Activism News

Internationals and Palestinians Demonstrate in Rafah

At 11 am on Saturday the 15th of February 100-150 Palestinians were joined in Rafah by nine internationals in a march for peace for the people of Iraq, in protest of US government policies towards the people of Iraq and Palestine, and in support of the political rights of protesters in New York City. This demonstration occurred in conjunction with protests around the world. Rachel Corrie writes for the ISM

US activist, Rachel Corrie, 23, killed by IDF bulldozer in Gaza

“Rachel was alone in front of the house as we were trying to get them to stop. She waved for the bulldozer to stop and waved. She fell down and the bulldozer kept going. We yelled, ‘Stop, stop,’ and the bulldozer didn’t stop at all. It had completely run over her and then it reversed and ran back over her.” An American International Solidarity Movement activist was killed today while protesting and trying to prevent a house demolition in Gaza. 

3,000 Jews, Arab demonstrate in Tel Aviv against Iraq war

On Saturday February 15th, over 3,000 Jews and Arabs demonstrated against the war on Iraq in Tel Aviv Museum’s square. The demonstration was held in partnership with a Palestinian demonstration held in the center of Ramallah and simultaneously with over 600 demonstrations worldwide. The following press release from the AIC offers more details. 

The pseudo-boycott of Israeli universities

The Israel-EU Association Agreement is founded on the basis of a respect for human rights. Recent calls by French universities for this agreement to be suspended do not constitute a “boycott,” but rather a moral and correct response to Israel’s human rights abuses. Writing in Le Monde, Monique Chemillier-Gendreau responds to the critics who have attempted to label such actions as “anti-Semitism,” and who have failed to recognize the moral consequences of inaction. 

Academic boycott: In support of Paris VI

In April 2002, following the Israel’s “operation” in Jenin, first calls for institutional academic boycott of Israeli universities appeared in England and in France. The British petition called to freeze European Union contracts with Israeli university as long as Israel continues its present policy. What started as the individual voice of concerned academics, has become lately a formal resolution of a French university. Israeli academic Tanya Reinhart comments. 

"Transfer" is nothing more than ethnic cleansing

“As a group that has faced ethnic cleansing in the recent past, we, as Jews and as members of Jews Against the Occupation, feel the need to speak out in order to prevent similar inhumane acts from being perpetrated on another people in our name.” An important statement from Jews against the Occupation suggests actions to prevent the transfer of Palestinians under cover of a war in Iraq. 

Objectors to military service in Israel go on hunger strike in prison

On Thursday, 16 January 2003, two imprisoned conscientious objectors to military service, Noam Bahat and Hillel Goral, went on hunger strike. Both are among the signatories of a letter signed last year by over 300 high school students, declaring their refusal to serve in the Israeli army. An alert from several Israeli activist groups outlines their opposition. 

Israeli security forces kidnap Jaggi Singh

Canadian activist Jaggi Singh traveled to Palestine on December 14th to write about the realities of the Israeli occupation and participate in the activities of the International Solidarity Movement. On his arrival he was banned by an Israeli court from entering the occupied territories, an edict he defied on the grounds that it “normalized Israel’s occupation” of these lands. On January 8th, while arriving for a pre-arranged meeting with a friend in West Jerusalem, Singh was bundled into a car by three Israelis in plain clothes. Nigel Parry reports. 

Pages