Australia, May 6 (Pal Telegraph) - For this year's Nakba commemoration, Australians for Palestine and Women forPalestine are presenting something rather different from the usualexhibitions and public lectures.

The UK's most renowned playwright Caryl Churchill was so shocked by the horrors being visited on the Palestinians inGaza during Israel's 3-week bombardment that she wrote a play to juxtaposethis human suffering with the same human suffering that happened in adifferent time, a different place and to another people.

She called theplay "Seven Jewish Children" and its packed-out performances in London and then New York, where the controversy over Rachel Corrie's play still lingers, have countered the critics wanting to label it anti-Semitic and an evocation of the dreadful blood libels against Jews in a long distant past.

The London play premiered in London on 6 February and was performed by nine Jewish actors. It opened in New York on 16 March and Jewish film reviewers have said that the play is "sensitive", "penetrating", "beautiful". Rebecca Vilkomerson from the Jewish Peace News said: "I've read it three times (it only takes about five minutes), and each time it has brought me to tears.

As someone living in Tel Aviv, raising two daughters, struggling with when and how and what to tell them--I found it devastating and true."

Its Australian premiere is in Melbourne on 18 May and we would like you to judge for yourself. It will be performed by the brilliant British actress Miriam Margolyes who is currently the star lead in the Melbourne show "Realism" and Australia's own iconic Max Gillies and highly acclaimed performers Tony Llewellyn-Jones, John Leary and Alison Bell.

Please mark this event in your diaries as something not to be missed. The play is only 10 mins, but it will leave you reeling.

Two Palestinian films will follow the performances. The first film is the new "This Palestinian Life" by Phillip Rizk about ordinary Palestinians' non-violent struggle against Israel's occupation and stealing of Palestinian land.

Rizk made headline news around the world this year when he was arrested by Egyptian state security agents and held for four days after he took partin a march in support of Gaza. The second film is the moving "La Terre parle Arabe - The Land speaks Arabic" by Maryse Gargour, a most fitting way to remember the Nakba and the catastrophic repercussions that the uprooting of a people has had to this day.

Visit http://www.australiansforpalestine.com which we hope will continue to bring you news and commentaries on Palestine as well as the activities being undertaken in support of Palestine here in Australia.

By Sonja Karakr