Give Thanks for Increasing Awareness of Israeli Apartheid

Give Thanks for Increasing Awareness of Israeli Apartheid As we prepare to gather with friends and family tomorrow for Thanksgiving, the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation would like to give thanks to Diana Buttu, Eddie Makue, and Katherine Fuchs for concluding our first cross-country speaking and organizing tour, entitled "Separate Is Never Equal: Stories of Apartheid from South Africa to Palestine." To view our photo gallery of the tour, click on the picture to the left or here. We also give thanks for our many donors who will help this tour live on through a film which we are producing. Tax-deductible contributions can be made by clicking here. Diana Buttu, a former legal adviser to the Palestinian negotiating team, Eddie Makue, the General Secretary of the South African Council of Churches, and Katherine Fuchs, the US Campaign's National Organizer, visited 13 cities in two weeks. On the tour, Diana and Eddie shared stories of their struggles to achieve equality under apartheid regimes and spoke out against Israeli apartheid policies against Palestinians, while Katherine encouraged audiences to engage in campaigns of boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) as a strategy for achieving peace, justice, and equality for Palestinians and Israelis. The dynamic trio spoke at more than two dozen public events at universities and religious institutions, had private meetings with faith leaders and congressional staffers, and had interviews and meetings with the media including majors newspapers such as the Washington Post and Los Angeles Times and television appearances on Democracy Now! and GritTV. To read, listen, and watch multi-media appearances from the organizing tour, please click here. If you know of any additional media appearances we should add to this page, please let us know by clicking here. Our speakers also spoke to thousands at the School of the Americas Watch vigil in Fort Benning, Georgia, and were the featured guests at a tea-time reception at the South African Embassy in Washington, DC. To top it off, Eddie Makue was the civil society representative at the United Nations' International Day of Solidarity with Palestinian People on Nov. 24th. We couldn't have gotten this message out to thousands of people directly and many more indirectly through the press without the fantastic organizing work and support of the local organizations that planned each stop of the tour. The US Campaign would like to give thanks to the following organizations for making this tour possible: Washington, DC: Busboys and Poets, The Palestine Center Arlington, VA: Arab Law Students Association of George Mason University Brooklyn, NY: Brooklyn for Peace & Brooklyn College Anti-War Coalition Manhattan, NY: United Methodist General Board of Global Ministries, Adalah-NY, Columbia Qanun Dearborn, MI: Palestine Office Milwaukee: Peace Action Wisconsin, Marquette University Muslim Student Association, UW-Milwaukee Students for a Democratic Society Chicago: American Friends Service Committee - Great Lakes Region & Committee for a Just Peace in Israel and Palestine Boulder, CO: Rocky Mountain Peace & Justice Center, Coalition for Justice in Palestine Los Angeles: American Friends Service Committee - Pacific Southwest Region, Cal State University Long Beach Center for Peace and Social Justice Louisville, KY: Louisville Committee for Peace in the Middle East, Fellowship of Reconciliation, Anne Braden Institute, University of Louisville School of Law, U of L Muslim Student Association Atlanta: American Friends Service Committee - Southeast Region Finally, we'd like to give thanks to all our donors whose generous support made this tour possible. Please help support our continued anti-apartheid education work, including a documentary movie of the organizing tour. When it's completed we'll be working with our member organizations to screen the movie all over the country. Please help us continue to spread the word about this tour by making this film a reality through your generous tax-deductible contribution by clicking here. Donate $25 or more and we'll send you a set of anti-apartheid awareness posters as a gift. Don't forget to make your special Thanksgiving tax-deductible donation today by clicking here.

US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation

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"Stripped of their dignity" | Dark night in Gaza | Book review | Palestinian Action Plan | And more ...

