How did the March go?

by Jan Moerings - DPC Mon Apr 15, 2002 21:12 moerings at hotmail dot com

Proposals for Action Towards
A Global Campaign Against Israel's Brand of Apartheid

(E/26/2002)

BADIL Resource Center
10 April 2002
For Immediate Release

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In light of the unprecedented Israeli military campaign against the Palestinian people and based on the impressive and worldwide expression of solidarity with the Palestinian struggle for justice and peace, BADIL would like to present to the global solidarity movement a number of initiatives which we consider cornerstones for the future global campaign against Israel's brand of apartheid. BADIL encourages peace and justice activists worldwide to join these and similar initiatives in order to build a broad and sustainable movement, similar to the boycott movement that finally removed the repressive apartheid regime in South Africa.

CONSUMER BOYCOTT CAMPAIGN:

Boycott Israeli goods and services, including tourism to Israel; advocate and lobby for divestment of foreign funds in Israeli state and private companies and the suspension of military, economic, and cultural cooperation
agreements and aid, until Israel will end its occupation of all areas occupied in 1967 and implement international law, all relevant UN resolutions, and respect human rights, including the right of return of Palestinian refugees.

Contact:

"Boycott Israeli Goods Campaign"
[email protected]
http://www.boycottisraeligoods.org/

This excellent website includes relevant information in several languages, as well as links to other boycott initiatives worldwide.

ISRAEL BOYCOTT IN ACADEMIA AND RESEARCH:

Academics and researchers in the United States have launched a campaign aimed at obtaining maximum endorsement among academics in the United States of a letter calling for a boycott of research and cultural links with Israel, until Israel abides by all relevant UN resolutions (UNGA 194, UNSC 242, 338, 1402 etc.); complies with human rights as stated in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and the Fourth Geneva Conventions to which Israel is a signatory; and, opens serious peace negotiations with the Palestinians, along the lines proposed in many peace plans, most recently that sponsored by the Arab League. A similar letter endorsed by more than 120 academics and researchers in Europe was published in the British Guardian on Friday, 6 April 2002.

For further information contact:

[email protected]
[email protected] Endorsements (including name and academic affiliation)

CAMPAIGN "INDICT SHARON NOW":

On 15 May the Belgian court hearing the case of the war crimes suit against Israel's prime minister Ariel Sharon is expected to give a ruling which will be crucial for the further progress of the case. The suit was filed by Palestinian and Lebanese survivors of the 1982 massacre of Sabra and Shatila, Beirut. An earlier official Israeli commission of inquiry found that then Minister of Defense, Ariel Sharon, held "personal responsibility" for the massacre but no legal charges followed.

Educate and disseminate information about Ariel Sharon's role in Israel's massacres committed against the Palestinian people in the past and at present;
Organize, facilitate and participate in fact finding missions aimed at examining possible war crimes committed by the Israeli army in the context of the current military campaign against the Palestinian people in the occupied West Bank, especially in Nablus and the Jenin refugee camp;
Advocate and lobby for an end to the impunity of persons accused of war crimes, including Ariel Sharon.
For more information and resources, see:

International Committee for Justice for the Victims of Sabra and Shatila: Contact: [email protected]; http://www.indictsharon.net/;
Sabra and Shatila Committee, Belgium: http://www.sabra-shatila.be/
Mallat Law Firm (a member of the plaintiff's legal team): http://www.mallat.com/
Petition for International Investigation Committee on Ariel Sharon's crimes against humanity addressed to UN High Commissioner on Human Rights, Mary Robinson. The petition requires 1 million signatures to become effective: http://www.PetitionOnline.com/warcrime/petition.html

JOIN THE INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT (ISM) and GRASS-ROOTS INTERNATIONAL PROTECTION (GIPP) IN PALESTINE:

Many peace activists have expressed their willingness to join ISM and GISS in Palestine in the coming weeks, and everybody in needed in order to:

Provide protection to Palestinian civilians by staying with families in refugee camps, villages, and towns;
Accompany ambulances;
Send food and aid to families in need;
Join non-violent protests;
Help document the facts on the ground with cameras, video or by writing reports; and disseminate information widely.
Orientation and low-cost accommodation in Jerusalem will be organized

Contact:

[email protected] and send copy to: [email protected]
Hanna Rishmawi (GIPP): 00972-52-437513; Bahiyya (GIPP): 00972-55-378262; George S. Rishmawi: 00972-52-502079; Ghassan Andoni: 00972-52-595319; Sabeel Centre (Cathy): 00972-2-5327136

by Jan Moerings - Dutch Palestine Committee Mon Apr 15, 2002 21:07 moerings at hotmail dot com

Dear people,

I want to congratulate you with this demonstration!
Saturday 13 April there were big demonstrations in London, Amsterdam, Berlin and many other places. Our voices will be heard!

Jan Moerings

(In the Netherlands we have had a common problem with the media (as in London). There were 30.000 people demonstrating in Amsterdam. The 'regular' media is talking about 10.000 and only focuses on some incidents that happened at the end of the demonstration, not on the clear message that we gave that day)

Images of the demonstration in Amsterdam at:

http://www.indymedia.nl/2002/04/3250.shtml

http://www.indymedia.nl/2002/04/3219.shtml

http://photoart.xs4all.nl/Local43/StoptheWar.htm

by colm bryce Fri Apr 12, 2002 02:38

Congratulations on the protest in Dublin. It was heartening to all the rest of us.

