I have been expelled from the country.
Israel decided that I was unwelcome, and they sent me packing.
The Ministry of the Interior declared that I did nothing illegal, I have not broken the law, yet “we do not want you in the country, you must go”.
Why? Because Israeli settlers, who live in illegal settlements, who attack and commit atrocities every day against people who simply try to lead a normal life, have written a report on me and they have sent it to the immigration office.
At the airport they were waiting for me.
“You have breached an unwritten law and got the attention of the wrong people”, these are the words they told me.
Soon before leaving, a Palestinian – a dear one for me – told me “Sooner or later everyone pays the price of their choices”.
Indeed, and I have paid the price for mine. Choices that I would make again, regardless of the pain I feel daily.
But I don’t want to talk about me, I want to talk about those who pay the price every day.
Because three hours by plane from Milan there is an entire community who fight every day to keep living in their homeland; to farm their lands; to build a road, a house, or a bathroom; to gather olives; to go to school.
They fight for living.

These words are written by Mohammed Hureini, a Palestinian activist from Masafer Yatta (South Hebron Hills), after he was unjustly arrested on August 5th, 2023, while grazing on his land.
Yesterday Haj Suleiman, man, father, activist, "wise elder" from the village of Umm al Khair, passed away. We were told that he was sick, in critical condition, after an Israeli police truck had run over him and dragged him for meters. What always struck us about Haj Suleiman was that during the actions in defense of his land, his village, his people, he was always in the front line. We saw him stand in front of soldiers, police, bulldozers with his arm raised to be the first to defend others from the violence of the occupation, we heard his voice calling for respect, rights and humanity. Unaware that he would surely be beaten and arrested, he was always ready to pay the price himself. Today in that "front line" he leaves a void. "Haj, wherever you are, wherever we are, give us the strength to fill that void and continue the fight for justice as you did!"
OPERAZIONE COLOMBA