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PALESTINE : OPINION/EDITORIAL:

UN AID CHIEF TO EI: GAZA PEOPLE "STRIPPED OF THEIR
DIGNITY"
Rami Almeghari, The Electronic Intifada, 25 November 2008

The Electronic Intifada's correspondent in Gaza, Rami
Almeghari, sat down with UNRWA Chief of Operations in the
Gaza Strip, John Ging, to discuss how the siege, and the
latest closures are affecting UNRWA and the civilian
population in Gaza. UNRWA is the UN agency responsible for
providing aid to millions of Palestinian refugees. On 4
November, Israel sent tanks into the Gaza Strip and
carried out attacks which killed six Palestinians,
breaking a ceasefire that had generally held since June.

http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article9992.shtml

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PALESTINE : DIARIES: LIVE FROM PALESTINE:

PHOTO ESSAY: A DARK NIGHT IN GAZA
Sameh A. Habeeb writing from the occupied Gaza Strip, Live
from Palestine, 25 November 2008

On Saturday, 22 November, I toured Gaza City and
authenticated the bleak reality of people through my
camera. The dark streets further demonstrating the
physical and spiritual fatigue experienced by
Palestinians, now enduring the 18th month of Israel's
siege while the world remains indifferent to their
suffering. Sameh Habeeb's photographs tell a story of
Gazans living without power.

http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article9990.shtml

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PALESTINE : ART, MUSIC & CULTURE:

BOOK REVIEW: ABDEL BARI ATWAN'S "COUNTRY OF WORDS"
Atef Alshaer, The Electronic Intifada, 24 November 2008

A Country of Words: from the Refugee Camps to the Front
Page is a remarkable Palestinian memoir, exceptional
because of its abundance of compassion, humor and
humility. Its author is Abdel Bari Atwan, editor of the
London-based Arabic-language daily al-Quds al-Arabi who
also wrote The Secret History of al-Qa'ida. Individuals
have their own lives and create their own narratives, and
for Atwan, his story begins in Palestine. Atef Alshaer
reviews for The Electronic Intifada.

http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article9954.

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PALESTINE : ACTIVISM NEWS:

A PALESTINIAN ACTION PLAN TO COMBAT ISRAELI RACISM
Adri Nieuwhof, The Electronic Intifada, 24 November 2008

In October 2008 the Palestinian Boycott, Divestment, and
Sanctions National Committee (BNC) published a strategic
position paper for the upcoming Durban Review Conference,
which will be held from 20-24 April 2009 in Geneva,
Switzerland. At the Conference, attending nations will
assess the progress made toward the Program of Action
adopted at the 2001 World Conference against Racism, which
called for end racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia
and related intolerance. However, Western governments have
repeatedly sidelined efforts to bring the case of the
systematic violation of the rights the Palestinian people
forward in the Durban review process.

http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article9987.shtml

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PALESTINE : ACTION ITEMS:

ORGANIZE TO STOP APARTHEID DANCE TROUPE'S NORTH AMERICA
TOUR
Michelle J. Kinnucan, The Electronic Intifada, 25 November
2008

The Batsheva Dance Company of Tel Aviv is touring the US
and Canada in January, February, and March, 2009. A
recipient of public financing since the 1990s, the dance
troupe is clearly an Israeli apartheid cultural
institution. Writing October 26, 2008, in The Independent
of London, Jenny Gilbert reports that the dance company is
"funded by Israel's government, its performers include
none of Arab extraction, and it is 'proud to be considered
Israel's leading ambassador.'"

http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article9989.shtml

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ABOUT US: The Electronic Intifada (EI), found at http://electronicIntifada.net, publishes news, commentary, analysis, and reference materials about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from a Palestinian perspective. EI is the leading Palestinian portal for information about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and its depiction in the media. More information about our work can be found at http://electronicIntifada.net/v2/aboutEI.shtml

To find out about other EI/eIraq lists available, see: http://lists.electronicintifada.net/mail.cgi

SUPPORT OUR PROJECT: Our work needs funding. We accept donations via credit card and cheque. U.S. donations are tax deductible. More information can be found at: http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article2162.shtml

