Will new form of protest promote Palestinian state?

A new group was recently created on Facebook calling for the independence of the Palestinian people using an original concept – writing the words 'Free Palestine' on Israeli currency notes. The New Israeli Shekel (NIS) is the official currency in the Palestinian Authority and it circulates between Israel and the PA.

Talking to Ynet, group founder Salah Barghouti discussed the initiative. "We were sitting and thinking of how we can voice our protest in a non-violent way and then the idea came up to write a clear short message on the notes."





The notes - getting support from India and Finland

He stressed that the protest was only to be carried out by way of peaceful means. "Our goal is that these currency notes reach Israeli politicians and even Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, so that they get the message."

Barghouti noted that they were looking for a short phrase that wouldn't sound extreme. Yet he still doubts whether the Bank of Israel would be pleased to hear about the initiative.

Barghouti and his friend Amad Abu-Sumeia claim that this is a simple, creative, innovative and non-violent method of spreading Palestinian protest. They are pleading with people who have joined the group on Facebook to protest actively.

The group received an overwhelming response on Facebook. Most of the comments are supportive of the idea and people have promised to implement it.

A group member from India said that if he found any Shekels he would write the message on them. While a group member from Finland commented that the idea was excellent but it was a shame that there weren't any Shekels to be found in his country.