Ramallah – Palestinian prisoners in the infamous Israeli Negev prison went on a hunger strike Monday in condemnation of the Israeli massacre in the Lebanese town of Qana as well as the intensified quelling measures the IPA is exercising against them.
More than 2,320 Palestinian detainees in that prison heeded calls from their jailed political blocs and returned their meals, adding they were on a hunger strike over the Israeli butchery in the tiny Lebanese village where 60 Lebanese civilians, 37 of them children, sheltering in one of the town’s buildings were buried under rubble at dawn Sunday.
Israeli warplanes dropped their heavy bombs and unleashed a number of their missiles at the building; thus, leveling it to the ground. Rescue workers spent a hard time in getting the severed small bodies from under the debris.
The prisoners elaborated that they were also protesting the intensified Israeli prisons authority (IPA) quelling measures against them and the deliberate medical neglect of sick Palestinian captives.
More than 50 Palestinian prisoners in that jail were reportedly suffering chronic diseases; yet; they weren’t accorded proper attention or offered the suitable medication as mandated by international treaties and statutes.
Arbitrary extension of the administrative detention terms of a number of captives without any justified reason or grounds, and the severe manhandling of other captives were also among the incidents that spurred the hunger strike, according to the prisoners’ sources.
More than 10,000 Palestinian citizens, among them 350 children and 130 women in addition to scores of elderly people, were unjustly incarcerated in harsh conditions in Israeli jails for many years now, with the entire “civilized” world paying no attention to their sufferings.
For more pictures from Montereal rally please click here
NYC Rally
As Israeli attacks on civilians continue and escalate day after day in Lebanon and Palestine and as the world’s governments support Israel’s crimes or, at best, turn a blind eye to its actions it is time for the people to speak.
Saturday July 22, 2006 has been declared “International day of action against Israeli aggression”. We call on people around the world to rise up on that day and be heard.
Please organize an action in your city or area on that day, under the banner of the “International day of action against Israeli aggression”. If you already have something planned for that day condemning Israel’s actions or in support of the people of Palestine and Lebanon, please link it to the international action.
Each city area is requested to appoint one coordinator (or more) and send us their email addresses to create a coordination list.
Please act now. There is no time to waste. Thank you.
Montreal coordinators:
Mohamed S. Kamel (mohamed@btceramique.com) +514.863.9202
Ehab Lotayef (ehab.lotayef@mcgill.ca) +514.941.9792
Further information: http://tadamon.resist.ca/
The “International day of action against Israeli aggression” is endorsed
in Montreal by the following organizations:
Association des jeunes libanais musulmans
Canadian Muslim Forum
Coalition against the Deportation of Palestinian Refugees
International Solidarity Movement Montreal
Members of the Lebanese Diaspora
Members of the Palestinian Diaspora
Palestinian And Jewish Unity (PAJU)
Parole Arabe
Presence musulmane Montréal (PMM)
Solidarity with Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR)
Tadamon! Montreal
Voices of Conscience (OCVC)
Le Regroupement des Algeriens du Canada
Solidarity Across Borders
No One Is Illegal-Montreal
Canadian Muslims for Jerusalem (CMJ)
More Actions Over The Globe
1500 New Yorkers Demand End to Israel’s Attacks on Lebanon and Palestine
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 18, 2006
New York, NY – 1500 New Yorkers packed the city block opposite the Israeli Consulate in Manhattan today, chanting and waving Lebanese and Palestinian flags. This was the third in a series of growing protests in New York City over the last two weeks. The protests have been organized by an ad hoc New York coalition against Israeli aggression. Protesters demanded, “Stop bombing Lebanon.” “Free, free Palestine,” and “End the occupation now.” They chanted, “No justice, no peace, US out of the Middle East.” Speakers called for an end to the US and Israeli wars in the Middle East. They criticized the US’ one-sided support for Israel, and the lack of media coverage of Lebanese and Palestinian civilian deaths. The demonstration concluded with a spirited march past Grand Central Station and into Times Square.
