November-December 2008
No. 24
North America
Harvard School of Public Health – Programme on Humanitarian Policy and Conflict Research held on 15 December 20-08 an online seminar on “International Law and Movement and Access Restrictions in the Gaza Strip”. For further information, contact E-Mail: ihlforum@hpcr.org
Palestine Center issued on 22 December 2008 an information brief entitled “Reviving the Arab Peace Initiative: A Way Out of the Impasse?” by Ali Abunimah, Palestine Center Fellow. For further information, visit the web site: http://www.thejerusalemfund.org
Europe
The Council for the Advancement of Arab-British Understanding (CAABU) issued a press release informing about the 2008 Christmas appeal from Friends of Birzeit University to raise funds to give a Palestinian student a chance to study. For further information, contact E-Mail: E.director@fobzu.org or visit the web site: http://www.fobzu.org
Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) issued an urgent actions alert on 9 December 2008 entitled ‘Write to your MP about the unprecedented humanitarian crisis”. The press release describes the conditions in the Gaza Strip, for the 1.5 million Palestinians living in Gaza, half of them children. For further information, contact E-Mail: info@palestinecampaign.org or visit the web site: http://www.palestinecampaign.org
PSC sent postcard to MPs written “While Gaza starves, illegal settlement produce is sold in our supermarkets!” a Westminster Hall debate on settlement goods took place on 17 December 2008. Over 70 MPs have signed the Early Day Motion 112 on Gaza, which was tabled on 4 December. MPs from all parties spoke of the need to end the siege. The organization will hold a presentation on 24 January 2008 entitled “Supporting a future state for Palestine: building a mass anti-apartheid movement”, at the University of Westminster. Speakers include: Salim Vally, lecturer and senior researcher in the School of Education at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg and chairperson of the South African Palestine Solidarity Committee and the Anti-War Coalition; and Baroness Jenny Tonge, PSD Patron, recently returned from a visit to Gaza with the Break the Siege boat. In the afternoon, panel discussion on “The Political Challenges facing the Palestinians with: Manuel Hassassian, Palestinian representative to the UK; Ghada Karmi, academic and author; and Kamel Hawash, Vice-Chairman of PSC. The event will be chaired by Jeremy Corbyn, MP.
Asia and Pacific
Australians for Palestine and Women for Palestine held on 20 December 2008 a protest against the siege of Gaza. The organizations announced the creation of a new organization in Melbourne, Justice for Palestine. The organization has posted in its web site information on Bethlehem. “The wall, now three quarters built, along Israeli only bypass roads service 27 Israeli settlements which has created the following situation : Bethlehem residents are being cut off from 70% of their land; collapse of the city’s economy with 55% of the Palestinians residents of Bethlehem district now unemployed and the vital tourism industry decimated; creating a poverty rate of 60% amongst Bethlehem district residents; many villages in the Bethlehem district are severed in two, preventing families living in the same village from being able to see each other”. For further information, visit the web site: http://www.justiceforpalestine.org
Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem
Al-Haq issued an urgent call on 5 December 2008 “calling for immediate measures to stop settler violence in Hebron and throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territory.” The call describes the settler attacks against Palestinians which has now has now escalated into more severe and violent attacks. “At least, four Palestinian houses and two Palestinian shops were set ablaze, while emergency response vehicles such as fire trucks and ambulances have either been prevented access or attacked during attempts to reach the wounded. Livestock and agricultural lands have also been attacked and burned”. For further information, visit the web site: http://www.alhap.org
Badil announced in December 2008 that the 2009 Desk-Calendars entitled “The Ongoing Nakba” with photos and information. For further information, visit the web site: http://www.badil.org/paypal/publications.htm
B’Tselem the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories issued three press releases in December 2008: The first one, Hebron: Willful abandonment by security forces”; “Testimony: Settlers attack family in Hebron”; and “60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.” For further information, visit the web site: http://www.btselem.org
Coalition for Jerusalem issued a press release on 17 December 2008 entitled “Civil society organizations strongly protest and condemn Israel’s third demolition of the Sheikh Jarrah protest tent”. The Coalition and the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood residents held a candlelight vigil to honour the 271 patients who died until the present day as a result of Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip. For further information, contact E-Mail: coalitionforjerusalem@yahoo.com
The Coalition issued a press release on 20 December 2008 entitled “Um Kamel Al Kurd’s Return to her original home in Talbyieh”. The Um Kamel Al Kurd joined by a group of civil society activists will demand the return of Um Kamel and her family to their home in Talbyieh, where the family was forced out in 1948.
Defence for Children International – Palestine Section issue a press release on 9 December 2008 entitled “Three boys have administrative detention orders renewed”. For further information, visit the web site: http://www.dci-pal.org
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) issued a press release on 21 December 2008 entitled “PCHR Strongly Condemns Assault against Palestinian Detainees in Oufar Detention Center. For further information, contact E-Mail: info@pchrgaza.org or visit the web site: http://www.pchrgaza.org
Peace Now issued a press release informing about a call on 9 December 2008 entitled “Lessons from Hebron” with Hagit Ofran, Head of the Peace Now’s Settlement Watch Programme. A recording of this call with be available on APN’s web site. Peace Now in March and April 2007 mobilized to ensure that the takeover of the privately-owned building in Hebron would not be tolerated. The organization organized a series of rallies opposite the Hebron property and outside the then-Defence Minister Amir Peretz, presenting him a letter noting the illegality of the settlers’ action and urging him to take action. Following Peace Now’s actions the Minister issued the eviction order. For further information, visit the web site: http://www.peacenow.org
Gisha issued a press release on 7 December 2008 entitled “No Money, No Electricity: Tens of Thousands of Families Suffering Effects of the Israeli Prevention of Cash Flow to Gaza”. As part of the overall closure policy, Israel is preventing the transfer of cash to banks in Gaza. Banks closed their doors last week. For further information, visit the web site: http://www.gisha.org
Yesh Din issued a report in December 2008 entitled: “Exceptions”. The report reveals full data on how the Israeli military law enforcement agencies, the Military Prosecution and the Courts-Martial process cases in which IDF soldiers commit offences against Palestinians and their property. The report also examines the quality of the military criminal system’s operations in relation to offences by soldiers against Palestinian civilians, and it concludes the details of each case heard by the Courts-Martial on offences committed from the outbreak of the second intifada on September 2000 through the end of 2007. For further information, visit the web site: http://www.yesh-din.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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