End the Starvation and Siege of Gaza; Rally Outside White House Tomorrow

End the Starvation and Seige of Gaza; Rally Outside White House Tomorrow Take Action With Gazans already impoverished and struggling to survive, on November 5, Israel completely sealed Gaza's border crossings. This followed an unprovoked Israeli attack on Gaza that killed six Palestinians, despite a ceasefire, and Palestinian rocket fire in response. As a result of Israel's closure, the United Nations has been forced to stop food distribution to 750,000 needy people, and 70% of Gaza is now without power due to a lack of fuel. According to reports, even candles are now in short supply. "Let's see this for what it is." said UN spokesman Chris Gunness. "Fifty-six percent of the Gaza Strip are children. Let us not cause suffering of innocent children." Blocking witnesses, on November 13, Israel denied the entry to Gaza of 20 senior EU diplomats. Israel also has refused to allow foreign journalists to enter Gaza. Foreign Press Association chairman Steven Gutnik called the ban "a serious violation of freedom of the press" and said "it is essential that journalists be allowed to enter the Gaza Strip since it is the foreign media that serves as the world's window into Gaza. Israel allowed a trickle of aid to enter Gaza today. Gaza has 1.5 million residents, the large majority of whom are displaced refugees from 1948. In response to calls from Gaza, we urge you to take one or more of the following actions: 1) Contact Your Political Representatives: Contact your congressional representatives (http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=hpBuxgLTbI%2Bzq364jVLmxwrPYgavy631 ) and demand that the US government pressure Israel to stop starving Gazans, end the siege, and respect basic Palestinian rights. Tell this directly to the U.S. Mission to the UN: Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad Phone: (212) 415-4053 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it 2) Organize a Protest: Organize public protests and educational events calling for an end of Israel's abuse of Palestinian rights in Gaza. 3) Boycott the Occupier, Not the Occupied: Take action for long-term change and join the growing international Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) Movement. Organize a BDS campaign in your community, in response to the call by over 170 Palestinian civil society organizations, until Israel ends its occupation and colonization of all Arab lands, dismantles the Wall, recognizes the rights of Palestinian citizens of Israel, and implements the right of return for Palestinian refugees as stipulated in UN resolution 194. Impacts of Israeli Actions The latest measures are the culmination of a long-term Israeli policy and strategy of displacement and oppression that started in 1948, when Israel expelled Gaza's current refugees from their original villages. According to Oxfam, CARE and Save the Children, "The rise of poverty in Gaza relates to the crippling impact of the Israeli blockade within the broader context of a long-term pattern of economic degradation in Gaza stemming from Israeli-imposed closures since the early 1990s and, more recently, the eighteen-month international aid embargo on the Palestinian Authority that was in place until June 2007." According to the Palestinian Authority Ministry of Health in Gaza, 257 Palestinians have died in Gaza in the last year because they have been unable to leave for necessary advanced care. Israel's Obligations Israel's claim that it no longer occupies the Gaza Strip has been rejected by the international community and rights organizations because "it still maintains effective control over the territory via its control of Gaza's land borders, airspace, territorial waters, tax collection, and population registry." Because Israel is occupying the Gaza Strip, it is morally and legally responsible for protecting the human rights of Gaza's citizens. Yet Israel's siege violates international law and basic human rights like the rights to healthcare, education, freedom of movement, and employment, as well as broader rights like the right to self-determination. Israel's siege also violates its most basic obligations as an Occupying Power under the Fourth Geneva Convention, including the "duty of ensuring the food and medical supplies of the population," and the prohibition against collective punishment. Thank you for taking action and please spread the word. Adalah-NY: The Coalition for Justice in the Middle East (http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=z8jKdmtAOXf6%2BkY1sUNuZArPYgavy631) Network of Arab-American Professionals of NY (http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=JMaZTrukHk0dtmZRedcYKwrPYgavy631) Arab American Anti-Discrimination Committee of NY (http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=werw8ci3r2Kei4%2FNJhsJggrPYgavy631) Brooklyn For Peace (http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=ONmUuu3mw3o84mtktz9JSAtphq9hkJj5) US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation (http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=pXWTQByPNr%2FS5mgEPDRuCQrPYgavy631) ACTION ALERT "Mercy for Palestinian Children" What: Rally to "End the Siege On Gaza" Where: NW corner of Lafayette Park, on the corner of 16th and H, Washington, DC Nearest metro is: Farragut West (orange/blue) and Farragut North (red). When: Wednesday 11/26/2008 8:00 AM - 10:45 AM On Wednesday November 26, 2008, President George W. Bush will provide a Presidential pardon to two yet-to-be-named turkeys. The turkeys will be housed the night before in a suite at the Willard Hotel and, following the ceremony, taken by motorcade and flown first-class to Disneyland. The day will also mark nearly the fourth week that Israel has completely sealed crossings into the Gaza Strip for even the most basic humanitarian shipments, despite desperate appeals by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and others that Gaza's 1.5 million Palestinians are potentially facing one of the largest man-made humanitarian catastrophes. Half of Gaza's population is under the age of 15. Organized by the Coalition for Justice and Accountability, a demonstration is scheduled outside of the White House grounds during the Presidential Turkey Pardoning Ceremony to highlight the contrast in American policy between fowl livestock and starving children. For more information, contact: Dina Kennedy (703) 658-4547 or Kennedydina@hotmail.com

