ADC, in coalition with several other groups, is promoting a month of activities and events to emphasize solidarity and support for the Palestinian people at a time of increased violence and suffering in the region. Many campaigns in the interest of the Palestinian people are ongoing, and ADC wishes to bring attention to several this month, and we hope you will support these campaigns through any means possible. ADC urges you to meet with or contact members of Congress and the Bush administration to voice your opposition to the Bush administration‘s generally pro-Israel stance, especially with regards to the Wall.
Up and Coming Dates to Remember:
The weekend of November 7 through November 9 will be the Third National Student Conference on the Palestine Solidarity Movement, hosted by Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. Participants will share and establish tactics to pressure their university administrations to withdraw investments from companies that deal with the Israeli government and army; primarily those who are involved in direct violations of human rights such are Caterpillar and Lockheed-Martin.
The Palestine Solidarity Movement is an umbrella-network of diverse activist organizations that support divestment from the state of Israel, the Palestinian right of return, full equality under the law, the end of the occupation and US government aid to Israel, and stands against racism and all forms of oppression.
Register to attend at: http://www.palestineconference.com
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November 9 has been declared the International Day Against the Wall. The UN General Assembly voted 144-4 in favor of a resolution demanding that Israel reverse construction of the wall. UN members were particularly concerned that the path chosen for the wall “could prejudge future negotiations and make the two-state solution physically impossible to implement and would cause further humanitarian hardship for the Palestinians.”
Join the campaign to stop the building of the Wall, return the land confiscated, and compensate for damages and lost income due to the construction of sections of the wall. Demand that Israel comply with the UN resolution.
November 9 is a noteworthy date in history, as it represents the day the Berlin Wall fell. The world cannot let another wall be built to take its place. This day has been declared by the Campaign as a focal point of mobilization to heighten international awareness on the Wall and its implications on Palestine. It is a day in which people worldwide, and of course in Palestine, will mobilize in calling to stop the Wall, among other slogans. November 9 was chosen by Palestinian communities struggling to survive amidst the Wall.
Information, facts, PowerPoint presentations, petitions, posters, etc? are all available at: http://www.stopthewall.org
Ann Arbor Coalition Against the War (AACAW), The Middle East Task Force (METF) and SAFE have also formed a working committee to plan events for the “Tear Down the Wall Campaign” on November 9, 2003.
For further information, contact E-Mail: mailto:cooperld@comcast.net or szempel@mindspring.com
US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation has endorsed the Palestinian Anti-Wall Campaign and will be participating in its call for the 9 November “International Day Against the Wall”.
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The UN has declared November 29 as the International Day of solidarity with the Palestinian People. November 29 is a significant date in Palestinian history, as 56 years ago in 1947, November 29 was the date on which the General Assembly adopted Resolution 181(II), which is known as the Partition Resolution, providing for the establishment in Palestine of an “Arab state” and “Jewish state”. While a “Jewish state” now exists, the wish of the Palestinian people for their own state has not yet materialized.
Special events will be organized on December 1 at United Nations headquarters in New York, Geneva and Vienna.
For updates, go to: http://www.un.org/Depts/dpa/ngo/calendar.htm
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Brit Tzedek v’Shalom, the Jewish Alliance for Justice and Peace, held a conference from October 31 to November 2, 2003, in Boston, Massachusetts. The theme is: “Israel’s Road to Peace: The Role of American Jews”. Speakers will include: Naomi Chazan, former Knesset member; Stephen Cohen, President of the Institute for Middle East Peace and Development and National Scholar for the Israel Policy Forum; Amran Mizna, former Mayor of Haifa and Labor Party candidate for Prime Minister; Rabbi Toba Spitzer; Rabbi Brian Walt and other scholars and activists.
For further information, visit the organization’s web site: http://www.btvshalom.org
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Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) will organize two conferences entitled “Peacemaking in the Middle East: the Role of US Christians”; on November 1, 2003, in Princeton, New Jersey; and on November 8, 2003, at the Fuller Seminary in Pasadena, California.
For additional information visit the Web site: http://www.cmep.org/documents/conference.htm
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On November 1, 2003, the Palestinian Christians Solidarity Festival was held at Immanuel
Lutheran Church, Chicago.
For additional information, send E-mail: mideastwgchgo@aol.com or contact Ebezener Church at E-Mail: szempel@mindspring.com
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On November 8, 2003, Rev. Sandra Olewine will make a presentation entitled “Living Under Military Occupation: What Americans should know about the Israeli Occupation”, at Oak Park Public Library, Oak Park, Illinois. For further information, send E-Mail to:
NIC-ETO@yahoogroops.com
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On November 9, 2003, the Women in Black and Palestine Aid Society will organize a demonstration entitled “Stop the Wall”, in Los Angeles.
For further information, visit the web site: http://www.wib-la.org
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On November 12, 2003, the Committee for a Just Peace in Israel and Palestine and The Oak Park Coalition for Truth and Justice will sponsor the presentation entitled “What is the U.S. in Israel and Palestine” by Dr. Naseer Aruri, at Oak Park, Illinois.
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Other ongoing campaigns:
Join the campaign to free Marwan Barghouti. In apprehending, detaining and possibly torturing Marwan Barghouti, Israel has violated a number of provisions of international law, not to mention fundamental human rights.
For more information, go to: http://www.freebarghouti.org
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Spread the word across campuses and across the nation about the Israeli Divestment / Disinvestment Campaign.
