Starhawk deported from Israel

American activist and feminist Starhawk denied entry and deported from Israel.

Thursday March 13, 2008 by Mary Firth - IMEMC News Report

Starhawk, well known American anarchist activist was deported by the Israeli government on Thursday. Altho she practices the Pagan religion, she is very proud of her Jewish heritage.

Starhawk, author of many works celebrating the Goddess movement and Earth-based, feminist spirituality arrived in Tel Aviv Wednesday, 12 March.

She was in Palestine to help teach a permaculture course in the northern West Bank as well as working with earth activists to develop a project in the Bethlehem area.

Dr. Joanne Taylor, a British psychologist commented on the deportation "clearly the Israeli authorities are paranoid even about letting people grow crops and conserve rainwater on their own land."

Declaring herself as 'a peace, environmental, and global justice activist and trainer, a permaculture designer and teacher, a Pagan and Witch', perhaps this earthy combination was just too threatening for the powers that be. Starhawk's key message is that the power we hold within ourselves has potential far greater than any people can have over us.

Certainly survival of the Palestinian people depends on being able to feed themselves; whilst even access to water is under threat from the Israeli military occupation, learning ways to recycle and store this is an urgent priority.

One of the most respected voices in modern earth-based spirituality, Starhawk is also well-known as a global justice activist and organizer, whose work and writings have inspired many to action. Her works have been translated into many languages and her essays reprinted across the world.

Starhawk's newest book is The Earth Path: Grounding Your Spirit in the Rhythms of Nature. It would seem that Israel has much to fear from such open-minded thinking and this cowardly move will only help spread her word more widely.