My husband, Khadr Adnan, has now become a household name across the world. Four months ago he was unknown outside of our homeland, Palestine. His hunger strike of 66 days has now transformed him into a towering global figure and a shining symbol of my people’s struggle.

Our life was turned upside down on 17 December 2011 when Israeli troops raided our home in Araba village, south of Jenin, in the occupied West Bank. It was about 3am when they broke down the doors and stormed into our house.

The havoc they wreaked would always remain etched on the minds of our two daughters, Ma’ali, aged four and Baysan, one and a half years old. I would not be surprised if even our unborn baby which I now bear will also be affected. Such was the trauma that accompanied the Israeli raid.

Randa Musa is married to hungerstriker Khadr Adnan, who is 66 days in his protest. Read the rest of her piece here.

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In 2007, Israel’s internal security agency, the Shin Bet, stated it would “thwart the activity of any group or individual seeking to harm the Jewish and democratic character of the state of Israel, even if such activity is sanctioned by the law”. In 2008, Shin Bet’s chief, Yuval Diskin, told US officials that many of the “Arab-Israeli population” are taking their rights “too far”. Last month, MK Tibi had two proposed bills thrown out by the Knesset presidency on the grounds that they undermined “Israel’s existence as the state of the Jewish people” (in accordance with the Knesset’s rules of procedure).

Thus, as Palestinian citizens work for an end to decades of ethno-religious discrimination, a clear message is being sent through the targeting of their political leadership. The threat that is deemed intolerable by the state is devastatingly simple: the demand for equality.

- Ben White on how elected representatives of the Palestinian community in Israel face growing harassment by the state, fellow MKs and the media [read the entire article here]

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