Occupation End Notes | February 21, 2008
Volume 5 Number 15
Occupation End Notes, February 21, 2008
Volume 5 Number 15
In this issue...
1. US Campaign Update: US
Campaign Launches Expressions of Nakba Competition; US Campaign's
February Book Club Selection; While Supplies Last, Get Your Palestinian
Fair Trade Olive Oil
2. Legislative Update: Oppose $2.55 Billion in Military Aid in FY 2009
3. Membership Update: Americans for a Just Peace in the Middle East's Documentary: ISRAEL: Myths & Propaganda; AFSC End the Siege on Gaza Blog; AFSC Program Associate Job Opening
4. Boycott & Divestment News:
5. Resources & Events: Anna Baltzer presents: Life in Occupied Palestine: Eyewitness Stories & Photos; Boston Palestine Film Festival (BPFF) now accepting entries for its 2nd annual festival
6. Opportunities to Visit Israel and Palestine: Interfaith Peace-Builders; Global Exchange; Middle East Children's Alliance; Christian Peacemaker Teams; NEW Delegations from Middle East Fellowship
* US Campaign Launches Expressions of Nakba Competition:
The
year 2008 marks the 60th anniversary of the Nakba ("the catastrophe"):
the expulsion and dispossession of hundreds of thousands of
Palestinians from their homes and land in 1948.
The
US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation is soliciting entries for a
commemoration of the Nakba through personal expressions in the form of
visual arts, essays, poetry, music, video, and digital media.
Learn more about the competition and how you can participate by clicking here!
* US Campaign's February Book of the Month Club Selection: The War on Lebanon: A Reader
|
Our book selection for February is "The War on
You can order this book today from the US Campaign for $20 (plus $3 shipping and handling) by clicking here. |
* While Supplies Last, Get Your Palestinian Fair Trade Olive Oil
Enjoy Palestinian fair trade olive oil. Help Palestinian farmers in the |
|
Order your olive oil today by clicking here or call 202-332-0994 to place your order by credit card. |
2. LEGISLATIVE UPDATE:
* Oppose $2.55 Billion in Military Aid to Israel in FY2009
Feb. 11, 2008
Bush'
FY2009 budget request to Congress includes $2.55 billion in military
aid to Israel, a 9% increase over actual spending in FY2007.This
increase in military aid is the first installment of a ten-year plan,
signed by Israel and the United States in August, to increase military
aid to Israel by 25%, totaling $30 billion over the next decade.
Take action to oppose military aid to
* Americans for a Just Peace in the Middle East's Documentary: ISRAEL: Myths & Propaganda
The Truth about the 1948 Arab-Israeli War and the Ethnic Cleansing of
AJPME is proud to announce the completion of its newest documentary featuring Israeli historian Ilan Pappe.
This is a two part interview with Prof. Pappe in his office at
In the first interview Pappe uncovers three Israeli myths: that
Watch Pappe discuss what really happened and why it is important for all of us to know.
AMEU (Americans for Middle East Understanding) is featuring this
documentary to accompany an article to be written by Prof. Pappe for
To
order your copy of this important documentary please write to:
info@ajpme.org or call us at: (866) 280-0813. They're $15.00 each.
Orders of 10 or more are priced at $10.00 each.
* AFSC's End the Siege on Gaza Blog
* AFSC Middle East Program Associate Job Opening in
February 14, 2008
JOB ANNOUNCEMENT
Job Title: Program Associate
Duration: Six (6) months (with possibility of extension)
Hours: 35 hours/week (fulltime)
Program:
Region/Unit: Southeastern Regional Office (SERO)
Supervisor(s): Program Director and/or Associate Regional Director
Location: Regional Office,
Background: The AFSC SERO Middle East Peace Education Program (MEPEP) works for a just and balanced
Summary of Responsibilities:provide
general administrative and programmatic support to MEPEP? participate
in and lead educational presentations, activities and events? respond
to information requests? plan, develop and update resources for program
campaigns. The Program Associate will also assume the responsibilities
of the Program Director during his/her absence.
Application Process:Email a copy of your resume and a detailed cover letter specific for this position to
mepepassociate08@afsc.org.
*
Adalah-NY Contact: justiceme@gmail.com
New
York, NY, Feb 9, 2008 - Forty-five protesters called on Madison Avenue
shoppers to boycott the jewelry store of Israeli billionaire and
settlement magnate Lev Leviev this Saturday, the last major shopping
day before Valentine's Day. The protest was the seventh organized by
the
Londoners also joined the campaign to boycott Leviev, with 25 human rights activists picketing outside Leviev's
Click here to read more!
* London School of Economics student union votes for divestment
Press Release, LSE SU Palestine Society, 19 February 2008
The London School of Economics Students' Union (LSESU) on 14 February
voted overwhelmingly to call on its university and the National Union
of Students (NUS) to divest from companies that provide military and
commercial support for the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land,
condemning the decades of human rights abuses and systematic oppression
that has occurred as a result.
A motion, brought to the weekly Union General Meeting of more than 400
LSE students by the LSESU Palestine Society, resolved to lobby the LSE
and NUS to divest from companies that provide military support for the
Israeli occupation, facilitate the maintenance of the illegal
"annexation" wall or operate on illegally occupied land or within
Jewish only settlements. With a six to one margin, the Union voted to
support the aim of targeted divestment until companies cease such
practices or until
Click here to read more.
