You’ve heard us say for months that The Rebuilding Alliance is working to build the home that Rachel Corrie stood to safeguard. In the spirit of Ramadan and its call to empathy, we want to let you inside our strategy to build the Nasrallah family home and help end home demolitions in Gaza. We’re encouraging Americans to take in the personal stories of Palestinian families, to invest in their future by helping them rebuild homes and schools, and to defend their rights in court. And when bulldozers are coming, we know we can save those homes and schools when citizens call Congress to intervene. By building this home in Rachel’s name, and then the next, we are building momentum to prevent what Human Rights Watch called “the planned destruction of hundreds more homes” in Gaza. Read more about The Rachel Corrie Rebuilding Campaign in Gaza
“End the oppression, end the occupation” was the rallying cry at the European Social Forum in London last weekend, where thousands of delegates from all walks of life descended on Alexandra Palace united in the belief that “another world is possible.” Dennis Brutus, a poet, professor and former political prisoner who spent time on Robin Island with Nelson Mandela “breaking stones”, said it was “encouraging to see the crowds that have attended on each occasion to discuss the issue of the Palestinian people and their struggle for social justice.” He urged the audience to build a “global movement in support of the Palestinian people” just like was done in South Africa. “We can do this by boycotts, divestments, embargoes and sanctions” he said. Read more about Palestine takes centre stage at the European Social Forum
Governments usually guarantee protection for their citizens: basic human rights and physical security but Palestinians have no state or international body to provide for their protection. A group of non-governmental organizations, in a statement to the UNHCR Executive Committee meeting in Geneva 4-8 October, drew attention to the “continuing plight of millions of forcibly displaced Palestinians. Their situation is unique amongst forcibly displaced persons, as millions of them fall into a protection gap.” Read more about NGOs urge governments, UN to tackle lack of protection for Palestinian refugees
Al Mezan Center for Human Rights requests your urgent intervention. The Center calls upon the international community to take effective action to put an end to Israeli violations of human rights and the rights of children in the occupied Palestinian territories, in particular in the north of the Gaza Strip. The Center also calls human rights organizations and child rights NGOs, coalitions and individuals to take whatever steps within their power to mobilize a more effective intervention to prevent violations of international humanitarian law and human rights standards. Read more about International community must act to stop killing Palestinian children
In a New York Times column today, PLO legal adviser Michael Tarazi lays out the case for solving the deadlocked Palestinian-Israeli conflict through “a one-state solution in which citizens of all faiths and ethnicities live together as equals.” That the New York Times printed this article represents a major breakthrough of this idea into the mainstream. Tarazi’s article is sure to draw a sharp negative reaction from those who wish to stifle a free debate. If you support equal rights for Palestinians and Israelis, and want to see this discussion expand, the New York Times needs to hear from you. Read more about Write to comment on New York Times opinion piece
The South African Palestine Solidarity Committee called upon the South African government to cancel the proposed invitation to Deputy Prime Minister of Apartheid Israel, Ehud Olmert, to visit South Africa. Olmert is scheduled to have talks with state officials, supporters of Apartheid Israel and business people in two weeks time. Olmert’s proposed visit comes in the wake of meetings between ten senior Likud Party representatives and South African officials and Cabinet Ministers. According to an official statement the South African government views Olmert’s trip as part of ‘mediatory’ efforts to bring about peace in the Middle East. Read more about South Africans protest visit Ehud Olmert to South Africa
Jewish Voice for Peace, a national Jewish-American organization with 10,000 supporters, called for an immediate halt to the massive Israeli invasion of Gaza Strip. The group called for the United States and the international community to intervene to stop the Israeli military operation and prevent the rocket attacks by Hamas that have provided the pretext for it. “Israeli actions have already cost dozens of Palestinian lives, severely injured many more innocent civilians, and has seen the destruction of more Palestinian homes,” said Mitchell Plitnick, JVP’s Co-Director. “The planned invasion is sure to multiply these numbers greatly.” Read more about Jewish American group calls for international intervention to stop Israel's massive military invasion of Gaza Strip
For the last 48 hours, the Union of Health Work Committees (UHWC), medical facilities are in state of top emergency in the northern governorate of Gaza Strip. The medical teams are working continuously to cope with the increasing number of causalities, due to a massive incursion of Israeli forces to the northern governorate, especially Jabalia. Israeli tanks, helicopters, and other military forces are attacking the area through four main sectors. Israeli forces are demolishing houses, destroying infrastructure and bulldozing trees at the same time they snipe at every moving target, disregarding whether it is a child, women, old man or a youth. Read more about Urgent Appeal from UHWC Gaza
Jewish peace activists protested Caterpillar’s safety record in the Middle East when they disrupted the Caterpillar-sponsored Safety Awards earlier this morning at the MINExpo in Las Vegas, Nevada. They unrolled a banner with a photo of an armored D-9 bulldozer destroying homes that read “What do Cat dozers make possible? Death and destruction for Palestinians and Israelis.” The United Nations, Amnesty International, and Human Rights Watch, in addition to many faith-based groups, have all condemned Caterpillar’s sale of bulldozers to Israel which endanger the safety of Palestinian and Israeli civilians. Read more about Jewish Activists Disrupt Safety Awards at MINExpo to Protest Caterpillar's Sales to Israeli Army
On Tuesday, Sep. 28, Israel’s high court will hear Tali Fahima’s appeal against her administrative (read: without a trial) detention. She is now held in solitary confinement, with no access to books, newspapers, cigarettes, and basic amenities. The 28 years old independent solidarity activist from Kiryat-Gat has committed the worst crime an Israeli can, she crossed the barriers to work with Palestinians in Jenin refugee camp, and befriended a militant. The Israeli high court will hear Tali Fahima’s appeal against her administrative detention on Tuesday, Sep. 28, at 6 pm. Supporters are encouraged to attend the court session. Read more about Free Tali Fahima
