When we see the recent victories of candidates supporting the Palestinian cause in America, we need to remember Mr. Iyad Burnat, and others like him, who sowed the seeds through his frequent tours of the United States to educate people about the reality on the ground.
Iyad Burnat, who undertook many tours and invited many foreigners to his village and home, began teaching us from the front lines and from the ground itself about what is happening in Palestine. He spoke at numerous American universities, conferences, and meetings, and participated in many demonstrations in America, especially at those outside of AIPAC conferences.
In 2012, he embarked on a long and arduous tour of meetings and conferences for three consecutive months to attract many Americans and students to the Palestinian cause. This was followed by several conferences and meetings in subsequent years, with tours occurring once, twice, or even three times a year since then. After several tours, he received the James Lawson Global Award in 2015.
His last tour was in 2026, during which he met with some candidates supporting the Palestinian cause, such as Aber Kawas in New York (shown in the attached photo).
Iyad Burnat, along with his family and the people of his village, has suffered greatly because of his practice of nonviolent resistance. All kinds of violence have been used against him to stop his path. He and his sons were imprisoned for several years, wounded, and his home raided dozens of times.
Despite the violence inflicted upon him, he has continued to bring his message to the world: that Palestinians are a people who want freedom like all other peoples of the world; that they are a people who want to live in security and peace; that they are not against Jews in the world, but rather against the Zionist occupation; and that they are working for a better future for their children and all children.
Today, we are witnessing fruitful results through the ongoing primary elections in America: Zohran Mamdani, Aber Kawas, Adam Hamawy, and Abdul El-Sayed, in New York, New Jersey, and Michigan. These results give us a sense of relief and hope for a better future, proving that the work of Iyad and others has not been in vain. And hopefully the future holds even greater things.
Educating people about the reality and the truth of the conflict is very important. We must continue to support and highlight the legitimate struggle of Palestinians, both at home and abroad, until injustice, racism, and tyranny end.