Report from the Palestinian National Initiative – Al Mubadara

July 2, 2004

British Actress Vanessa Redgrave announces her decision to support the Palestinian National Initiative

During a recent visit to the Gaza Strip and West Bank, Oscar winning actress Vanessa Redgrave met with Dr Mustafa Barghouthi, General Secretary of the Palestinian National Initiative, Al Mubadara, after which she announced her decision to support Al Mubadara in her activities in England.

The meeting, which was also attended by various members of Al Mubadara, opened with a discussion on the Wall, and the humanitarian disaster it is likely to create. Whilst Dr Barghouthi presented maps demonstrating Sharon’s plan to annex large parts of the West bank and the creation of a Palestinian State upon a series of Bantustans, Vanessa Redgrave expressed her horror at the sight of Palestinians imprisoned within the 78 enclaves that have been created by the Wall’s path. Dr Barghouthi added that even access to medical care is often denied to the Palestinians living within the enclaves.

Dr Mustafa Barghouthi went on to introduce Al Mubadara as a democratic movement that was founded by himself, the late Professor Edward Said, Dr Haider Abdel Shafi and Mr Ibrahim Dakak. He presented Vanessa Redgrave with a series of publications describing the movement and what it strives to achieve. Vanessa Redgrave was very interested in the opportunity it opened to the silent majority in Palestine, and was particularly pleased to hear about the high level of support Al Mubadara receives from Palestinian women and youth.

Alongside Dr Barghouthi, Vanessa Redgrave expressed her concern at the decrease in support shown towards Palestinian civil society and humanitarian organizations, arguing that rather that a move towards peace, this represents a move towards further horror. She commended Al Mubadara’s efforts to work alongside Palestinian civil society groups, in order to establish a sovereign and independent Palestinian State with a democratic internal infrastructure and agreed to refer to the work of civil society in future public events.

After planning further visits to see the work Al Mubadara during her next trip to the Palestinian Territories, Vanessa Redgrave delighted both Dr Barghouthi and the other members present, by expressing an interest in supporting the movement in England.