Khalida Jarrar, imprisoned Palestinian feminist, parliamentarian and political leader, issued a statement from HaSharon prison on the occasion of International Women’s Day, greeting all struggling women in the world. The message was delivered by Palestinian lawyer Hanan al-Khatib, who visited Jarrar in prison; she is serving a 15-month sentence and was arrested on 2 April 2015. The statement follows:
On this day, we affirm that we are Palestinian prisoners of struggle, and part of the Palestinian women’s movement, and that the national and social struggle goes on constantly and continuously until we win our freedom from occupation, and our freedom as women from all forms of injustice, oppression, violence and discrimination against women. On this day, Palestinian women mark this occasion in light of the crimes of the occupation against Palestinian women, children, elders and youth. This year, our call focuses on the freedom and self-determination of our people, and the freedom and self-determination of Palestinian women: achieving equality and liberation, and ending all forms of oppression and injustice committed against them. We stand as part of a global struggle with all the world’s women freedom fighters: against injustice, exploitation and oppression.
