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APPEAL TO HELP A FRIEND IN GAZA
May 3, 2020 at 14:08 (Action Alert, Gaza)
GAZA IS STARVING …. HERE’S A WAY FOR YOU TO HELP
March 31, 2019 at 17:35 (Action Alert, Gaza)
This link will help put food on the table of one family in war stricken Gaza
PLEASE HELP ……
Pay Hassan Darwish using PayPal.Me
Go to paypal.me/hassandarwish97 and type in the amount. Since it’s PayPal, it’s easy and secure. Don’t have a PayPal account? No worries.
paypal.me
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Here you can put a face to Hassan’s name ….
ZIONIST HATRED IN THE WASHINGTON POST
March 25, 2019 at 15:10 (Action Alert, AIPAC, zionist Slander)
Opening the Washington Post today, we were aghast. Prominently displayed on page 8 was a full-page ad falsely accusing Representative Ilhan Omar of being anti-semitic. “The Jews control the world with their money” – words Rep. Omar NEVER said – were splattered next to her face, leaving readers to assume it was a quote.
The ad was produced and purchased by the notorious Rabbi Shmuley, a hate-monger whose agenda is well-known: to demand U.S. compliance with Israel’s status quo of occupation and apartheid. Why is the Washington Post allowing Shmuley to purchase such an outrageous ad inciting hatred against the first black, Muslim hijab-wearing member of Congress? Contact the Washington Post now. Tell them to apologize to Rep. Omar and promise not to print ads that propagate lies and hate. We will hand deliver your signatures to the Post.
As Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib wrote: “This is a false ad that only serves to incite violence toward a Black Muslim woman. It’s fear-mongering and we need to stand together and say this type of hate should not have a place in our newspapers or society.”
We know the results of inciting such hatred: We just saw the murder of 50 Muslims in New Zealand with the shooter crediting President Trump as an inspiration to white nationalists across the world.
The stakes are higher than ever right now. After years and years of Congress providing unquestioned support for Israel and kowtowing to the Israel lobby, we now have members of Congress openly supporting the boycott, divestment, and sanctions movement. And for the first time ever, nearly every Democratic presidential candidate is refusing to attend the AIPAC conference happening in Washington, D.C.
Skipping AIPAC used to be considered political suicide, but now it’s AIPAC that is toxic. No one looking to establish their progressive credentials wants to be associated with blind support for the apartheid state. That’s why Rabbi Shmuley is desperate to frame Rep. Ilhan Omar as an enemy of the Jewish people.
The Washington Post knows what Rep. Omar has and has not said; it knows that Rabbi Shmuley’s ad is misleading and repulsive. So why print it?
From CODEPINK
TELL AMAZON TO STOP PEDDLING HATE
October 22, 2018 at 10:25 (Action Alert, Anti fascism, DesertPeace Exclusive, Hate crimes)
Let Amazon know that you live in a
The world was finally rid of the infamous Judeo nazi, Meir Kahane, 28 years ago on November 5th, 1990 …..
Yet, after all these years Amazon is still peddling his (and his son’s) hatred on line under the guise of religion. Let them know this is unacceptable! Post on their FaceBook page https://www.facebook.com/Amazon/
Here is what they are peddling ….
This book contains 104 divrei Torah from Rabbis Meir and Binyamin Kahane — zealous firebrands who died for God’s land and people. Excerpted from their writings, the divrei Torah urge Jews to trust God, not man, and create a truly Jewish country — safe from enemies within and without. Also included in this volume is an appendix with four Kahane articles that typify their thought and reveal how they planned on triumphing despite Israel’s political ban against them.
Surely there are enough garbage dumpsters in your area where this type of trash might be found!
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Also this … (Just in time for Halloween)
Imagine being a Palestinian child and seeing another child dressed up as an IDF soldier at school or Halloween party. It’s time for Amazon to drop this costume.
Palestinian children are terrorized by Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). Each year Israeli military arrests and prosecutes around 700 Palestinian children. 3 out of 4 of these children experience physical violence during arrest or interrogation. Letting children dress up as IDF is a shameful activity and Amazon.com should follow the practice of other retailers in the U.S. and stop selling IDF costumes.
URGENT APPEAL FROM THE CHILDREN IN GAZA
August 12, 2018 at 11:46 (Action Alert, Collective Punishment, DesertPeace Exclusive, Gaza, Palestine, Rights of The Child)
‘When Israeli forces destroyed the cultural centre, they thought they would also destroy our dreams’
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Dear Gaza Children Cinema friends and supporters,
First and foremost, we would like to repeatedly extend our sincere gratitude for your kind and generous support to our Gaza education community-based initiative: Gaza Children Cinema.
We have been silent in the last few months but invariably busy with organising fundraising events to extend the wonderful momentum of the project to further reach to children communities in Gaza. We also have been minutely working with our partner in Gaza, Tamer Institute for Community Education to plan for the second phase of cinema workshops implementation across the enclave Gaza Strip.
Children in Gaza need our help and support to heal. Please consider contributing to Gaza Children Cinema to provide spaces of fun, creatively temporary escapism through basic human engagement: watching a movie in a safe environment.
