November - December 2007
No. 26, 27, 28 (157, 158, 159)
North America
American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP) held presentations in November: one entitled “Annapolis the Day After: An Inside Palestinian Perspective on the Future”, by Yasser Abbed Rabbo, Senior Palestinian Negotiator, Secretary-General of the PLO Executive Committee; and another by Khalil Shikaki, Director, Center for Policy and Survey Research, on Palestinian public opinion regarding the Annapolis meeting. For further information, visit the web site: http://www.atfp.org
ATFP, Americans for Peace Now, Brit Tzedek v’Shalom, Israeli Policy Forum, The Arab American Institute, Churches for Middle East Peace and The Foundation for Middle East Peace held a roundtable discussion on 29 November 2007 entitled “Digesting Annapolis: What Happened, What It Means, What Happens Next” by Gavril Bargil, Director General of the Kibbutz Movement, former Director of Peace Now; Ghaith al-Omari, Advocacy Director of the ATPF, drafter of the Geneva Initiative; Scott Lasensky, co-author of “Negotiating Arab-Israeli Peace, co-Director of the Group on Arab-Israeli Peacemaking; Daniel Levy, drafter of the Geneva Initiative, Senior Fellow and Director of the Middle East Policy Initiative of the American Strategy Program at the New America Foundation; Greg Khalil, legal advisor with the PLO’S Negotiations Unit (NSU); and Phil Wilcox, President of the Foundation for Middle East Peace, former Consul General in Jerusalem.
Ameinu, Americans for Peace Now, Meretz USA, Union of Progressive Zionists, Kesher Arza, Habonin Dror, Hashomer Hatzair, Brit Tzedek v’Shalom co-sponsored a rally for peace on 27 November in Annapolis. For further information, visit the web site: http://www.btvshalom.org
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace issued in November 2007 a “Special Issue: Inside Palestine”, including an interview with Dr. Mustafa Barghouti, member of the Palestinian Legislative Council and leader of the Independent Palestine Bloc, and several articles on the situation in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. For further information, visit the web site: http://www.carnegieendowment.org
The Foundation for Middle East Peace (FMEP) held a book lecture on 30 November 2007 on “Walled: Israeli Society at an Impasse” by Sylvain Cypel, Senior Editor, Le Monde. For further information, contact E-Mail: info@fmep.org or visit the web site: http://www.fmep.org
Friends of Sabeel –North America issued an open letter to President Bush in November 2007 entitled “Chicago Religious Leaders & Groups protest Israel’s declaration of Gaza as “hostile entity”. 73 leaders of faith-based organizations signed the letter. For further information, contact E-Mail: friends@fosna.org or visit the web site: http://FOSNA.org
Institute for Palestine Studies issued a paper on 13 November 2007 entitled “Gaza’s Humanitarian Crisis: Who’s to Blame for What” by Nadia Hijab, Senior Fellow at the Institute and co-director of its Washington office. For further information, visit the web site: http://www.ips.org
International Crisis Group issued report in December 2007 entitled “Inside Gaza: The Challenge of Clans and Families”. For further information, visit the web site: www.crisisgroup.org
Middle East Children’s Alliance (MECA) launched an aid medical campaign in November 2007 for the most urgently-needed medicines, medical equipment and baby formula to the Gaza Strip, and to build a water purification system for the schools in Bureij Refugee Camp that serves 4,000 children. The organization is working with Palestinian and international organizations to distribute aid to hospitals and clinics throughout the Gaza Strip. For further information, contact E-Mail: meca@mecaforpeace.org or visit the web site: http://www.mecaforpeace.org
The Palestine Center held a photo exhibit in December 2007 entitled Bethlehem Under Siege: The Decline of Christianity at its Birthplace” by Kike Arnal; and a presentation entitled “A Personal Struggle Against the Wall in Bethlehem” by Daoud Nassar, a farmer from Bethlehem. The Center also held a lecture and book signing entitled “The Symbolism of Palestinian Embroidery and Costume” by Shelagh Weir, Research Associate, Anthropology Department, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, and former curator for Middle East Ethnography at the Museum of Mankind (British Museum). For further information, contact E-Mail: info@jerusalemfund.org or visit the web site: http://www.thejerusalemfund.org
The Palestine Center issued in November 2007 an information briefing entitled “Palestinian Refugees and Negotiations”, by Diana Buttu, a lawyer and a former legal advisor to the PLO on refugees. For further information, visit the web site: http://www.the jerusalemfund.org
The Palestine Center issued the transcript of the presentation “Settlements and the Wall” by Stephanie Khoury, research fellow at the Sir Joseph Hotung Program on Law, Human Rights and Peace-Building in the Middle East at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London.
