July–August 2008
No. 17
North America
The Advocacy Project is currently circulating a petition on behalf of the villagers of Nil’in. The latest demonstration against the wall was documented on video and can be viewed on the following link: http://www.btselem.org or http://advocacynet.org or http://www.petitiononline.com/nilin/petition.html
If Americans Knew issued a press release on 29 July 2008 about the Associated Press cover-up of Israel’s long standing practice of strip searching civilians. For further information, visit the web site: http://www.ifamericansknew.org
The Palestinian Popular Conference will take place from 8 to 10 August 2008 in Chicago, Illinois. For further information, contact E-Mail: conference@palestineconference.org or visit the web site: http://www.palestineconference.org
Resistance Art issued a press release informing about the 2009 “Colors from Palestine” Calendar. All proceeds from the sales will be donated to the young Palestinian artists in Gaza. For further information, contact E-Mail: resistanceart@resistanceart.com or visit the web site: http://www.resistanceart.com/calendars.htm
Europe
The Free Gaza Movement UK issued a press release on 24 July 2008 announcing that around 60 Palestinians, Israelis and internationals will sail from Cyprus to the Gaza Strip to deliver medical equipment on 5 August. Ten of the 60 campaigners are from the UK and Ireland. For further information, contact E-Mail: friendsofgaza@gmail.com or visit the web site: http://www.freegaza.org
International Jewish Solidarity Network wrote on 27 July 2008 an open letter to Mercedes Sosa, asking her to cancel her performance in Israel. For further information, visit the web site: http://www.ijsn.net
The Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) will hold a cultural celebration on 22 October 2008, with classical, jazz and Palestinian music performed by John Williams, Hohn Etheridge, Tala Tutunji, The Choir of London, Reim Kelani, Bruno Heim, Marwan Abado with Peter Rosmanith; and with words spoken by: Victoria Brittain, Julie Christie, Colin Firth, Corin Redgrave, Juliet Stevenson, Miriam Margolyes and Kika Karkham. The event will take place at the Cadogan Hall, London. For further information, contact E-Mail: info@palestinecampaign.org or visit the web site: http://www.palestinecampaign.org
Asia and Pacific
Australians for Palestine and Women for Palestine will hold on 13 August 2008 the screening of two new documentaries: “La Terre Parle Arabe” by Maryse Gargour; and “Jerusalem: The East Side Story” by Mohammed Alatar. For further information, contact E-Mail: info@australiansforpalestine.com or visit the web site: http://www.australiansforpalestine.com
Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem
Addameer Prisoners’ Right and Support Group issued an urgent appeal on 30 July 2008 regarding the administrative detention of two Palestinian females, under the age of 18, Salwa Salah and Sara Siureh. According to the organization, there are currently approximately 750 Palestinians in administrative detention, without trial or charge, for terms of six months frequently renewed before they expire. For further information, contact E-Mail: addameer@p-ol.com or visit the web site: http://www.addameer.org
Al-Haq issued a press release on 28 July 2008 entitled “Torturing Each Other: The Widespread Practices of Arbitrary Detention and Torture in the Palestinian Territory”. Al-Haq issued another press release in July entitled “Israeli’s policy of Arbitrary Arrest of Human Rights Defenders Continues”. For further information, contact E-Mail: media@alhaq.org or visit the web site: http://www.alhaq.org
Christian Peacemakers Team (CPT) issued a press release on 24 July 2008 entitled “Israeli Settlers Pursue Palestinian Children on Their Way to Summer Camp; Israeli Military Fails to Escort Children”. During the 2007-2008 school year, settlers used violence against children on over 14 occasions. For further information, visit the web site: http://www.cpt.org
Palestinian International Campaign to End the Siege of Gaza organized in July 2008 a recreational event in Gaza City, with the participation of the Hala Team for children’s parties. The Campaign is organizing more recreational activities in different areas of the Gaza Strip to relief stress from deteriorating living standards. For further information, contact E-Mail: end.gaza.siege@gmail.com or visit the web site: http://www.end-gaza-siege.ps