According to a recent study by Gaza-based university professors of psychological health, Dr Jamil Tahrawi and Dr Sanaa Abu-Dagga, “Drawings of Palestinian Children after the War on Gaza,” 82.3 percent of 445 children surveyed have drawn images related to war. These include: fighter planes, destroyed homes and mosques, Israeli rockets and missiles, dead Palestinians, various military vehicles, and fighters. The drawings showed fear, terror, and sadness over the those killed and wounded. The study is available in Arabic here.
But there is still hope. Dr. Tahrawi explained that art could be used as a bridge to a better future and that despite the gruesome content of many of the children’s pictures the drawings could help the children overcome their grief and move on.
“The children can relieve their stress by expressing their feelings instead of repressing them. I was surprised at the bright and cheerful colors used by certain children. I expected them all to use bleak colors such as black and brown. But the rainbow of colors is proof of their resilience,” according to Dr. Tahrawi.
“If they are given the chance and the same opportunities as other children they can overcome Gaza’s tragic history and circumstances. Unfortunately we don’t have sufficient people qualified in art therapy in Gaza,” added Tahrawi.
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PIRACY AND TORTURE
August 1, 2018 at 17:33 (Action Alert, Gaza, Hate crimes, Humanitarian Aid Flotilla, International Solidarity, Piracy, Torture)
UNBELIEVABLE THAT THE WEST ALLOWS THIS TORTURE TO CONTINUE
Many people on the Al Awda were beat up and tasered when the IDF fascists boarded the boat. The doctor on board had 2 ribs broken. This remains a very dangerous voyage taken by our brave allies out of love for the people of Gaza and love of justice.
Read the instructions at the end of this post to see what YOU can do.
last group photo sent from Al Awda (The Return).
Two people from Al Awda (The Return) have been released, but most of the crew and participants are still in unlawful detention at Givon prison in Israel. We are still gravely concerned for their safety and well-being as we had no contact with most of them as of 14:00 CESTtoday. We continue to demand that our boat and the medical supplies on board reach their rightful recipients, Palestinian civil society in Gaza.
Although the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) claim that the capture of our vessel happened ‘without exceptional incident’, eye-witness Zohar Chamberlain Regev reports that at the time of boarding: “People on board were tasered and hit by masked IOF soldiers. We did not get our passports or belongings before we got off the boat. Do not believe reports of peaceful interception.” We urgently need to know the details of who was injured and how seriously, and what treatment they are receiving, if any. A military attack on a civilian vessel is a violent act and a violation of international law. Taking 22 people from international waters to a country which is not their destination constitutes an act of kidnapping, which is also unlawful under the international Convention of the Law of Sea.
From the time we lost contact around 13:15 local time on Sunday, we know that the IOF blocked all communication signals, including satellite phones. We are very concerned about this violation of journalists’ right to report freely and we remain gravely concerned about their ability to keep their professional equipment and their storage media. As Australian journalist Chris Graham recently observed “Bad things happen when good people stay silent, as history well records. But horrendous things happen when media are prevented from scrutinizing the actions of a state.”
Two of our participants, Zohar Chamberlain Regev and Yonatan Shapira, Israeli citizens, have been charged with attempting to enter Gaza and conspiracy to commit a crime, and were released on bail last night. Boat leader, Zohar Chamberlain Regev, reports seeing blood on the deck of the Al Awda as the last participants were being dragged off the ship.
In comparison with the violence routinely directed at Palestinian civilians, including at fishers from Gaza, and the violent capture of Palestinian fishing boats, yesterday’s seizure and kidnapping may not be the most serious of Israeli crimes. What these violents acts have in common is that there is no accountability demanded by other governments and Israel continues to enjoy total impunity.
We call on national governments, civil society and international organizations to demand that Israeli authorities immediately release our boat so that we can deliver our much-needed medical supplies on
Al Awda and the fishing boat itself to the rightful recipients in Gaza. Detailed specification of our exact cargo on board are available on request.
Israel’s capture of the lead boat in this Gaza-bound flotilla may seem like a predictable outcome to some, but that doesn’t make it any less violent nor any less illegal. Our second boat
Freedom will follow Al Awda within a day or two, and the Freedom Flotilla will continue until the blockade ends and Palestinians of Gaza regain their full freedom of movement.
Details about detainees still in prison, including their last videos and personal statements, can be found on our website and Facebook pages.
also: https://www.facebook.com/FreedomFlotillaCoalition/posts/2089230181108643
and here: https://twitter.com/GazaFFlotilla/status/1023927626719748096
Call/email/tweet for release of US participant Joe Meadors
Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State
Tel: +1 202 647 4000 (ask for Israel & Palestine desk, and American Citizen Services, and/or Operations Center
Email: pompeom@state.gov
Website: http://state.gov
Twitter: @SecPompeo
Also call:
US Embassy in Israel
U.S. Embassy Jerusalem
Jerusalem 9378322, Israel
Phone: 02-630-4000 (ask for Ambassador, American Citizen Services and/or Duty Officer)
@usembassyjlm
Branch Office Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv 6343229, Israel
Phone: 03-519-7575 (ask for Ambassador, American Citizen Services and/or Duty Officer)
GLOBAL DAY OF ACTION TO FREE THE TAMIMIS
February 8, 2018 at 08:25 (Action Alert, International Solidarity, Palestine)
What can you do on the 18th of February?
