The company that publishes The San Francisco Examiner and Washington Examiner newspapers has pulled an advertisement that demonized Palestinian children and has apologized for causing offense. The advertisement appeared in Media Week, a trade publication, as part of a campaign by The Examiner to sell advertising space in its newspapers. On 25 January, EI asked its readers to The Examiner, to politely request that the company withdraw the ad and apologize. EI welcomes The Examiner’s prompt and responsible action. Read more about Examiner pulls offensive ad, apologizes
Several Palestinian and Syrian NGO’s based in territories occupied by Israel will join thousands of civil society groups, organizations and people from around the world at the World Social Forum (WSF) in Porto Alegre, Brazil, calling for world leaders to commit to an end of the Israeli military occupation of the West Bank, Gaza Strip and the Golan Heights. The WSF is a unique platform where social movements, networks, NGOs, and individuals come together to debate, analyse and formulate alternatives. They appeal to participants to undertake urgent action so that people living in the region can freely exercise their basic individual and collective rights. Read more about Palestinians at World Social Forum: "End the Israeli military occupation"
The Electronic Intifada calls on its readers to protest an advertisement for the San Francisco Examiner and Washington Examiner newspapers demonizing Palestinian children. The advertisment appeared in the 24 January 2005 of Media Week, a trade publication. The advertisement aims to attract advertisers to the Examiner newspapers. It includes a picture of a girl playing a violin on the left-hand side of the page, and another picture of a girl carrying an assault rifle on the right-hand side of the page. Superimposed over the two pictures is the legend “PTA to PLO,” with PTA over the girl with the violin and PLO over the girl with the rifle. Read more about Examiner ad demonizes Palestinian children
Redwood City, CA — The Rachel Corrie Rebuilding Campaign in Gaza has been nominated for a GlobalGiving.com competition. Through January 27th, people throughout the world can vote online and rate the entries they deem best. The Gaza project is one of only two in the Human Rights category. 15 semifinalists chosen through open ratings will present their work at the Global Philanthropy Forum on Borderless Giving in March, where three winners will share $100,000 in project grants. Read more about Rachel Corrie Rebuilding Campaign in Gaza nominated in GlobalGiving.com competition
January 16, 2005 — An Israeli judge today refused to hear US Jewish lesbian activist Kate Raphael Bender’s appeal of her deportation. Judge Tal of the District Court, Tel Aviv, said he could not hear Raphael Bender’s case because her visa was no longer valid. Her visa expired yesterday, after five weeks in detention. Consulting an attorney friend present in the courtroom Raphael Bender accepted the judge’s deal to drop the appeal in exchange for the possibility to apply for her reentry into Israel to the Ministry of Interior. The Israeli law that prohibits reentry after deportation from five to ten years will not apply but this rule is very arbitrarily applied. Read more about Israeli Judge Silences Jewish American Activist
Faced with overwhelming Israeli oppression, Palestinians under occupation, in refugee camps and in the heart of Israel’s distinct form of apartheid have increasingly reached out to the world for understanding, for compassion, and, more importantly, for solidarity. Palestinians do not beg for sympathy. We deeply resent patronization, for we are no longer a nation of hapless victims. We are resisting racial and colonial oppression, aspiring to attain justice and genuine peace. Above all, we are struggling for the universal principle of equal humanity. Omar Barghgouti presented the contents of this article at the “Resisting Israeli Apartheid” Conference at the University of London (SOAS), on December 5, 2004. Read more about Boycott as Resistance: The Moral Dimension
It is not difficult to find the silver lining in the very sad and infuriating conclusion (temporary) to the issue of divestment in Somerville, MA. After a long process and sometimes rancorous debate, the aldermen caved to pressure from powerful Jewish groups who blindly support Israel; as one woman said to me “no matter what, no matter what, “no matter what” with her eyes closed and shaking her head poetically. That the Somerville Divestment Project got as far as it did towards passing a divestment resolution is nothing less than spectacular. Tom Wallace reports for EI. Read more about Somerville Divestment Failure is Bittersweet
Mordechai Vanunu won with 1033 votes, with John Ross Beattie declared the runner up having gained 793 votes. The University Rector is elected by matriculated students of the University to act as their spokesperson. University students claimed that they wanted Vanunu as Rector to show that they support basic human rights, and that they oppose weapons of mass destruction. Principal of the University, Sir Muir Russell, said: “The election of Mr Vanunu demonstrates the diverse and international concerns of Glasgow students. It is our hope that he will be able to support the student body in the way that they desire.” Read more about Glasgow University students elect Vanunu new rector
The Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel has called upon their colleagues in the international community to “comprehensively and consistently boycott all Israeli academic and cultural institutions” as exemplified in the struggle to abolish apartheid in South Africa through diverse forms of boycott. The call was made at an international conference on “Resisting Israeli Apartheid Strategies and Principles” at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London on Sunday 5 December. Victor Kattan reports. Read more about Palestinians Call for Boycott of Israeli Academia
The South African people fought for decades to free themselves of apartheid. The ANC departed from its non-violent policies in the early 1960s, becoming actively involved in the armed liberation struggle. The violence used by the ANC was directed at government institutions, economic targets and the forces involved in oppression. Nelson Mandela was arrested and imprisoned for almost 30 years. International solidarity movements supported the ANC by organising massive campaigns for sanctions and public boycotts against South Africa. A Dutch anti-apartheid activist and a South African ANC supporter whose father was imprisoned for ten years on Robben island for in his involvement in the resistance look back on activism during the struggle against apartheid in South Africa. Read more about Sanctions against apartheid South Africa should inspire the Palestinian people
