[Thomas shows solidarity with Hunger-striking prisoners (WAFA Photo)]
Ramallah: English comedian and political satirist Mark Thomas on Sunday invited world activists and comedians to join the fight against Israel’s illegal policies against Palestinian prisoners, who are currently on a hunger strike against inhumane prison conditions among other demands.
Thomas spoke to WAFA in an interview upon his arrival to the solidarity tent set up in the West Bank city of Ramallah, where he arrived to be part of the “Water and Salt” challenge in support of the Palestinian prisoners’ mass open-ended hunger strike, launched on April 17.
He called on artists and comedians around the world to show solidarity with the Palestinian people and praised British street artist Banksy, who opened the “Walled Off” hotel near the apartheid wall in the city of Bethlehem, calling it a “fantastic piece of advocacy.”
“I want my fellow artists and comedians, and all artists of every country, to show solidarity. If you’re politically engaged, you have to be aware of what is happening here and you have to support,” said Thomas.
He added that it is important for the whole world to know about Palestinians since Israel – an Apartheid State as he described – is yet to treat people like human beings.
“The world thinks that Palestinians are either victims or terrorists, and actually, they’re everything in between. The system that Palestinians are living under is a military occupation. It’s an apartheid system,” he stressed.
Thomas said the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis is “one-sided conflict” and “an apartheid regime”.
When asked about how peace can be achieved between Palestinians and Israelis, the English comedian said, “First and foremost, the occupation has to end. That is the beginning, that is the middle and that is the end.”
An English comedian, presenter and political satirist, Thomas is very vocal about being pro-Palestinian. In 2011, he walked the entire length of Israel's separation wall, which swallows a huge percentage of Palestinian territories, in the West Bank and spoke with Palestinians and Israeli settlers and officials.
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