Read on to see ….
Free the Tamimis Campaign calls on allies, comrades and supporters around the world to protest the ongoing incarceration and systematic targeting of members of the Tamimi family and the village of Nabi Saleh.
On Tuesday the 19th of December 2017, 17 year old Ahed Tamimi was arrested from her family home in Nabi Saleh by the Israeli army under the cover of darkness. Ahed is one of over 300 Palestinian children in Israeli military detention. Her mother, Nariman Tamimi was arrested later on the same day when she went to inquire about her daughter. On Thursday the 11th of January 2018, Mohammad Tamimi, Ahed’s cousin, was arrested from his home in Nabi Saleh. 11 days later, his brother Osama was also arrested on his way home from work. All of them remain incarcerated and have been subjected to sleep deprivation, emotional abuse and inhumane interrogation.
The Tamimi family and the village of Nabi Saleh are targets of a political campaign that aims to crush their resistance to the Israeli settler colonial regime. The Free the Tamimis Campaign calls on Palestine’s allies, comrades and supporters around the world to take action and demand the release of Ahed, Nariman, Mohammad and Osama, as well as all Palestinian prisoners.
What can you do on the 18th of February?
1. Organize marches and sit-ins in front of the Israeli embassies and consulates.
2. Organize vigils in your towns, neighborhoods, and streets.
3. Call and email your political representatives and demand they take action.
4. Take it to social media and use #FreetheTamimis
For inquiries and support to plan your action, please contact falastine@freetamimis.info
Thank you for your support!
Free the Tamimis Campaign.
From FaceBook
HOW YOU CAN HELP THE CHILDREN OF GAZA
January 29, 2018 at 13:25 (Action Alert, Activism, Australia, Gaza, International Solidarity, Rights of The Child)
The following links were sent to me from Australia. They are all important and will give you an idea how YOU can help the children of Gaza during these most difficult days for them. Please take the time and click on every link posted below.
The following note was sent along with the links by a dear friend and Brother, Ayman Qwaider, from Gaza now living in Perth, Australia:
I am writing to share one of my passionate community education projects called Gaza Children Cinema which I founded in Gaza back in 2013. I often say that only hope left in Gaza is the young generation which we need to invest in to build up a better future for Gaza and for the region. The overall situation in Gaza is devastating which has demoralised me personally a lot. However, I often get energized when watching those kids in Gaza still smiling despite the harsh realities.
Now the links dealing with the activities ……
https://www.facebook.com/GazaChildrenCinema/
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https://www.gofundme.com/gaza-childrens-cinema-2v7zz5dg
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http://www.fopwa.org/2016/11/gaza-childrens-cinema-infofood-stall-perth-wa/
The following are links to articles dealing with the situation ….
They are both MUST READS
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TIME FOR AN APOLOGY
February 25, 2017 at 18:48 (Action Alert, Associate Post, Britain, Cartoons, Palestine, Petition)
ACTION ALERTS FOR ISRAEL APARTHEID WEEK
February 22, 2017 at 12:08 (Action Alert, International Solidarity, Israel, Palestine)
Happening Monday 2/27–Friday 3/3
Israeli Apartheid Week 2017
Israeli Apartheid Week (IAW) is an international series of events meant to shed a light on the settler colonial project and apartheid policies of Israel and build the growing Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement.
This year will mark 100 years of Palestinian resistance against settler colonialism, since the inception of the Balfour Declaration. IAW will be an opportunity to reflect on this resistance and further advance BDS campaigns for the continued growth and impact of the movement. Despite all the legislative attacks on BDS internationally, IAW and the BDS movement continue to build linkages and solidarity with other struggles to achieve freedom, justice, and equality.
For IAW at Columbia, we’ve organized a week of programming meant to educate about Palestine, its history and struggles, as well as how it intersects with other indigenous struggles around the world.
As per tradition, Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine will be installing our mock apartheid wall for display on Low Plaza Mon-Fri, Feb 27-March 3rd from 11am to 4pm. Columbia/Barnard Jewish Voice for Peace will be tabling at the Sun Dial. Drop by for fact sheets, information on events, and for answers to any other questions you have.
#IAW2017 SCHEDULE:
Mock Apartheid Wall
11am-4pm
Mon-Fri
Low Plaza
Check facebook for more information on the event and accessibility
Zionists are Racists
Monday, February 27th
8-10 pm
Math 203
In November, 1975 the United Nations passed the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 3379, a resolution that declared “Zionism is Racism.” With the support of newly liberated African nations, the bill recognized the supremacist ideology of the Israeli nation-state that had predicated its settler colony upon racial apartheid and ethnic cleansing.
