[ 7/3/2003, Chapel Hill News  Hassan Safvi]

The writer of the June 29 letter captioned "Palestinian group promotes martyrdom" disingenuously tried to paint the International Solidarity Movement as a terrorist organization and Brian Avery as a misguided young man who got what he deserved.  

I also did the minimum research that your writer referred to by visiting the web site for ISM. The stated goals of the ISM read "As enshrined in international law and UN resolutions, we recognize the Palestinian right to resist Israeli violence and occupation via legitimate armed struggle. However, we believe that nonviolence can be a powerful weapon in fighting oppression and we are committed to the principles of nonviolent resistance." This is a vastly different image than what was conveyed by the writer by selectively discarding passages that did not support his premise.

He also draws upon the statements of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs to support his viewpoint that the ISM takes part in "illegal and violent actions". Any action that opposes the atrocities and excesses of the Israeli army is viewed as such by the Israeli authorities. The death of Rachel Cory, another ISM volunteer, under an Israeli bulldozer while trying to prevent a house demolition and the shooting of Brian Avery to me were "illegal and violent actions". Both were unarmed. They were the real heroes much to the consternation of your correspondent who would rather trivialize the deaths and suffering of the ISM volunteers and the people in the occupied territories.  

Hassan Safvi