US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation launched in November 2007 “The Organic Oil Programme”. Orders can be made on the Campaign’s website. The organization has produced videos of Palestinians describing their experiences of the Nakba. To view the videos, visit the web site: http://www.uscampaign.org
Europe
Amos Trust issued in December 2007 an appeal by its partner organization Wi’am SMiLE for the next two years, with theatre, music and games, to support the education of 1,500 children in Bethlehem. For further information, contact E-Mail: info@amostrust.org or visit the web site: http://www.amostrust.org
Association Belge-Palestinienne held a conference on 30 November 2007 entitled “Israel/Palestine” by Nur Malsaha, author of “Catastrophe Remembered: Palestine, Israel and the Internal Refugees”; Ilan Pappe, author of “The 1948 War in Palestine”, “A Land for Two Peoples”, “History of Modern Palestine”; and Leila Shahid, Delegate General of Palestine to Belgium, Luxembourg and the European Union. For further information, contact E-Mail: abp.eccp@skynet.be or visit the web site: http://www.association-belgo-palestinienne.be
Danish United Nations Association, Mandela Centre- Denmark, Human Rights March will hold a conference on 26 and 27 January 2008 entitled “Israel and International Law” with focus on Palestinian women and children in Israeli prisons, in Copenhagen. For further information, contact E-Mail: hrm.info@gmail.com or visit the web site: http://www.humanrightsmarch.org
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) issued a 7-page report on 12 December 2007 entitled “The Occupied Palestinian Territories: Dignity Denied”. ICRC also issued a press release calling “for immediate political action to contain deep crisis”. For further information, visit the web site: http://www.icrc.org
Ireland Palestine Solidarity Committee (IPSC) held a photo exhibit on 6 December 2007 entitled “Unlocking Palestine” by Gearoid Ó Loingsigh, capturing the essence of life in the West Bank. For further information, visit the web site: http://www.cosmos.ucc.ie
Oxfam International issued in December 2007 a report entitled “Breaking the Impasse: Ending the Humanitarian Stranglehold in Palestine”, and a press release entitled “For aid to be effective, donors need to insist Israel changes its policies towards Occupied Territory”. The press release states that “more aid will not be effective until donor governments insist in a rapid change in Israel’s movement restrictions in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and the ending of the blockade of the Gaza Strip”. The press release also provides a list of stalled projects. For further information, visit the web site: http://www.oxfam.org
Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) held its annual Christmas concert on 7 December 2007 entitled “Voices of Bethlehem” to highlight the situation of Palestinians in Bethlehem. For further information, visit the web site: http://www.bigcampaign.org
PSC also held in December 2007 a two day fair selling several products of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and a vigil to “End of Siege in Gaza” opposite Downing Street with the presence of several other organizations. In a press release, PSC informed that about 600 people from all over the UK came to participate in the “Lobby of Parliament” event held on 29 November, on the occasion of the United Nations Solidarity Day for the Palestinian People.