جديد مدونة أسكدنيا اليوم

صورة الأردن في فيلم Body of Lies Posted: 21 Nov 2008 06:10 AM CST مبارح من الزهق ما لاقيت الا أنه أروح على السينما, أشوف شو في أفلام جديدة نازلة, وأحضر شي فيلم . لفت نظري فيلم جديد إسمو Body of Lies للمثل Leonardo DiCaprio, وبحسب القصة المكتوبة في بروشورات الفليم: بادي أوف لايز فيلم مستوحى من رواية الصحافي في الواشنطن بوست ديفيد إجناتيوس والتي صدرت عام 2007 وتدور أحداثه [...]

Gunboat kidnapping | Gaza's hospitals | Peres unwelcome at Oxford | And more ...

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ELECTRONIC INTIFADA

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PALESTINE : HUMAN RIGHTS:

ISRAELI GUNBOATS KIDNAP GAZA FISHERMAN, PEACEWORKERS
By Eva Bartlett, The Electronic Intifada, 21 November 2008

On the evening of Tuesday 18 November Khalid al-Habeel sat
surrounded by his wife, family, and other concerned
fishermen. Until the early hours of the following day,
they had no idea what charges were being laid against 15
fishermen, including two of al-Habeel's sons, Adham (21)
and Mohammed (20), after they were nabbed from Gaza's
territorial waters earlier that morning and taken to an
Israeli interrogation center at Ashdod port. Nor did they
know when or if their boats -- their livelihoods -- would
be returned. Eva Bartlett reports.

http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article9985.shtml

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PALESTINE : DIARIES: LIVE FROM PALESTINE:

GAZA'S HOSPITALS STRUGGLE TO SAVE LIVES AMID ISRAELI SIEGE
Rami Almeghari writing from occupied Gaza Strip, Live from
Palestine, 21 November 2008

Over the past two weeks, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip
have faced a sharply deteriorating humanitarian situation
as Israel further tightened its closure of the border
crossings. Virtually no food, medicine or other vital
supplies have been allowed in to the territory that is
home to 1.5 million people. Despite desperately needed
medication, equipment, supplies, and spare parts, doctors
continue to try to save lives and look after their
patients at the European Gaza Hospital. Rami Almeghari
reports from Gaza.

http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article9984.shtml

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PALESTINE : ACTIVISM NEWS:

"SHIMON PERES, YOU'RE A WAR CRIMINAL!" SAY OXFORD STUDENTS
Abigail Humphries, The Electronic Intifada, 21 November
2008

Text messages came from student protestors who had managed
to get inside the lecture hall. They let the their fellow
demonstrators outside know that their chanting could be
heard inside over the voice of Israeli President Shimon
Peres. There was clapping and stamping of feet and
placards banged on the railings to make as much noise as
possible, along with the constant "Free, free Palestine"
which did not stop for a moment of the hour-long lecture.
Abigail Humphries reports from Oxford.

http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article9983.shtml

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PALESTINE : HUMAN RIGHTS:

ONLY FEEBLE PROTEST OVER FAMILY'S EVICTION
By Jonathan Cook, The Electronic Intifada, 21 November
2008

The middle-of-the-night eviction last week of an elderly
Palestinian couple from their home in East Jerusalem to
make way for Jewish settlers is a demonstration of Israeli
intent towards a future peace deal with the Palestinians.
Mohammed and Fawziya Khurd are now on the street, living
in a tent, after Israeli police enforced a court order
issued in July to expel them. Jonathan Cook analyzes.

http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article9978.shtml

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ABOUT US: The Electronic Intifada (EI), found at http://electronicIntifada.net, publishes news, commentary, analysis, and reference materials about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from a Palestinian perspective. EI is the leading Palestinian portal for information about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and its depiction in the media. More information about our work can be found at http://electronicIntifada.net/v2/aboutEI.shtml