* Anna Baltzer presents: Life in Occupied
Anna Baltzer, a Jewish American Columbia graduate, Fulbright scholar, author, and acclaimed presenter, is touring the
The purpose of the tour is to provide critical information and documentation that can be difficult to obtain through mainstream
Southern California
Baltzer will also be selling and signing copies of her newly updated book, Witness in
For more information about Baltzer's book, DVD, and tour details, visit www.AnnaInTheMiddleEast.com
* The
The
festival will showcase the diverse and creative work of all filmmakers
(any nationality) exploring both historic and contemporary themes
related to Palestinian culture, experience, and narrative.
BPFF accepts films, videos and digital media in the following categories:
ØFeature Films
ØDocumentaries
ØShorts (including animated or experimental works)
ØYouth Work (created by filmmakers under the age of 18)
This
year the festival particularly encourages submissions related to the
Palestinian refugee issue and themes of exile, to commemorate the 60th
anniversary of the Nakba in 2008.
The
early submission deadline is February 15, 2008, with an extended
submission deadline of March 20, 2008. There is no entry fee for
International Submissions or Youth Work.
Festival Website: http://www.bostonpalestinefilmfest.org
BPFF Submission Form: http://bostonpalestinefilmfest.org/cfe2008/BPFF-CFE2008.pdf
Please direct all questions to: submissions@bostonpalestinefilmfest.org
6. OPPORTUNITIES TO VISIT
*Interfaith Peace-BuildersDelegations to Israel/Palestine
Interfaith Peace-Builders (IFPB) sends delegations to
Upcoming Delegations in 2008: March 29 - April 12
May 24 - June 7: Legacies of 1948" 60 Years of Searching for Justice (Co-Sponsored with AFSC)
July 26 - August 9
November 8 - November 22
Apply Today: http://www.ifpbdel.org/upcoming.html
* Fall 2007 Schedule: December 2nd - 12th: Global Exchange's Delegations to Palestine & Israel
As
the Israeli military continues to place Palestinian towns, villages and
refugee camps under siege, Palestinians continue to resist the 40 year
Occupation of their land. GX's delegations to Palestine/Israel strive
to further the US public's understanding of the region's history and
realities by giving participants first-hand exposure to the aspirations
and frustrations of Palestinians living under Occupation, the
dimensions of the human rights crisis under Israeli rule, as well as
the perspectives of Palestinians and Israelis who are working for a
just peace and end to the occupation.
For additional information, review our Palestine resources.
For a selection of recent news items compiled by Global Exchange, review our Palestine News Updates.
Prospects for Peace with Justice
April 05, 2008 - April 15, 2008
December 06, 2008 - December 16, 2008
For more information you can contact Global Exchange (800-497-1994 x. 251) or email palestine@globalexchange.org.
* July 1-12, 2008: Middle East Children's Alliance Delegation to Palestine/Israel
On
MECA's twelve-day delegation you will be taken on a geographic,
political, historical and cultural tour of Palestine/Israel by two MECA
staff people, and Yacoub Odeh, refugee, former political prisoner, and
human rights worker. We will travel by van to witness the impact of the
Israeli occupation and visit organizations working for justice and
equality. You will learn about refugees, land confiscation, political
prisoners, women's initiatives, mental and physical health issues,
civil rights in
The group of eight to twelve people will stay at the guesthouse of MECA's long-time partner
Cost: $1,800 not including airfare.
More info: www.mecaforpeace.org/delegation
Contact: Deborah Agre at 510-548-0542 or Deborah@mecaforpeace.org
* NEW Christian Peacemaker Teams Delegations to PALESTINE/ISRAEL:
Upcoming 2008 Delegations: May 27-June 9
July 22-August 4
October 14-27
November 19-December 2
During
the first several days, delegates will meet with representatives of
Israeli and Palestinian peace and human rights groups in
For more information or to apply, contact CPT, (
* NEW
DISCOVERY DELEGATIONS IN 2008:
June 2-12, 2008: open delegation to the
[Other options available throughout 2008, including Northwest Churches tripOctober 3-18]
Meet
the indigenous churches of the Holy Land, tour all the key sights in
Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Hebron, Jericho, Nazareth, Jaffa, etc; enjoy home
stays with local families in Bethlehem; learn from Palestinian and
Israel peace, justice and nonviolence practioners; and much much more!Cost: $1800 plus airfare.
Now
entering its 5th year, PSE offers three sequential 1-month sessions
that can be combined for one, two or three month stays. Session One:
May 22-June 19; Session Two: June 19-July 17; Session Three: July
17-August 14.PSE includes Home Stays, Arabic
Study, volunteer Service-Learning and meeting with a wide variety of
Palestinian and Israeli nonviolence, peace-with-justice and
reconciliation groups.
Occupation End Notes is the US Campaign bi-monthly newsletter, designed as a tool for activists. For this newsletter to be successful, we need your participation. Use us to promote events, give feedback on recent actions, recommend resources, or just learn from other activists in the movement. If you or your organization are planning an event aimed at ending the occupation, or you have information for the Newsletter, please contact the US Campaign at office@endtheoccupation.org.