For further information, contact E-Mail: info@palestinecampaign.org or visit the web site: http://www.palestinecampaign.org
Palestine Return Centre (PRC) will open the Palestine Gallery in London in early 2008, with an exhibit space with a library, lecture theatre, bookshop and café. The Centre aims to introduce UK audiences to Palestinian culture, and to celebrate the work of Palestinian artists and non-Palestinian artists concerned with the Palestinian question. The first exhibit, entitled “I, Palestine” will be dedicated to social and cultural history from before the Nakba of 1948 through the present day, including a film archive, oral histories and interactive visual and audio pieces, as well as art works. For further information, contact E-Mail: yzaloom@hotmail.com or yahya.zaloom@googlemail.com
The Council for the Advancement of Arab-British Understanding (CAABU) on behalf of SOAS Palestine Society and Zaytoun invited for a two-day fair entitled “A Taste of Palestine” on 1 and 2 December 2007 selling of high quality products of the Occupied Palestinian Territory. For further information, contact E-Mail: heather@zaytoun.org
Israel/Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem
Adalah, Anarchists Against the Wall, Bat Shalom, Bat Sfafon, Coalition of Women for Peace, Gisha – Legal Center for Freedom of Movement, Gush Shalom, Hamoked Center for the Defense of the Individual, Hithabrut-Tarabut, New Profile, Physicians for Human Rights – Israel, Shomrei Mishpat – Rabbis for Human Rights, Ta’ayush – Arab-Jewish Partnership, The Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions, The Israeli Committee for the Palestinian Prisoners and Detainees, and the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel launched in December the “End the Siege in Gaza” campaign. Some of the planned activities include: a march from with Israeli, Palestinian and international activists, a “Free Gaza Movement Day, including a boat journey from Cyprus to Gaza, an international symposium in Gaza entitled “Breaking the Siege on Gaza” Together for a United Front for Peace”. For further information, contact E-Mail: mail@pch.org.il
Al Awdad Children Theater in Aida Refugee Camp produced a video entitled “O Little Town of Bethlehem”. To views the video visit the web site: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1FaWE1SIZk
Al-Haq, Al-Dameer Association for Human Rights in Gaza, Addameer Prisoner’s Support and Human Rights Association, Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, Defence for Children International –Palestine Section, Jerusalem Legal Aid and Human Rights Center, Palestinian Counselling Center, Palestinian NGO Network (PNGO), Ramallah Center for Human Rights Studies and the Women’s Studies Center issued a joint letter on 26 November to key negotiating parties to the Annapolis meeting entitled “A Foundation not an Afterthought: Upholding International Law at Annapolis”, expressing concern “by the lack of clarity of a clearly articulated legal framework for the meeting and while the process of negotiation is inherent political, the legitimate demands do the Palestinian people to dignity, territorial sovereignty and self-determination as enshrined in binding international law may not be made the subjects of negotiation”. For further information, visit the web site:
www.alhaq.org
Over 40 Israeli, Palestinian and international organizations signed in December 2007 a call to end to isolation of the Gaza Strip and dialogue and reconciliation between Palestinian parties. The call states that the international community has exacerbated the situation by further isolating Gaza and pursuing a “West Bank first approach to aid and diplomacy that abandons 1.5 million people to poverty”. The organizations are circulating a petition calling the UN and the Israeli Government to allow Palestinian patients having treatment outside the Gaza Strip. For further information, visit the web site: http://thepetionsite.com/1/save-gaza
29 international organizations working in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and members of the Association of International Development Agencies (AIDA) issued a press release in 28 November 2007 calling for an end to the isolation in Gaza. For further information, contact E-Mail: gyassin@scsmena.org
Campaign for the Right of Entry/Re-Entry to the Occupied Territory issued a press release on 24 December 2007 entitled “Churches in Holy Land Latest Victims of Israeli Authorities’ Travel Prohibitions”. The press release describes the Israeli policy of denying entry to clergy and volunteers belonging to and working for Christian institutions and service providers. For further information, contact E-Mail: info@righttoenter.ps or visit the web site: http://www.RighToEnter.ps
