the remainder of that social fabric is basically defended by women .
- What about Palestinian women political prisoners in Israeli jails?
-37 women are currently in Israeli jails, many of them mothers of young children. Some of these women have even give birth in prison while handcuffed and obviously in bad health conditions. Of those 37 women, two of them are forced isolation, so unrelated and no chance of being visited. Visit political prisoners is something very difficult in the country. Even children a year need special permission to visit their mothers and usually do not give these permits. It is very difficult to visit prisoners, and you have to take a bus early in the morning takes you through several 'checkpoints', in which are long and you go changing bus. You get to be for six hours at each checkpoint. Not only that, but they make you wait up naked, completely naked.
- What is the Palestinian view of the revolutions in the Arab world?
- Most of the Palestinian population is happy and hoping that this will lead to changes in the Arab world because of these revolutions. I am sure that these revolutions are for the better and help resolve problems that Arabs are suffering in these places. As much as I say, it has been civilians who have taken this decision in no way influenced by the political classes, to try to remove these dictators who have seized on their societies through corruption. I hope these revolutions in the Arab world led to all these places more democratic societies. Furthermore, we believe that this revolution get more support from all these people to their demands and struggle of our people.
- Do you think then that all this stress can lead to a new intifada?
"Maybe, because somehow all these revolutions may be an example to show the Palestinian people and maybe start a new phase in their struggle. You can be the beginning of a new era and even the occupants suspect a new response inspired by all these movements. If they persist in the kind of occupation that have so far, probably will lead to a new confrontation.
- Your visit is encompassed in the Seventh International Week against the 'Apartheid' Israel, what were the specific reasons for his visit to Spain?
- Mainly to 'lobby', which although it sounds horrible thing, is something we should have learned long ago the Zionist Jews. We have also come to try to raise awareness among the English population.
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