In Derry last Saturday, at two days notice around 150 people made it to the Guildhall Square for a rally in support of the Palestinians. We'd organised a protest two weeks previously, with Fatima El-Hilou, a survivor of the Sabra and Shatilla massacres. A similar number turned out.

Last Saturday, Eamonn McCann from the SWP, chaired the rally and spoke of the role of US imperialism in Palestine and why we need to connect our outrage at what is happening in the West Bank with the US and Blair's 'war on terrorism'. The connection is so obvious. The hypocrisy of the US -demanding Iraq obey UN sanctions, while Israel goes on the rampage - is beyond belief. We have set up a branch of the Palsetinian Solidarity Campaign this week and are having a stall this Saturday in the city centre. We have also organised a bus from Derry to the anti-war rally on 27 April. See you there. Seize the day! Colm

by Komsomol Wed Apr 10, 2002 15:48 komsomol at swirve dot com

there was a big protest in derry outside the guild hall square 2 weeks in a row, i wish i could have been to them though :-( i missed them both, i feel very strongly about the middle east crisis. Thank god somebody is doing atleast something about the unimaginable things going on in the middle east. My utmost respect is to those who organised those protests

by intifada Tue Apr 09, 2002 22:52 mark_connoly at glay dot org

to venus and natasha:
I attended saturdays protest, and was touched by
the protest you have made for the people of Palestine,
i would love to hear from either of you through my
e-mail address about your friends doing great
work in Palestine.

Thanks to all on the protest, and remember:
THERE IS'NT A GRENADE, SHELL OR GUN THE US OR
ISRAEL CAN MAKE WHICH CAN DEFEAT THE GROUNDSWELL
OF SUPPORT WHICH INCLUDES PEOPLE LIKE NATASHA AND
VENUS, MARY KELLY AND CAOIMHE BUTTERLY.

and thank god we now have an Irish indymedia site! keep up the good
work guys!

by LorraineR - USI Tue Apr 09, 2002 14:51 environment_usi at yahoo dot co dot uk USI,Environmental Awareness Officer,Grattan Street,Dublin 2 086 6098656

The demo on Saturday was a success,unfortunately the media are not as good at maths as we seem to be.It was positive to see so many different organisations and individuals join together, have not seen that happen for a while. To everyone that dropped by the tree throughout last week and brought words of support,and food & bedding to make things more comfortable for the girls,thank you.To the girls,you have done us proud. Also,to the people who attended the demo,I only hope we can continue to work together.We can only pray for those that are living in danger in Palestine.Friends of mine from the UK,very much involved in Stop the War and other groups, have headed to Israel this morning to try and get relief aid to the suffering people of Palestine.I would ask you to think of them in their work.

by Dathi - Al axia mosque supporters :) Tue Apr 09, 2002 00:55

Went very well and made it to TV3 and numerous publications. Made Palestinian flags which looked very well. Hickeys came in Handy :)see yeez.

ps: you should make these comment boxes accept HTMl as we can then show pictures etc.

by Aidan Mon Apr 08, 2002 13:06

Venus finished her protest on Saturday night after staying up since Monday evening. Unfortunately Caoimhe isn't safe and the Israeli Ambassador still isn't listening.

There isn't always a happy ending.

She asked me to say thank you to everyone who showed solidarity, from passerbys, to taxi drivers, to the Palestinians, those wonderful folks at that Eygptian restaurant (who arrived with amazing food for the supporters) and the people who stayed with her.

Aidan

by Aidan Mon Apr 08, 2002 13:04

Venus finished her protest on Saturday night after staying up since Monday evening. Unfortunately Caoimhe isn't safe and the Israeli Ambassador still isn't listening.

There isn't always a happy ending.

She asked me to say thank you to everyone who showed solidarity, from passerbys, to taxi drivers, to the Palestinians, those wonderful folks at that Eygptian restaurant (who arrived with amazing food for the supporters) and the people who stayed with her.

Aidan

by tim Mon Apr 08, 2002 12:44

what's happening with the tree protest ?

by dave lordan - swp Sun Apr 07, 2002 12:07 www.swp.ie

The central bank plaza was overflowing with people when i arrived at about 1.15. People are saying betwenn 1500 and 2000 showed up, which is a huge turnout for a march organised at such short notice. Nearly everybody seemed to be carrying various placards and banners calling for an end to the occupation, stop Israeli-US terror, victory to the intifada, stop killing our children etc. There were a lot of Palestinians and arabs- men, women and children- on the march. Of course their prescence added to the militancy and feeling of solidarity of the occasion. We went to the GPO first where there were speeches from Sinn Fein, the writers Union, the palestinian community, SWP, Socialist Party etc. Then everybody marched all the way to the the Israeli embassy in Ballsbridge. The march must have been seen by tens of thousands of people all together and i think it will have an impact on public opinion. The next big event is the national anti-war demo on the 27th called under the slogans- Against the bombing of Iraq and Justice for Palestine. I think we can break 5000 for this one if everyone around the country puts their shoulder to the wheel between here and then.

by Sean O'Sullivan Sat Apr 06, 2002 23:51

Just to say that the march went very well. A credit to those who organised it and also to those who participated.