Israel’s attacks on Lebanon are a disproportionate “response” to the detention of two Israeli combatants. Israeli bombing has killed over 230 Lebanese people, including entire families, and many children. They have destroyed Lebanese ports, roads, bridges, power plants, apartment buildings, and Beirut’s International Airport. In Gaza, Israel has killed more than 90 Palestinians in two weeks, bombed Ministry buildings, roads, homes, and jailed Palestinian Cabinet Ministers. This has plunged Gaza’s 1.4 million residents into a humanitarian crisis, with little access to electricity, water, medical supplies and food. Israel’s actions have been widely criticized by human rights groups and the UN.
Issa Mikel, a spokesperson for the ad hoc coalition against Israeli aggression, said, “Israel must be held accountable for its grave violations of international law, reminiscent of those of the South African apartheid regime. For peace, based on justice, we call on international civil society organizations and people of conscience around the world to carry out broad boycotts, implement divestment initiatives against Israel, and demand that their governments impose sanctions on Israel until it ends its apartheid system, respects the sovereignty of its Arab neighbors and the right of refugees to return to their homes and lands, and fully complies with international law.” The protest organizers vowed to maintain the pressure with continued demonstrations in New York.
Endorsers of today’s demonstration included:
The National Council of Arab-Americans
– New York, International Solidarity Movement
–NYC, the New York Campaign for Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions, ANSWER Coalition, Campus Anti-War Network,
American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee – ADC NY,
International Socialist Organization,
United for Peace and Justice – NYC,
International Action Center,
US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation,
The Party for Socialism and Liberation,
Women in Black Union Square,
Jews Against the Occupation – NYC,
West Queens Greens, and Sunnyside Woodside Peace.
For information contact: protectpalestine@gmail.com
protectpalestine@gmail.com
Boycott Israel to Stop its War Crimes in Lebanon and Gaza!
For immediate release:
Palestinian Civil Society Campaign for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions(BDS) against Israel — Acting Steering Committee
18 July 2006
Over the past six days since it launched its devastating military aggression against Lebanon, ostensibly in retaliation for Hizbullah’s capture of two of its soldiers, Israel has committed war crimes that should be more than sufficient to invite at least unequivocal condemnation from the United Nations and world powers, with their stern backing for an immediate cease-fire. Instead, the US have allowed Israel ample time to “finish the job,” destroying Lebanon’s infrastructure and killing and maiming its civilians to a degree that would turn the Lebanese public against the resistance movement and bolster Israel’s designs for pushing this resistance outside of southern Lebanon. Even Israel’s reported use of the internationally-prescribed phosphorous bombs and its massacre of at least 23 fleeing civilians in Marwaheen on Saturday failed to shake the world’s conscience or to break its deadly silence.
Meanwhile, Israel’s almost forgotten attack on Gaza continues unabated, with total impunity, leaving behind an imminent health disaster and widespread destruction of vital infrastructure. Again, the pretext that all this criminal devastation, which already caused the death and injury of hundreds of innocent Palestinians, was intended to win the release of one Israeli soldier captured by Palestinian resistance, does not stand the test of reality or logic. The truth is Israel is systematically and with premeditation trying to bring occupied Palestinians to their knees, to punish them for democratically electing the “wrong” government. Israel looks to bring about their acquiescence to its plans for further dispossessing them and forestalling any prospects for a sovereign Palestinian state emerging in the occupied territory.
There is a new double-failure by the international political system to hold Israel to account for its grave violations of international law on both fronts. This is the most recent indicator of the urgent need for international movements to take the lead in applying a comprehensive regime of boycotts, divestment and sanctions on Israel. Actions need to be taken that are similar to that successfully used to end apartheid in South Africa. Specifically, people of conscience everywhere are called upon to:
– boycott all Israeli products and services;
– boycott Israeli academic, cultural, athletic and economic institutions;
– pressure unions, professional associations and civil society organizations to divest from Israel;
– pressure governments to stop all military trade with Israel, as a first step towards adopting total sanctions against it.
All these measures should be maintained until Israel fully complies with international law and respects fundamental human rights of Arabs, whether in Lebanon or Palestine.
Israel’s criminal dehumanization of its Arab victims, whether in Lebanon or Palestine, should not go unpunished. Only boycotts, of all sorts, against Israel have any chance of fostering hope for a just peace in the Middle East.