For more information, go to: http://israel-divest.org and http://www.divestment.org
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Join Rebuilding Homes, a U.S. nonprofit organization, dedicated to raising awareness and funds to rebuild Palestinian homes and Middle East peace through strategic Palestinian and Israeli cooperation. Rebuilding Homes aims to provide relief to families who are victims of home demolition; bring moderate Israelis and Palestinians together in constructive cooperation; and encourage global citizens to help build a just peace by asserting fair property law.
For more information, go to: http://www.rebuildinghomes.org/start.php
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Join SUSTAIN to stop US tax funded aid to Israel. The most tangible form of US support for Israel is the massive tax-funded aid that goes to Israel. SUSTAIN is committed to building a campaign against US military and economic aid to Israel so that US tax-dollars do not support the abuse of human rights.
For more information, go to: http://www.sustaincampaign.org
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Other activities, events and action alerts that have taken place in support of the Palestinian people:
APN issued an action alert on October 5 2003, entitled “Support Aid for Israel, Not for Settlements – Tell Bush to Enforce Conditions on Loan Guarantees”.
APN also sponsored the presentation of Mark Rosenblum, on October 18, 2003, at the Universalist Unitarian Congregation, in Manhasset, Long Island; and on October 29, 2003, at the Manhattan Beach Jewish Community Center, in Brooklyn. The discussion topics were: “From Baghdad to Jerusalem: The Promise and Peril of Nation Building and Peace Making” and “The Prospects for Palestinian-Israeli Peacemaking”. For further information, visit APN’s web site: http://www.peacenow.org
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Artists Against the Occupation held an art exhibit, which started on September 25, 2003, displaying works that addressed the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by 33 artists, in Quebec, Canada. For further information, contact: jameliehassan@sympatico.ca
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Chicago Peace Now and Chicago Sinai Congregations presented an evening on October 9, 2003, with Yuli Tamir, Labor Knesset Member, former Cabinet Minister, and co-founder of Peace Now. Mr. Tamir spoke about “Israeli and Palestinians: Hope Without Illusions”. For additional information, check Peace Now’s web site: http://www.peacenow.org
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Twenty-five Canadian organizations sponsored a speaking tour from October 8 till October 19, 2003, entitled “One Palestinian, One Israeli – Come Together to Speak Against the Wall and the Implications for Israelis and Palestinians”. Speakers included: Oren Medicks from Gush Shalom, and Diana Buttu, the legal advisor to the Palestinian Authority negotiating team.
For further information, contact email: waot@look.ca or visit Creative Response’s web site: http://creativeresponseweb.net
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The US Campaign’s congressional taskforce has released a new Washington Wednesday action alert urging people to demand that President Bush make an immediate deduction in Israel’s loan guarantees for the fiscal year 2003. The full text can be found at: http://www.endtheoccupation.org.
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On September 25, 2003, the Wall Taskforce held its first conference call to share information and begin planning coordinated efforts for November 9 and beyond. In the Bay Area, Global Exchange, ADC-San Francisco, Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) and many others formed a coalition that will build a life-size waterproof replica of the wall to be displayed in tourist areas and a smaller mobile wall that will include educational maps and texts that can be moved around the city.
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The US Campaign had the following activities of its member organizations:
On October 11, 2003, there was a Photography exhibit entitled “Mind, Body and Soul of Palestine” at Kimbo Art Callery, University of Pittsburgh, Oakkland.
For further information, contact the Web site: http://www.pgh.org and http://www.al-phan.org
On October 12, 2003, a public lecture was held entitled: The US Role in Israel and Palestine”, with Naseer Aruri, at Oak Park. Illinois.
For further information, send E-Mail: justpeace1@aol.com
From October 14 — 31, 2003, Partners for Peace sponsored the U.S. tour presentation: “Jerusalem Women Speak: Three Women, Three Faiths, One Shared Vision”.
For a complete tour schedule visit http://www.partnersforpeace.org or send email to: susanne@partnersforpeace.org
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On October 14, 2003, SUSTAIN presented “Live from Palestine: The Culture of Resistance, at Palatine Public Library, Illinois.For further information, contact web site: http://www.nwsustain.org
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International Middle East Media Center (IMEMC) launched a news Web site with daily updated events and analysis in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The site can be viewed at:
http://www.imenc.org
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A new web site has been created dedicated to the “Viable Palestine” documentary aired by CBC News Sunday at: http://www.cbc.ca/sunday/palestine/index.html
The site features a video and transcripts of the web-version of the “Viable Palestine” documentary as well as maps created by Jan de Jong and the Foundation for Middle East Peace (FMEP): http://www.fmep.org
The film “On the Borders of Gardens” about Palestinian refugees in Lebanon will also be available on the site. The next item in the works deals with the different interpretations of United Nations Security Council resolution 242 (1967).
Twenty American organizations, including churches and American-Jewish organizations, invited for the exhibit of “The Middle East Peace Quilt” “Art bringing together people of goodwill” from September 11 to September 28, 2003, at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, New York City. Twenty panels of the quilt made by 300 Jews, Palestinians and others from the US and Canada depicted their vision of peace for the Middle East and a shared future.
For more information about the quilt exhibit visit the Web site: http://www.mepeacequilt.org
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Rabbis for Human Rights invites groups and individuals to participate in the Palestinian olive harvest in October and November 2003. For further information, visit their web site: http://www.rhr.Israel.net