To find out about other EI/eIraq lists available, see: http://lists.electronicintifada.net/mail.cgi

SUPPORT OUR PROJECT: Our work needs funding. We accept donations via credit card and cheque. U.S. donations are tax deductible. More information can be found at: http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article2162.shtml

Zogby and Emanuel | Obama | Press freedom denied | Lebanon: strategic defense or shift? | Gaza blockade

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UPDATE FROM THE
ELECTRONIC INTIFADA

http://electronicIntifada.net

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PALESTINE : OPINION/EDITORIAL:

NO FREE PASS FOR RAHM EMANUEL
By Remi Kanazi, The Electronic Intifada, 19 November 2008

James Zogby isn't just an Arab American with an opinion.
He is the president of the Arab American Institute, a
well-known writer, and an esteemed leader within the Arab
American community. Many non-Arab Americans highly regard
his analysis and look to his articles as a resource to
understand the Middle East. This is precisely why his
latest article, "Rahm Emanuel and Arab Perceptions,"
published by The Huffington Post, is so disturbing. Remi
Kanazi comments.

http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article9974.shtml

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PALESTINE : OPINION/EDITORIAL:

PRESIDENT-ELECT OBAMA AND THE PROSPECTS FOR ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN PEACE
By Ali Abunimah, The Electronic Intifada, 18 November 2008

US President-elect Barack Obama's election victory has
revived hopes that stalled Palestinian-Israeli peace
negotiations could finally lead to a two-state solution.
Few new presidents have been greeted with such optimism
and associated high expectations. However, the chances for
progress depend on more than a new American president.
There are several interrelated factors: US engagement, the
availability of a viable peace agreement, Israeli and
Palestinian internal politics and the broader
international situation. Ali Abunimah analyzes.

http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article9969.shtml

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PALESTINE : JOURNALISTS IN DANGER:

RAMALLAH PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY BLOCKS WEBSITE REPORTING ON CORRUPTION
Report, The Electronic Intifada, 18 November 2008

The Palestinian Authority (PA) in Ramallah has blocked
access to a popular news website because of the site's
reporting on widespread corruption among the entourage of
PA President Mahmoud Abbas. For several days, Palestinians
in the West Bank and Gaza Strip have been unable to view
the website Donia al-Watan (http://www.alwatanvoice.com)
as access has been blocked through the PA-controlled
telecom company. Readers outside Palestine and a few
inside the country using proxies are still able to access
the site. The Electronic Intifada confirmed that several
users attempting to access the website in Ramallah and
other parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank could not do
so and instead saw a message in English stating "We are
sorry, the site was blocked based on attorney General
instructions [sic].

http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article9972.shtml

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PALESTINE : JOURNALISTS IN DANGER:

ISRAEL BANS FOREIGN JOURNALISTS FROM ENTERING BESIEGED GAZA
By Cherrie Heywood, The Electronic Intifada, 18 November 2008

RAMALLAH, occupied West Bank (IPS) - Israel has imposed a
virtual news blackout on the Gaza Strip. For the last ten
days no foreign journalists have been able to enter the
besieged territory to report on the escalating
humanitarian crisis caused by Israel's complete closure of
Gaza's borders for the last two weeks. Steve Gutkin, the
AP bureau chief in Jerusalem and head of Israel's Foreign
Press Association, said that he personally "knows of no
foreign journalist that has been allowed into Gaza in the
last week.

http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article9973.shtml

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LEBANON : OPINION/EDITORIAL:

MEET THE LEBANESE PRESS: STRATEGIC DEFENSE OR STRATEGIC SHIFT?
By Hicham Safieddine, Electronic Lebanon, 18 November 2008

Civil strife usually ends when there is truth and
reconciliation. In Lebanon, it subsides when a truce poses
as reconciliation. Top Lebanese leaders are doting over
each other, calling for a new pact of political rivalry
that is confined to the arena of democratic and peaceful
confrontation. Meetings between top March 14 and March 8
officials have calmed fears of further clashes on the
streets. With the notable exception of Christian leaders,
all sectarian heads are trying to unite their ranks in the
run up to next year's parliamentary elections. Meet the
Lebanese Press is The Electronic Intifada's regular review
of what is making the rounds in the Lebanese press and the
pundits' take on it.