Contact: On behalf of the Palestinian BDS Campaign:
On Friday July 14th, 100 Stockholm-based ‘Campaign for Solidarity with Palestine’ activists blocked the entrance to the Foreign Ministry building in the Swedish capital. They formed a human chain at the front gate for 2 hours, and delivered a letter of protest to a representative of the Ministry. Police tried to break them up by means of violent pushes, pepper spray and dogs. The next day, the group established a mock Israeli checkpoint in the same city, and simulated the racist process of allowing Israelis to pass and preventing Palestinians from crossing.
On Sunday July 16, 600 people joined together in Tel-Aviv to protest the war in Lebanon. The demonstration included veterans, young people, refuseniks, and various Israeli and international peace groups. Groups represented include Gush Shalom, Yesh Gvul, Anarchists Against Walls, Ta’ayush, Women’s Coalition for Peace, Courage to Refuse, Hadash, Balad, The Committee Against House Demolitions and The Center for Alternative Information. The demonstrators marched through the streets of Tel-Aviv until they were stopped by riot police. Some of the demonstrators broke away and continued their protest in the neighboring streets.
On Monday July 17, over 200 Palestinians and internationals marched through the center of Ramallah to protest Israel’s actions in Lebanon and Gaza. Various speakers delivered words from the lion statues in al-Manara, and following the speeches, the crowd waved flags and marched together through busy Ramallah traffic.
Also on Monday, English protesters blockaded EDO MBM Technologies Ltd, a Brighton-based company that produces electrical components for Israeli weapons. The action was designed to prevent the production of Israeli weapons for use in Lebanon and Gaza. Early Monday morning, protesters erected two roadblocks outside each gate of EDO MBM Technology, preventing vehicle access to the factory. Activists locked themselves to barrels filled with cement in front of the gates to create immoveable human obstructions.
In addition to these demonstrations, in the last two days there were actions in New York, Sydney, Montreal and San Francisco.
On Friday July 14th, the Stockholm-based Campaign for Solidarity with Palestine launched its first action by blocking the entrance to the Foreign Ministry building in the Swedish capital. 100 activists formed a human chain at the front gate for 2 hours, and delivered a letter of protest to a representative of the Ministry. Police tried to break them up by means of violent pushes, pepper spray and dogs. One activist was lightly injured by spray to his eyes and another one arrested.
After two hours of blocking and chanting, with considerable media attention, the Swedish Foreign Minister himself, Mr. Jan Eliasson, came out and spoke with Shora Esmailian, media spokesperson for the Campaign. Mr Eliasson addressed the crowd, but was met by hoots and chants, and retreated to the building.
The Campaign for Solidarity with Palestine is made up of numerous activist groups in Stockholm including International Solidarity Movement, Anti-Fascist Action and the Swedish section of the Fourth International. The Campaign demands an immediate reversal of hypocritical Swedish policies that support the illegal Israeli occupation of Palestine, and calls for an end to all military and diplomatic relations with the state of Israel until its wars of aggression in Gaza and Lebanon cease.
Israeli checkpoint comes to Stockholm’s central square
On Saturday, July 15, 2006: As bombs fell on Beirut and Gaza, an Israeli checkpoint was set up in Stockholm on the Mynttorget, a central square facing the Parliament. This was one in the series of direct actions constituting the Campaign for Solidarity with Palestine. In the middle of the Saturday afternoon crowd, Swedish activists used political theater to raise awareness about illegal checkpoints and about the Israeli occupation in general. 20 activists acting as Palestinians were “shot” and lay on the ground covered in fake blood. At the same time the Israeli soldiers that were in control of the checkpoint threatened the Palestinians who were still alive. All the bypassers that looked Israeli were allowed to pass through the checkpoint (they were told why), but the ones with an Arab appearance had to go through ID-control, humiliation and abuse from the soldiers. One of the Israeli soldiers was walking around with a megaphone shouting what he thought of the Palestinians.
As the British Government continues to boycott Palestinians by refusing to recognise their democratically elected government, by joining the EU in a blockade of aid and by entertaining Israeli leader Ehud Olmert in London whilst bombs rain down on Gaza, activists around the country have answered a call from the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) and the Boycott Israeli Goods Campaign (BIG) to join a day of boycott action against Israeli apartheid.