The Free Gaza Campaign on 5 August 2008 will send two boats from Cyprus to Gaza, to protest against the siege of Gaza, to draw attention to its continued de facto occupation after the disengagement, and to bring medical aid, including hearing aids. More than 60 participants from 16 countries will take part in the protest, including Hedy Hepstein, 84, a holocaust survivor. The organization has been invited by the Palestinian Medical Relief Society, the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme, and the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights. For further information, contact E-Mail: angela@icahd.org of visit the web site: http://www.freegaza.org
The International Women’s Peace Service (IWPS) issued a press release on 25 July 2008 informing that for the second time in a week, settlers set fires in the olive groves surrounding Immantin village on the Qalqiliya district, burning 50 dunums of land and 130 olive trees. For further information, contact E-Mail: iwps@palnet.com or visit the web site: http://www.iwps-pal.org
The Palestinian NGO Network (PNGO), Ittijah (Union of Arab Community-Based Associations inside Israel), Alternative Information Center (AIC), and the European Coordinating Committee for Palestine (ECCP), supported by the MEWANDO Network – Middle East without Wars and Oppression from the Basque country (Nazioarteko Elkartasuna-Solidaridad Internacional –Mundubat, Médicos del Mundo, Centro Cultural Palestino Biladi, Fundación Paz y Solidaridad-CCOO, la Coordinadora de ongd and Paz con Dignidad) will hold a conference from 29 to 31 October 2008 entitled the “Bilbao Initiative: Towards a Just Peace in Palestine, in Bilbao, Spain. Palestinian, Israeli and European social movements and international personalities will participate in the conference. The results of “The Bilbao Initiative” will be published as a conceptual and practical tool that can be used by all organizations. For further information, contact E-Mail: mewando@mewando.org or mewando@gmail.com
Physicians for Human Rights –Israel (PHR) launched on 4 August 2008 a publication entitled “Holding Health to Ramson: GSS Interrogation and Extortion of Palestinian Patients at Erez Crossing”, at the Ambassador Hotel, Jerusalem. The publication states that patients from Gaza who are in need of medical care outside the Gaza Strip are summoned for interrogation at Erez crossing, and pressure is exerted on them to provide intelligence information as a condition for accessing care. There has been a sharp increase in the number of patients referred to external medical centers via the Erez crossing, and much sharper increase in the proportion of patients denied exit permits – from 10% in the first half of 2007 to 35% in the first quarter of 2008. For further information, contact E-Mail: miri@phr.org.il or visit the web site: http://www.phr.org.il
The Sheikh Jarrah Neighbourhood Committee issued a press release on 22 July 2008 entitled ‘The families are resolute in their struggle against Israeli colonization”. The Committee states that the order to evict the Al Kurd family from their home in the neighbourhood is part of a wider scheme from settler organizations to enhance small settlements scattered all over Jerusalem and especially in and around the old city areas of Wadi Al Joz, the Mount of Olives, Ras Almoud, and that will eventually connect to the big colonies surrounding Jerusalem. The ultimate goal is to evict the Palestinians from Jerusalem and annex their land. For further information, contact E-Mail: advocacy@pcc-jer.org or visit the web site: http://www.pcc-jer.org
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The NGO Action News is a bi-weekly newsletter issued by the Division for Palestinian Rights of the United Nations Secretariat and intended to provide information on worldwide NGO activities relevant to the question of Palestine. Organizations interested in sharing information about their activities through this newsletter may contact the Division for Palestinian Rights at:
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Room S-3350 Fax: (212) 963-4199
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Please be advised that the final decision with regard to selecting material for inclusion in the newsletter rests with the Division for Palestinian Rights. The Division cannot take responsibility for the accuracy of the information provided to it by contributing organizations.