http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article9967.shtml

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PALESTINE : OPINION/EDITORIAL:

THE REAL GOAL OF ISRAEL'S GAZA BLOCKADE
By Jonathan Cook, The Electronic Intifada, 17 November 2008

Israel has blamed its latest shocking restrictions of aid
and fuel to Gaza on Hamas's violation of a five-month
ceasefire by launching rockets out of the Strip. But
Israel had a hand in shattering the agreement: as the
world was distracted by the US presidential elections, the
army invaded Gaza, killing six Palestinians and provoking
the rocket fire. The humanitarian catastrophe gripping
Gaza is largely unrelated to the latest tit-for-tat
strikes between Hamas and Israel. Nearly a year ago, Karen
Koning AbuZayd, commissioner-general of the UN's refugee
agency, warned: "Gaza is on the threshold of becoming the
first territory to be intentionally reduced to a state of
abject destitution." Jonathan Cook comments.

http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article9968.shtml

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You Can Influence the New Administration & Congress…Come to DC, Feb. 1-2

You Can Influence the New Administration & Congress Come to Washington, DC, Feb. 1-2, 2009 Barack Obama's historic election as President of the United States has inspired a sense of hope and a call for change throughout the country. However, as we all know, change will not come on U.S. policy toward Palestine/Israel without the concerted efforts of citizens like you who value human rights, international law, and equality as the basis of our country's foreign policy. People like us need to make our voices heard. As Israel's siege of Gaza intensifies, stranding its residents without humanitarian relief or electricity, and as Israel continues to bulldoze Palestinians out of their homes in Jerusalem, we need to demand that our decision-makers stop supporting Israeli military occupation and human rights abuses against Palestinians. If you don't come to Washington to clamor for change, then we can expect more of the same. More acquiescence to the expansion of Israeli colonies. More justification of Israeli apartheid policies. More transfers of military hardware to Israel to injure and kill innocent Palestinian civilians. It's time to take our message of change to Capitol Hill. Join Interfaith Peace-Builders and the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation for a two-day Grassroots Advocacy Training and Lobby Day, February 1-2. Grassroots Advocacy Training and Lobby Day, February 1-2, 2009, Washington, DC REGISTER TODAY TO GAIN IMPORTANT SKILLS FOR YOUR ACTIVISM & MAKE AN IMPACT IN THE NEW CONGRESS! The United States has long been the most dominant international player in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. As a result, U.S. citizens bear a deep responsibility to address our government's role and support Palestinian and Israeli peace efforts. This Grassroots Advocacy Training will provide both seasoned organizers and new activists with the skills and experience needed to make a real impact. Join Interfaith Peace-Builders and the U.S. Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation for a unique opportunity to make real change. Your participation will enrich your understanding of the conflict and help build a strong grassroots U.S. movement for peace and justice in Palestine/Israel. There has never been a better chance to make a change. The recent election has provided a new opportunity. Participants will gain access to new resources on United States aid to Israel and attend workshops led by experts in the field. The lobby day corresponds with the first weeks of the new Congress and is a crucial time for citizens to have their voice heard in Washington. REGISTER HERE. THE SKILLS & EXPERIENCE OUR MOVEMENT NEEDS Workshops will provide essential skills on current topics for US-based activists. Building on the success of the US Campaign's Grassroots Training Institute program, experienced leaders and experts will lead sessions on the following topics: United States Policy and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Engaging Elected Officials for an End to Military Aid and a Just Foreign Policy Challenging Mainstream Discourse in Your Local Media Faith-Based Organizing: Raising Voices of Conscience in Faith Communities Coalition Building in Diverse Communities A Civil Society Response to Apartheid: Campaigning for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions REGISTER HERE. EXPERT PRESENTERS & WORKSHOP LEADERS Interfaith Peace-Builders and the U.S. Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation work with a variety of experts and activists from civil society and academia. Workshop leaders are at the forefront of the movement for peace and justice in Palestine/Israel. For an updated list of presenters see http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=BkBUhfvTu%2BnGVdeNCskiRLh1HmvXeMpw REGISTER HERE. REGISTER TODAY & GET $100 FOR AN IFPB DELEGATION! Registration for the training and lobby day is a sliding scale donation of $25 - $100 LIMITED OFFER: Register by December 1 to receive a $100 credit for any upcoming Interfaith Peace-Builders delegation. Student and low-income reductions may also be available. More details, including a housing and ride board, coming soon at www.ifpbdel.org/grassroots REGISTER HERE.