Come learn about Israel’s racist and imperialist policies and hear Barney Pityana, leading figure in the Black Consciousness Movement and the South African Students’ Organisation, as well as a close comrade of Steve Biko, will discuss what the BDS struggle looks from the perspective of South Africa.
Check facebook for more information on the event and accessibility
No Peace on Stolen Land: From Standing Rock to Palestine
Tuesday, Febuary 28th
7-9 pm
James Room, Barnard Hall
Say no to the DAPL, no to the occupation of indigenous lands from the U.S. to Palestine, no to the plunder of native resources by imperialist corporations with no regard for our sovereignty, what we hold sacred, and our planet.
Hear from Maile Hampton, a genderfluid afro-native organizer from the Bay Area who has spent years in the student movement and anti-racist movement, about what it means to fight for the self-determination of all oppressed people. This skype conversation will cover organizing strategies, experiences from the struggle against the DAPL at Oceti Sakowin and across the U.S., police repression, cultural resistance, and people’s power. Learn from a water protector how we can best support front line communities in the struggle against environmental destruction and settler colonialism here in the U.S. and how to build international indigenous solidarity with Palestine. From Standing Rock to Palestine, Settler violence is a crime! Resistance is justified! Mni Wiconi! #NoDAPL #FreeAllWaterProtectors #FreeAllPoliticalPrisioners #FreeRedFawn #FreeLeonardPeltier
“When so many people and the system are going after you, you know that the things you’re saying are powerful and true. And you know that they know the things you’re saying are powerful and true.” Maile Hampton
Check facebook for more information on the event and accessibility
50 Years of Occupation: The 1967 Naksa with Prof. Rashid Khalidi
Wednesday, March 1st
7:30-9:30pm
Roone Arledge Cinema, Lerner Hall
NON CUID MUST RSVP TO THIS EVENT
On June 5th, 1967, Israel launched a massive unilateral airstrike on Egyptian territory, destroying the Egyptian Air Force and initiating the Six-Day War between Israel, Jordan, Syria, and Egypt. By the end of the war, the Israeli military had occupied the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem, as well as the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula and the Syrian Golan Heights. Immediately after occupation, Israel initiated the “second wave” of the ethnic cleansing of Palestine – the Naksa, or “setback” – beginning with mass village demolitions and resulting in the displacement of 300,000 Palestinians and 100,000 Syrians from their homes, adding to the 750,000 Palestinians who had been displaced from their homes in the 1948 Nakba, or “catastrophe.”
To this day, the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights remain subjugated under a brutal Israeli military occupation, denied basic human needs like water, electricity, and medical care, and subject to regular civilian massacres by the occupation forces. Most recently, the 2014 assault on Gaza left 2,235 Palestinian civilians dead, including more than 500 children, over the course of 51 days.
As part of Israeli Apartheid Week, join Columbia University Apartheid Divest in remembering the victims of the Naksa, recognizing the 50th year of subsequent military occupation, and discussing its lasting impact on the 69 year Palestinian freedom struggle. Learn how the UN Security Council’s 1967 Resolution 242, condemning Israel’s actions and calling for the right of return for all displaced Palestinian refugees, laid the groundwork for the Palestinian civil society call for Boycotts, Divestment, and Sanctions against Israel – a call we hope to honor by pressuring Columbia’s administration to divest its $10 billion endowment from companies that profit from the occupation.
Check facebook for more information on the event and accessibility
Palestine in U.S. Politics: Israel, AIPAC, and American Foreign Policy
Thursday, March 2nd
6-9 pm
Broadway Room, Lerner Hall
NON CUID MUST RSVP TO THIS EVENT
Israel commands a very strategic role in American foreign interests, representing an integral ally to the US in the Middle East. Israel is the largest recipient of American foreign aid and, just recently, President Obama signed a $38 billion military aid package, solidifying the close relationship between the two nations. President Trump has continuously cited Israel as an inspiration for his racist immigration policies and Prime Minister Netanyahu reciprocally voiced his support for Trump’s plan to build a wall.
Join Columbia University Apartheid Divest as we discuss the place of Palestine in the American political discourse. We are proud to host Professor Joseph Massad from the Middle Eastern, South Asian and African studies department who will share his views on the discourse about Palestine in US Politics, the unique role that Israel plays in US national interests, and the significance of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) in determining the US’ foreign policy towards Palestine and the Middle East region more generally.
Check facebook for more information on the event and accessibility
Teaching Palestine: Scholarship and Resistance
Friday, March 3rd
3-5 pm
Hamilton 717
Join us for a panel discussion between MESAAS PhD candidates Rana Baker, Nasser Abourahme and Matan Cohen who will share their experience in bringing together their academic research and Palestine activism. Their talks will focus on how their scholarship has changed, inspired or hindered their solidarity work on Palestine as well as ideas and strategies for the future.
Check facebook for more information on the event and accessibility
These events are all free and open to the public. Individuals without Columbia U IDs MUST RSVP for Wednesday andThursday’s event by 2/26. RSVP here.