Friends International Center organized a presentation on 3 December 2007 entitled “The Landscape of Occupation: Divergence and Convergence – Conflicting Landscape Narratives in Palestine” by Larry Harder
For further information, contact E-Mail: ficr@palnet.com
Jerusalem Inter-Church Centre (JIC) issued in December 2007 the “Statement by Australian Church Leaders to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory”. The delegation was composed of nine Australian church leaders. For further information, contact E-Mail: yusef66jrs@yahoo.com
The Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD) issued a press release in December entitled “Home Demolitions in the Shadow of Annapolis”. The press release states that since the signing of the Annapolis Declaration, the Municipality of Jerusalem has demolished seven Palestinian buildings, almost all of which are homes, and several others are threatened with demolition. The organization issued also a paper entitled “Israel’s Strategy for Permanent Occupation and Apartheid”. For further information, contact E-Mail: angela@icahd.org, or visit the web site: http://www.icahd.org
Joint Advocacy Initiative – The East Jerusalem YMCA and YWCA of Palestine issued a press release inviting for the “Olive Planting Program 2008” from 2 to 11 February 2008. For further information, visit the web site: http://www.jai-pal.org
The Palestine-Israel Journal (PIJ) and Bat Shalom held a presentation and a benefit dinner on 24 December 2007 entitled “Gaza: Beyond the Borders of Silence” by Amira Haas, journalist, Ha’aretz; and Dr. Eyad El Sarraj, Director, Gaza Community Mental Health Center. Proceeds for the dinner will go to Physicians for Human Rights to purchase medical supplies. PIJ issued a new issue entitled: “The New Economic Dimension Past, Present and Future”. For further information, contact E-Mail: lotahn@gmail.com or visit the web site: http://www.pij.org
Palestinian Medical Relief Society (PMRS) issued a press release on 5 December 2007 describing the critical situation and calling for an immediate end to the siege of Gaza. According to PMRS, 900 Palestinians in critical condition are still waiting for permits to leave Gaza. For further information, visit the web site: http://www.palestinemonitor.org
Palestinian NGOs Network (PNGO), the OPGAI Coalition, PACBI and the Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign held the BDS conference on 29 November 2007 in Ramallah. For the conference report, visit the web site: http://www.jai-pal.org or contact E-Mail: adnan@shepherdsfieldmca.org or pr.advocacy@ywca-palestine.org
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) has issued a position paper on Extra-Judicial Execution. For further information, visit the web site: http://www.pchrgaza.org
Palestinian Youth Network held a conference in November 2007 in Paris. Over 100 participants from several countries spent 10 days of diverse activities. For further information, contact E-Mail: info@pal-youth.org or visit the web site: http://pal-youth.org
The Stop the Wall Campaign issued a call to action by the National Committee to Commemorate the Nakba, launching the Nakba commemoration. For further information, contact E-Mail: global@stopthewall.org or visit the web site: http://dev.wsf2008.net
Physicians for Human Rights – Israel issued a press release on 21 December 2007 entitled “Israeli Policies at Eretz Crossing: Bureaucratic Cat and Mouse”. The press release states that the “Israeli Government has chanted their tactics regarding medical exit permits for Gaza patients: Instead of issued a permit or a rejection on security grounds, responses are delayed for weeks and defined as pending – since appeals can only be filed after a formal rejection bas been issued, the significance of this tactic is denial or possibility of appeal”. The press release also lists the different categories of patients waiting for exit from Gaza. For further information, contact E-Mail: miri@phr.org.il or visit the web site: http://www.
PHR issued on 7 December 2007 an “Appeal for Medical Supplies for Gaza”. PHR is planning a an emergency dispatch of humanitarian supplies and a delegation of doctors to supply limited emergency aid, to witness and report on the medical situation in Gaza. For further information, contact E-Mail: miri@phr.org.il or visit the web site: http://www.phr.org.il
Yesh Din –Volunteers for Human Rights issued a report in December 2007 entitled “Seven years of intifada: 90% of criminal investigations of IDF soldiers closed without indictment”. According to the report, the low number of investigations opened and the minute number of indictments served reveal the de facto derogation of its duty to protect the Palestinian civilian population against offences committed by Israeli soldiers. 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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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.