Americans for Peace Now, to mark the 40th anniversary of the Six-Day War, posted on its web site a mosaic of opinions on the meaning of the anniversary by several experts on the issue. For further information, visit http://www.peacenow.org.
The Arab American Institute is organizing “40 Hours for 40 Years: Palestine Lives,” a multimedia, interactive campaign to mark the 40th anniversary of the occupation of the Palestinian Territory. For further information, visit http://www.aaiusa.org.
Brit Tzedek v’Shalom - The Jewish Alliance for Justice and Peace has released the “Rabbinic Guide to 40 Years of Occupation” aimed at encouraging hundreds of rabbis across the United States to use the 40th anniversary of the Six-Day War to lead their congregations in reflecting on the implications of Israeli occupation. For further information, visit http://www.btvshalom.org.
Faculty for Israeli-Palestinian Peace prepared an open letter addressed to Israeli Minister of Education Yuli Tamir calling for the release of PA Minister of Education Nasser Eddin Al-Sha’er. The letter can be signed on the organization’s web site at http://www.ffipp.org.
The Middle East Children’s Alliance (MECA) is organizing a US speaking tour by Dr. Mona El-Farra, MECA’s Director of Gaza Projects, from June to July 2007. For further information, visit http://www.mecaforpeace.org.
The Palestine Center, in Washington D.C. on 14 May 2007, held a lecture entitled “Ending 40 Years of Occupation: The Arab Peace Initiative as the Basis for a Just and Lasting Peace” by legal advisors to the PLO Negotiation Affairs Department: Maen Areikat, Zeinah Salahi
and Khaled Elgindy. The transcript is available on the Center’s web site at http://www.thejerusalemfund.org/palestinecenter.
Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights will hold a demonstration and other events in Montreal on 8 and 9 June 2007 to mark 40 years of Israeli occupation. For further information, visit http://www.sphr.org.
Europe
Amnesty International, marking the 40th anniversary of the occupation of the Palestinian Territory, has published a report entitled “Enduring occupation: Palestinians under siege in the West Bank.” The report is available on Amnesty’s web site at http://www.amnesty.org.
The French Platform for NGOs on Palestine will organize a demonstration and other events in Paris on 9 June 2007 to mark 40 years of occupation of the Palestinian Territory.
The Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign will organize a “National Demonstration against 40 Years of the Israeli Occupation” in Dublin on 9 June 2007. For further information, visit http://www.ipsc.ie.
The World Council of Churches, from 3 to 9 June 2007, is organizing “International Church Action for Peace in Palestine and Israel,” an advocacy initiative to mark the 40th anniversary of the 1967 war. Churches and church-related organizations from Australia to Canada, Sweden to South Africa are organizing activities to give public witness to their hope for peace with justice. For further information, visit http://www.oikoumene.org.
Asia/Pacific
Japan International Volunteer Center is organizing a series of lectures and other events around the country as part of a “Palestine Week” from 5 to 10 June 2007, marking the 40th anniversary of the 1967 war. For further information, visit http://www.ngo-jvc.net.
Israel/Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem
40 Occupation, a convergence of Israeli peace activists and groups (including Gush Shalom, Anarchists Against the Wall, Women’s Peace Coalition, the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions, Yesh Gvul, Indymedia,Ta’yush, Zochrot and Hadash) jointly organizing protest actions marking 40 years of occupation, will hold six days of protests from 5 to 10 June 2007. For further information, visit http://www.kibush40.org.
The Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD) has announced its fifth annual summer rebuilding work camp to be held from 14 to 29 July 2007. Every year international volunteers join Israeli peace activists and the local community to rebuild a Palestinian home demolished by the Israeli authorities in the village of Anata, near Jerusalem.
ICAHD, as part of its contribution to the global campaign against the occupation, has launched a campaign to rebuild each and every Palestinian home demolished by Israel in the coming year - about 300 homes. For further information, visit http://www.icahd.org.
The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR), in cooperation with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Gaza, organized on 14 May 2007 a training course on the UN human rights protection mechanisms for lawyers working for civil society organizations in the Gaza Strip.
PCHR has published its fourth report on Israeli attacks against Palestinian medical crews. For further information, visit http://www.pchrgaza.ps.
The Palestinian Grassroots Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign has posted on its web site a list of activities taking place around the world to mark 40 years of Israeli occupation. For further information, visit http://stopthewall.org.
Women in Black will organize a protest vigil on 8 June 2007 marking 40 years of occupation. For further information, visit http://coalitionofwomen.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:
United Nations Headquarters Phone: (212) 963-1550
Room S-3350 Fax: (212) 963-4199
New York, NY 10017 E-mail: dprngo@un.org
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.