URGENT APPEAL FROM THE WIFE, FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF A PALESTINIAN HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST
February 14, 2017 at 13:29 (Action Alert, Israel's Shame, Palestine)
To: Human rights activists all over the world.
To: peace and justice-loving people around the world
To: Freedom lovers all over the globe
To: ordinary conscientious people every where.
To: Journalists and media professionals around the globe.
Image by Latuff
Urgent appeal from the wife, family and friends of Palestinian human rights activist and veteran prisoner Muhammad Elqiq
We appeal to you once again (for the second time in less than a year) to do your utmost to save Muhammad Elqiq from what seems to be another vindictive Israeli effort to kill Muhammad Elqiq through the slow-death tactic.
Last year, Muhammad survived rather miraculously the macabre 100-day open-ended hunger strike, protesting the callous and inherently inhuman Israeli tactic of the so-called “Administrative detention.” AD is only a mere euphemism for open-ended incarceration without charge or trial for the purpose of humiliating suspected Palestinian activists and breaking their will to resist apartheid and oppression even through totally peaceful and non-violent means. As it is well known, Israeli intelligence was forced last year to release Muhammad, fearing that his death would further destabilize chronically volatile conditions in the Occupied Territories.
Steadfastness and ostensible triumph in the face of might and vindictiveness.
About two weeks ago, SS agents rearrested Muhammad, who is still recuperating from last year’s ordeal, vandalized the home and terrorized the family.
The Israeli court, which is a virtual rubber stamp in the hands of the security service, sentenced Muhammad to six months of administrative detention but without producing any shred of incriminating evidence aside from the vindictive and vengeful desire to punish, torment and kill Muhammad.
In response to this mindless vengeance and hatefulness, Muhammad decided to go on a new hunger strike. Muhammad is not a publicity hound or anything of this sort. He says he simply has no other means of protesting this form of injustice. As this press release is being written down, Muhammad has entered day-9 in his hunger strike.
Once again, we appeal to you to contact the Israeli government agencies and embassies to protest the renewed incarceration of Muhammad Elqiq and demand his immediate release. In a few days, Israeli PM B. Netanyahu will be in Washington D.C. to tell President Trump that Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East. President Trump should tell Netanyahu that a true democracy doesn’t imprison people for years without charger and trial.
Thank you for your efforts
Fayhaa Elqiq (Muhammad’s wife)
Elqiq Family and friends
14 February, 2017
Posted by Khalid Amayreh
LETTER AND PETITION FROM THE STANDING ROCK SIOUX TRIBE
October 29, 2016 at 17:01 (Action Alert, Civil Liberties, Civil Rights, Petition)
If you want to make America great again you MUST sign the petition at the end of this letter
From: Standing Rock Sioux Chairman David Archambault II
Hi,
I am the Chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, which has long opposed the Dakota Access Pipeline project. The pipeline presents a threat to our lands, our sacred sites, and our water.
Now, thousands of American Indians, from more than 300 tribes spanning the continent, have joined with us to stand against this violation of our tribe’s rights under federal laws and regulations. Twenty-one city and county governments have also joined us to stand in opposition to this pipeline.
We demand that construction of this pipeline be stopped before any further damage is done.
While we engage in the long legal process to curtail construction of the pipeline, Dakota Access is still poised to begin construction. Halting the construction was an unprecedented step in response to our powerful movement—and now President Obama must reject the pipeline’s permit outright.
Current and future generations depend on our rivers and aquifer to live. The Dakota Access pipeline jeopardizes the heath of our water and could affect our people, as well as countless communities who live downstream, as the pipeline would cross four states. The pipeline, as designed, would destroy ancient burial grounds, which is a violation of federal law.
On Saturday, September 5, Dakota Access bulldozed two miles of burial grounds. The company’s private security sicced dogs on and pepper-sprayed those who tried to protect the site. This company cannot be trusted. Urgent action is needed to prevent Dakota Access from continuing to violate federal laws.
Over the past year, I have spent a great deal of time addressing the Tribe’s concerns about this pipeline. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has failed to follow the law and has failed to consider the impacts of the pipeline on the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and neighboring communities.
We demand to be heard, and we will continue to stand together for our nation and for all who live with and by the Missouri River, until justice is done.
That’s why I signed a petition to President Barack Obama, which says:
“Reject the Dakota Access Pipeline pipeline and declare this land a cultural district, eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, to ensure its protection.”
Will you sign the petition too? Click here to add your name:
http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/no-dapl?source=s.fwd&r_by=437677
Thanks!
TIME IS RUNNING OUT TO BREAK THE SIEGE ON GAZA
July 20, 2016 at 09:08 (Action Alert, Gaza, Humanitarian Aid Flotilla, International Solidarity, Women)
The Women’s Boat to Gaza seeks not only to challenge the Israeli blockade, but to also show solidarity and bring a message of hope to the Palestinian people. With the support of women, men, non-governmental organizations, civil society groups and from women’s collectives and events around the world, we will make this happen.