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Four killed in Gaza | Art review | New York settlement fundraiser | And more ...

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UPDATE FROM THE
ELECTRONIC INTIFADA

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PALESTINE : ART, MUSIC & CULTURE:

"OCCUPIED SPACE 2008" ADDS PALESTINIAN COLOR TO LONDON'S ART WORLD
By Isabelle Humphries, The Electronic Intifada, 17 November 2008

Using what they call the "simplest language," the Eltiqa
Group for Contemporary Art seeks to challenge the harsh
obstacles of life in their native Gaza: "we color life for
the others." In the past month some of their work has
reached London as part of a new exhibition organized by
the UK Palestine Solidarity Campaign in association with
the A.M. Qattan Foundation. Occupied Space 2008: Art for
Palestine brought together over 100 works not only from
Palestinian artists, but from those across the globe from
Algeria, Tunisia and Jordan to the UK to China. Isabelle
Humphries reviews for The Electronic Intifada.

http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article9965.shtml

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PALESTINE : HUMAN RIGHTS:

ISRAEL EXECUTES FOUR IN GAZA; SIEGE AFFECTS ACCESS TO DRINKING WATER
Press release, Al Mezan, 16 November 2008

The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) continued to seal off
the Gaza Strip for the eleventh day in a row, in an
escalation of the collective punishment of Gaza's
population imposed since 2000. The IOF resumed its
military attacks and killed four Palestinians this morning
in an air strike in east Gaza

http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article9963.shtml

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PALESTINE : ACTIVISM NEWS:

GROUPS PROTEST SETTLEMENT FUNDRAISER AT NEW YORK HOTEL
Press release, Adalah-NY, 16 November 2008

Eight groups representing tens of thousands of people in
the United States, Palestine and Israel have called on the
Marriott Marquis hotel in Manhattan to cancel the 17
November dinner for the Brooklyn-based Hebron Fund aiming
to raise money for Israeli settlers in the
Israeli-occupied West Bank city of Hebron. In a 7 November
letter the groups stated: "The Marriot Marquis will be
facilitating activities that directly violate
international law and US foreign policy, actively promote
racial discrimination, and, at least indirectly, support
brutal Israeli settler attacks on Palestinian civilians
and the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from Hebron."

http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article9964.shtml

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PALESTINE : HUMAN RIGHTS:

ISRAEL TIGHTENS CHOKEHOLD ON VILLAGE OF ENTREPRENEURS
By Jonathan Cook, The Electronic Intifada, 15 November 2008

The sun is sinking fast behind the trees of an olive grove
on the outskirts of the West Bank village of Nilin. After
a day of confrontations between the Israeli army and the
Palestinian villagers over Israel's building of its
separation wall on Nilin's land, the soldiers appear
finally to have gone. Jonathan Cook reports.

http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article9962.shtml

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PALESTINE : DIARIES: LIVE FROM PALESTINE:

MENDING THE BROKEN WING
By Abdallah Mesleh, Live from Palestine, 14 November 2008

Thousands of hectares of land have been confiscated,
hundreds of olive trees were uprooted and tens of
thousands of trees were burned at the hands of Israeli
occupying forces. In Palestinian villages, where social
and economic development is sustained from the land, the
villagers are left asking: What's left for next
generations?! Abdallah Mesleh reflects on the significance
of the harvest to his besieged village of Nilin.

http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article9956.shtml

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PALESTINE : HUMAN RIGHTS:

UN SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY MEMBER COMPANY TIED TO SETTLEMENTS
By Ida Karlsson, The Electronic Intifada, 15 November 2008

UNITED NATIONS (IPS) - A company that is a member of the
UN Global Compact for corporate social responsibility has
ties to production in an Israeli settlement on the West
Bank considered illegal by the United Nations. A
spokesperson for the company, Vileda said he was unaware
of the contract with a manufacturer in the West Bank.
However, a representative of Plasto confirmed that the
company was a subcontractor for Vileda.

http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article9960.shtml