THE plight of people in Palestine living under the Israeli blockade came under the spotlight at an International Women’s Day event held at the Mosses Centre in Bury.

About 30 women, many asylum seekers and refugees, attended the event which featured Linda Clair and Norma Turner of the Manchester Palestine Solidarity Campaign. They showed a short and moving film about those living under the Israeli blockade.

Men rise before dawn to progress through the “cattle cages” into Israel to seek work, a wearying, humiliating and often fruitless task which takes many hours. Women left behind in the Gaza Strip survive and resist in any way they can.

To keep their culture alive, some have got together at “Jameela's Kitchen” to forage, harvest and cook simple yet delicious food on elementary fires and clay ovens.

Linda and Norma went on to demonstrate how to make some of these traditional Palestinian foods, hummus and a mint-flavoured salad, which those at the Mosses Centre shared and ate with pitta bread.

The Solidarity Campaign has produced a “Recipes of Resistance” book which can be obtained from Linda at lindaclair@btinternet.com or by calling her at 07985 624968. The Mosses Centre event ended in a sense of understanding and shared enjoyment across several nationalities and cultures.