Amal-Hope to sail from Barcelona on September 14
The Women’s Boat to Gaza, a project of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, has acquired its first boat. Amal-Hope will set sail from Barcelona on September 14, carrying women who plan to challenge the illegal blockade of Gaza.
In Barcelona, members of the community who support our mission will welcome the Amal-Hope. In 1998, Barcelona was ‘twinned’ with Gaza, with the goal of fostering international support. In 2005, the Barcelona Peace Park was inaugurated in Gaza but destroyed by the Israeli military in 2009. The park was rebuilt in 2010. As her name suggests, Amal-Hope will send a message of hope that the Peace Park and the whole of Gaza must never be bombed again.
Schedule of Events in Barcelona:
Monday 12 September – Music and festival at the port
Tuesday 13 September – Non-violent resistance workshops, local speakers and a tour of the boats
Wednesday 14 September – Local ceremony and departure
The Women’s Boat to Gaza, with prominent women on board including Mairead Macguire, Naomi Wallace, Marama Davidson and Gerd von der Lippe, will visit ports in the Western Mediterranean before reaching the shores of Gaza on 1 October.
Women’s Boat to Gaza initiative:
The Women’s Boat to Gaza is a Freedom Flotilla Coalition initiative. By launching a women’s flotilla, women from all over the world aim to highlight the undeniable contributions and indomitable spirit of Palestinian women who have been central within the Palestinian struggle in Gaza, the West Bank, inside the Green Line and in the diaspora.
Gaza has been under Israeli blockade for the past decade, during which time Israel has also launched countless attacks against the besieged population, turning their life into a nightmare and a continuous struggle. Through Freedom Flotillas and other maritime missions, we have brought international attention to their suffering and their resistance.
The Women’s Boat to Gaza seeks not only to challenge the Israeli blockade, but to also show solidarity and bring a message of hope to the Palestinian people. With the support of women, men, non-governmental organizations, civil society groups and from women’s collectives and events around the world, we will make this happen.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition is composed of civil society organizations and initiatives from many countries. We have been challenging the illegal and inhumane Israeli blockade of Gaza for years and are committed to continue the struggle until the blockade is unconditionally lifted and the Palestinian people everywhere regain their full rights.
For more information please contact spokesperson Wendy Goldsmith at: wendygoldsmith21@gmail.com or (+1) 519 281 3978.
You can support the Women’s Boat to Gaza by donating online:
http://canadaboatgaza.org/donate/
Those who can benefit from a U.S. tax receipt can contribute online at
https://womensboatgaza-nonviolenceinternational.nationbuilder.com/contribute
To find and support other campaigns that are part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, please see: https://wbg.freedomflotilla.org/donations
Other ways to get involved:
Follow us at www.canadaboatgaza.org and www.womensboattogaza.org
www.facebook.com/FreedomFlotillaCoalition/ and www.facebook.com/CanadaBoatGaza/
Twitter @GazaFFlotilla @CanadaBoatGaza
Thank you for your support. Together we can end the blockade of Gaza!
POLITICS OF INCARCERATION ~~ A CALL TO ACTION
July 13, 2016 at 10:44 (Action Alert, Corrupt Politics, International Solidarity)
As mass movements challenge state violence from Palestine to the U.S., please join us for this timely conversation.
July 15 in NYC
What government in the world incarcerates one person in five, including, at some point in their lives 40% of the male population?
It’s not the US, but close—its chief partner, Israel, which incarcerates thousands of Palestinians including, in the past six months alone, more than 400 children.
With the Netanyahu regime unleashing aggression against Palestinians and a global attempt—especially in New York State—to silence the Boycott, Divest and Sanctions Movement, it is a critical time for US activists to act in solidarity with Palestine. In the tradition of the Black power movement, the movement for Black lives, and the Pelican Bay hunger strikes of the past few years, we need to stand with Palestine.
Join us on Friday, July 15th for a discussion of how the US and Israel use incarceration to contain and dismantle resistance—and how we can push back. Members of two recent delegations to Palestine—a prison, labor and academic delegation and a Dream Defenders delegation—will report on what we saw and heard, and how it echoes current repression and current struggles for justice here.
HELP US BRING A MESSAGE TO ISRAELIS
July 4, 2016 at 07:51 (Action Alert, Book Review, Israel, Palestine)
Five years ago I posted a book review about NO MORE ENEMIES. The time has come to bring this masterpiece to the Israeli public …. it can only be done with your help.
Anyone who cares about the fate of Palestinians, and of Israelis, of all our children and grandchildren, in the Middle East and everywhere else, has an interest in making No More Enemies available to Israeli Jewish readers in Hebrew. This crowdfunding campaign was launched to pay the fee for the guy who is translating the book into Hebrew. I urge all advocates of a sane shared future in Palestine/Israel and globally to help today. Donate! Spread the word!
(See below for details)
Moving beyond despair — the Hebrew version…
By Deb Reich
Since publishing No More Enemies in English in 2011, I have been approached often by Israelis who have read the English original. Seeing its importance for Israelis (and Palestinians), whose country serves as the case study around which the book is written, these readers have implored me to get the book translated into Hebrew so that every Israeli can read it… urgently.