Israel occupied the Gaza Strip, Golan Heights, West Bank in 1967 and has been rapidly annexing this occupied territory ever since. The Israeli state has moved 380 000 Jewish settlers into the West Bank as part of this policy of colonisation. The apartheid wall continues to be built, annexing huge swathes of Palestinian land and ghettoising whole communities, despite the advisory ruling of the International Court of Justice in the Hague in 2004. Fifty Five illegal Jewish settlements in the West Bank will be on the Israeli side of the wall separated from the West Bank.
Since 2000 Israel has demolished 628 Palestinian houses, home to 3, 983 people, in acts of collective punishment. These demolitions constitute a war crime. 3, 808 Palestinians have been killed as a direct result of Israeli military actions and 29, 456 injured during the current upraising which began in September 2000 (all figures from www.btselem.org and www.palestinercs.org)
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The PSC and the BIG campaign are responding to calls from Palestine and Israel for a boycott of Israel until it complies with international law and universal principles of human rights. The call for an international boycott has been signed by 180 civil society organisations in Palestine, large numbers of trade unions in Palestine spoke out in support of CUPE, a Canadian trade union who had passed a motion calling for a boycott. The Alternative Information Center, a joint Palestinian/Israeli project based in Jerusalem and Beit Sahour, recently published a pamphlet in support of the boycott. Similarly, the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD), has joined the international call for boycott. divestment and sanctions against Israel.
The boycott is aimed at showing that Israeli military actions do not happen in a vacuum and that the Israeli state, corporations and institutions will be penalised by civil society for supporting the occupation of Palestine. PSC and BIG are also calling for divestment from Israel, Ariel Sharon once said that Israel could not carry on its policies without support from foreign corporations.
The boycott is not an attack on Israeli civil society but an attempt to break the isolation of groups in Israel and Palestine who oppose the occupation.
During the day of action on Saturday 24th June, pickets and demonstrations took place at stores selling Israeli products across the UK, in Liverpool, Brighton, Camden, Hackney, Islington, Southport, Cardiff, Darlington, Brixton, Oxford, Nottingham, Birmingham, Exeter, Halifax, Brent, Durham, Sheffield and Manchester. Concerned individuals took part in creative actions to persuade the public not to buy Israeli goods and demand that retailers do not stock them.
In Brighton campaigners picketed Waitrose calling on the corporation to adhere to its ethical buying policy by not buying goods from apartheid Israel. The management of the store came to talk to campaigners and seemed interested in entering into dialogue. Another picket was held outside a highstreet store selling CATerpillar goods, CATerpillar have a contract with the Israeli military for the supply of military bulldozers used in illegal demolitions of Palestinian homes and have been the subject of intense international campaigning. CATerpillar’s board meeting this month was forced to consider the issue of geopolitics at a time when CEO Jim Owens would rather be talking of expanding the company.
In the West Midlands activists drove a replica CATerpillar bulldozer through the high street as a creative way of highlighting the way in which CATerpillar fuels the occupation.
Across London activist picketed supermarkets selling Israeli goods and delivered letters to store managers informing them of the boycott.
The actions today were part of a concerted campaign calling for boycott, divestment and sanctions. In 2004 activists supporting the boycott occupied a factory belonging to Caterpillar, a company supplying Israel with military bulldozers for the destruction of Palestinian civilian homes. Later that year a group of activists shut down Agrexco Ltd.s plant in Middlesex by erecting a blockade around their depot. The company is responsible for exporting 75% of fresh produce grown in illegal Israeli settlements. Last month NAFTHE, a union of university lecturers, voted to support an academic boycott of Israeli universities and academic institutions who supported the occupation. There is small but real support in Israel for the academic boycott, last month an Israeli professor spoke out in support of the boycott.
PSC and BIG aim to build a mass campaign similar to that of a boycott of apartheid South Africa. The campaign focuses on Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against Apartheid Israel. In addition to its brutal occupation and theft of Palestinian land, the Israeli state also operates an entrenched system of racial discrimination against its own Palestinian civilians which is among the reasons many South African activists label it an apartheid state.