The idea is to move beyond fear and hopelessness to open a new doorway into an alternative shared future in Israel, Palestine, and beyond…
Because I write only in English, the object of this crowdfunding project is to pay the cost of a professional Hebrew translation and its wide distribution in a digital edition, and (next phase, once the translation is paid for) a print edition in Hebrew, translation into Arabic, and more.
Please join with me in moving us all forward another step on the path to a better shared future for our children and grandchildren.
What readers are saying about No More Enemies:
–Drop everything and read this book! The world will be a better place. – Melinda Thompson, Chair, Middle East Committee, Presbyterian Peace Fellowship, USA
–I love No More Enemies. It’s an inspiring, splendid book. – James Adler, Cambridge, Mass, USA
–I’ll be spreading the word about No More Enemies — especially among those most fearful of giving up the conflict (isn’t that a paradox!). – Gale Courey Toensing, journalist, Connecticut, USA
–A must read. –Patrick M., International aid worker, South Asia
–In No More Enemies, Deb Reich states it clearly: ‘It’s not the people . . . it’s the paradigm.’ –
Civil rights activist Minnijean Brown-Trickey of the Little Rock Nine,
writing as a scholar in residence, Clinton School Center on Community
Philanthropy, “Confronting Racism, Past and Present, to Heal Ourselves
and Heal the World.”
–If you want to move beyond war, then I recommend No More Enemies by Deb Reich. –Lora Lucero, nomad blogger at Why Gaza?, former adjunct professor of law at UNM-Albuquerque, USA
–Inspiring and powerful… a priceless book, showing the way to reparation without retribution. –
L. Janelle Dance, Assoc. Prof., Sociology and Ethnic Studies, Univ. of
Nebraska-Lincoln, USA, and Senior Researcher, Center for Middle Eastern
Studies, Lund University, Sweden.
Here’s how you can back this project ….
http://www.nomoreenemies.net
SAY NO TO CUOMO! ~~ KEEP McCARTHY OUT OF NEW YORK!!
June 8, 2016 at 08:41 (Action Alert, Boycott Israel, International Solidarity)
Gov. Cuomo just signed a McCarthyite executive order requiring state agencies to divest from organizations that support the Palestinian call to boycott companies profiting from, or cultural institutions complicit in, Israel’s oppression of the Palestinian people.
This is also, of course, an attack on our rights.
On June 5 New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law an executive order aimed at the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) Movement. BDS is a non-violent economic and political protest against the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories.
Image by Carlos Latuff
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A CONTEST AND A POEM ~~ NAME THE BOAT TO GAZA
April 5, 2016 at 13:32 (Action Alert, Gaza, International Solidarity, Women)
| My submission is ~~ THE FLOATILLAMOMS
Name the Women’s Boat(s): |
| and Running Orders
by Lena Khalaf Tuffaha
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On International Women’s Day the Women’s Boat to Gaza, a project of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, announced that it will sail in mid-September 2016!
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The Women’s Boat to Gaza project is seeking submissions TO NAME THE BOAT OR BOATS! This competition is open to all.
We are looking for names that reflect our core principles:
Closing date for entries is April 25. The winner(s) will be announced May 1.
The name chosen will be painted on the boat and and the person honored on our website.
Please send your submissions with a brief rationale for your suggestion to
Thank you for your support!
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Running Orders
They call us now.
Before they drop the bombs. The phone rings and someone who knows my first name calls and says in perfect Arabic “This is David”. And in my stupor of sonic booms and glass shattering symphonies still smashing around in my head I think “Do I know any Davids in Gaza?” They call us now to say Run. You have 58 seconds from the end of this message.
Your house is next. They think of it as some kind of war time courtesy. It doesn’t matter that there is nowhere to run to. It means nothing that the borders are closed and your papers are worthless and mark you only for a life sentence in this prison by the sea and the alleyways are narrow and there are more human lives packed one against the other more than any other place on earth Just run. We aren’t trying to kill you.
It doesn’t matter that you can’t call us back to tell us the people we claim to want aren’t in your house that there’s no one here except you and your children who were cheering for Argentina sharing the last loaf of bread for this week counting candles left in case the power goes out. It doesn’t matter that you have children. You live in the wrong place and now is your chance to run to nowhere. It doesn’t matter
that 58 seconds isn’t long enough to find your wedding album or your son’s favorite blanket or your daughter’s almost completed college application or your shoes or to gather everyone in the house. It doesn’t matter what you had planned. It doesn’t matter who you are Prove you’re human. Prove you stand on two legs. Run. Lena Khalaf Tuffaha
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Please join the campaign. It is 5,900 miles between Washington, DC, and Gaza. Every $5 brings us one mile closer to reaching the families in Gaza. Be a part of the journey. Contribute today!
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THE GAZA 5K ~~~ STILL TIME TO REGISTER
March 15, 2016 at 17:04 (Action Alert, Activism, Gaza, International Solidarity)
SIGN UP NOW FOR THE GAZA 5K
Last year we raised about $150,000 in Brooklyn for the Gaza kids. Hope we can do at least that again.
NYC, DC, are you ready?! The rumors are true, and we’re thrilled to announce that registration for the 2016 Gaza 5K is officially OPEN!
Sign up now and join us at Prospect Park in Brooklyn, on Saturday, March 26 and Rock Creek Park in Washington DC on Saturday, May 21 for a morning of movement and solidarity.
Why wait when you can start now? This year, we need you to register EARLY! It’s the only way to guarantee a race shirt. Rates will increase by $15 in the weeks leading up to the race, and we guarantee both races will sell out!
Fundraising is the key to our efforts and impact. So once you’re registered, start your fundraising immediately. We have more than just trophies this year! If you raise $500 or more, you will receive a beautiful classic keffiyeh from the Herbrawi Textile Factory, the last remaining keffiyeh factory in Palestine. Complete with a “made in Palestine” tag, these traditional scarves are the living memory of Palestine. Let that inspire you to push your fundraising to the next level!
Remember the reason why we run. Beyond showing solidarity, proceeds from the Gaza 5K support UNRWA’s Community Mental Health Program and provides critical counseling sessions to help vulnerable refugee children cope with the extreme challenges they face on a daily basis in Gaza. A program that, without your help, may not be possible.
We hope you’ll come out to show these children how much Americans care!
In solidarity,
Abby, Laila, Sarah, Nada & Lena
Team UNRWA USA
| NYC RACE MARCH 26 |
| REGISTER NOW |
| DC RACE MAY 21 |
| REGISTER NOW |
| PS—Chicago and San Francisco, we’re coming for you! Stay tuned. |
Official race hashtag: #Gaza5K (See more videos from last year’s run)
TELL OSCAR NOMINEES TO SAY NO TO APARTHEID
February 24, 2016 at 07:48 (Action Alert, Apartheid, Israel, Palestine, Petition)
The Israeli Ministry of Tourism is offering this year’s Oscar nominees a free VIP trip to Israel worth $50,000.
This is a cynical and desperate attempt by the Israeli government to fight its increasing international isolation with bribes to celebrities.
Take action: ask Oscar nominees to reject Israel’s propaganda tour
Oscar nominees Mark Rylance and Asif Kapadia have already promised not to visit Israel professionally.
An Israeli government press release admits the whitewash: “If they do indeed accept the invitation, their visit will have enormous resonance among millions of fans and followers, including social media.”
As the Washington Post said, the initiative is a response to the growing strength of the movement for boycotts, divestment and sanctions (BDS).
Join us in asking Oscar nominees not to help Israel whitewash its crimes
The Academy has sought to distance itself from the initiative by filing a lawsuit against Distinctive Assets, the company distributing the luxury gift bag, which includes the trip to Israel.
Musician Brian Eno summed up the irony of sending celebrities to Israel at a time of increased repression against Palestinians: “Visit Palestine! Enjoy a tear-gas filled weekend in an East Jerusalem ghetto!”
Tell Oscar nominees to act with conscience and #SkipTheTrip to Israel
Many thanks,
Palestinain BDS National Committee
TIME TO RUN FOR GAZA AGAIN
January 31, 2016 at 08:13 (Action Alert, Activism, Gaza, International Solidarity)
IT’S TIME TO REGISTER FOR THE GAZA 5K
Last year we raised about $150,000 in Brooklyn for the Gaza kids. Hope we can do at least that again.
NYC, DC, are you ready?! The rumors are true, and we’re thrilled to announce that registration for the 2016 Gaza 5K is officially OPEN!
Sign up now and join us at Prospect Park in Brooklyn, on Saturday, March 26 and Rock Creek Park in Washington DC on Saturday, May 21 for a morning of movement and solidarity.
Why wait when you can start now? This year, we need you to register EARLY! It’s the only way to guarantee a race shirt. Rates will increase by $15 in the weeks leading up to the race, and we guarantee both races will sell out!
Fundraising is the key to our efforts and impact. So once you’re registered, start your fundraising immediately. We have more than just trophies this year! If you raise $500 or more, you will receive a beautiful classic keffiyeh from the Herbrawi Textile Factory, the last remaining keffiyeh factory in Palestine. Complete with a “made in Palestine” tag, these traditional scarves are the living memory of Palestine. Let that inspire you to push your fundraising to the next level!
Remember the reason why we run. Beyond showing solidarity, proceeds from the Gaza 5K support UNRWA’s Community Mental Health Program and provides critical counseling sessions to help vulnerable refugee children cope with the extreme challenges they face on a daily basis in Gaza. A program that, without your help, may not be possible.
We hope you’ll come out to show these children how much Americans care!
In solidarity,
Abby, Laila, Sarah, Nada & Lena
Team UNRWA USA
| NYC RACE MARCH 26 |
| REGISTER NOW |
| DC RACE MAY 21 |
| REGISTER NOW |
| PS—Chicago and San Francisco, we’re coming for you! Stay tuned. |
Official race hashtag: #Gaza5K (See more videos from last year’s run)
Desertpeace 