NGO ACTION NEWS November-December 2008 No. 23 http://unispal.un.org/ngoactionnews.nsf/1c0b3ab87dc4f2f8852568f8007759fd/3fc93058691798588525751600714fd9?OpenDocument North America American Task Force On Palestine, Foundation for Middle East Peace & Middle East Institute will hold on 4 December 2008 a presentation entitled “The Future of the Peace Process: A Palestinian Perspective” with members of the PLO Negotiating Affairs Department. For further information, contact E-Mail: info@fmep.org or visit the web site: http://fmep.org Brooklyn for Peace is selling Palestinian extra virgin olive oil from small farmer cooperatives in the West Bank. It comes from the Palestinian Agricultural Relief Committees (PARC), a member of the Palestinian Trade Associations, and the only organization that has received the Palestine Standards Institution certification for its olive oil. For further information, contact E-Mail: pales@brooklynforpeace.org or bfp@brooklynforpeace.org or visit the web site: http://www.brooklynforpeace.org The Christmas Lutheran Church will hold on 20 December 2008 a joint simulcast worship service between the Palestinians congregants of Bethlehem and people in metropolitan Washington, D.C at the Bethlehem Chapel of the National Cathedral. Bishop John Chane recently visited the Holy Land and gave a sermon at the St.Columba’s in Washington, D.C at: http://www.columba.org The service will be available through the National Cathedral web site. Just Vision will sponsor the Rabbis for Human Rights’ Second Conference taking place from 7 to 9 December 2008, in Washington, D.C, with the presence of religious leaders, lay leaders and people of all faiths who are dedicated to human rights. For further information, contact E-Mail: conference@rhr-na.org or visit the web site: http://www.rhr-na.org The Middle East Studies Association (MESA), at its annual conference in Washington DC, on November 2008 granted the Academic Freedom Award to Gisha Legal Center for Freedom of Movement in recognition for helping Palestinians exercise their rights to access education and freedom of movement in the Gaza Strip. For further information, visit the web site: http://www.gisha.org The Palestine Center launched on 26 November 2008 the book “Mountain against the Sea: Essays on Palestinian Society and Culture” by Salim Tamari, Director of the Institute of Jerusalem Studies and Professor of Sociology at Birzeit University. For further information, visit the web site: http://www.thejerusalemfund.org Resistance Art has posted on its web site the 2008 “Colours from Palestine” Calendar. All proceeds from the sales will be donated to the “Young Artists Group” in the Gaza Strip. For further information, contact E-Mail: resistanceart@resistanceart.com or visit the web site: http://www.resistanceart.com US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation, Adalah (NY), Network of Arab-American Organizations of NY, Arab American Anti-Discrimination Committee of NY, and Brooklyn for Peace held a demonstration on 26 November 2008 in protest for the siege of Gaza, in front of the White House. For further information, visit the web site: http://www.endtheoccupation.org Europe Association Belgo-Palestinienne (ABP) held will hold a conference on the Palestine refugees on 29 November 2009. Speakers include: Géraud de la Pradelle, Emeritus Professor of International Law at the University of Paris X-Nanterre; Matthias Burchard, Director of UNRWA in Geneva; Jalal Al Husseini, Associate Researcher at the Middle East Institute in Amman; Leila Shahid, General Delegate of Palestine to the EU; Tal Dor, Zohcrot; Abdelfattah Abou Srou, Aida Refugee Camp, BADIL. For further information, contact E-Mail: abp.eccp@skynet.be Council for Arab-British Understanding (CAABU) held a presentation on 1 December 2008 on the current situation in the Gaza Strip with Karen AbouZayd, Commissioner-General of UNRWA. For further information, visit the web site: http://www.caabu.org French Platform issued a press release in November 2008 informing that over 50 cities in France mobilized on 29 November 2008 to commemorate the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. In several cities, walls have been erected to protest the construction of the wall. The Campaign “Peace like Palestine” mobilized 53 cities in France. For further information, contact E-Mail: pfpalest@club-internet.fr or visit the web site: http://www.plateformepalestine.org Oxford Research Group issued a report in November 2008 entitled “The Arab Peace Initiative: Why Now” by Gabrielle Rifkind. The report is based on an expert roundtable organized by ORG on 17 to 17 October 2008 to give the Arab Peace Initiative a higher profile. For further information, visit the web site: http://www.oxfordresearchgroup.org.uk Oxfam International issued a statement in November 2009 on the Gaza blockade. For further information, contact E-Mail: SHalaseh@oxfam.org.uk Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) issued on 21 November 2008 an action alert support call to support the ban on Israeli settlement produce sold in the UK and labelled “West Bank” and “Israel” in fact originating from Israeli settlements. The organization posted a list of supermarkets that stock settlement produce. PSC two announced two events: a public meeting on 29 November entitled “The Occupation and Israeli Civil Society”, with Gideon Levy, Ha’aretz; Samia al-Botmeh, Birzeit University; and Ilan Pappe, Exeter University, at the School of Oriental & African Studies (SOAS). The second event will be held on 1 December entitled “Power and Water in the Middle East - the Hidden Politics of the Palestinian-Israeli Water Conflict” by Mark Zeitoun. For further information, contact E-Mail: info@palestinecampaign.org or visit the web site: http://www.palestinecampaign.org United Civilians for Peace (UCP) issued a report in November 2008 entitled “Improper Advantage: A Study of Unilever’s Investment in an illegal Israeli settlement”. United Civilians for Peace is a Dutch platform. For further information, contact E-Mail: merijn.de.jong@unitedcivilians.nl Welfare Association is currently running an appeal for Gaza. The appeal stresses that only 30% of Gazans have access to clean water (UNICEF); 50% of drinking water wells have run out of back up fuel for pumping water (OCHA); 67% of households in Gaza are in deep poverty, living on $2 per person per day; and sewage services reliant on electricity are now overflowing, and raw sewage is being dumped out at sea. For further information, contact E-Mail: dsafieh@welfareassociation.org.uk or info@welfareassociation.org.uk or visit the web site: http://www.welfareassociation.org.uk Asia and Pacific Women for Palestine and Australians for Palestine will screen two documentaries on 3 December 2008: “Memory of the Cactus”, which tells the story of recreational area known as Canada Park, created upon the ruins of three Palestinian villages after some 10,000 Palestinians were driven out and their homes were blown out during the 1967 war; and “Stolen Youth” about the conditions in prison for Palestinian children. Both organizations supported the Australian Muslim Palestine Committee initiative to protest the Gaza Humanitarian Crisis, which organized two protests on 27 and 30 November. For further information, contact E-Mail: sonjakarkar@womenforpalestine.org Australians for Palestine has posted in its web site the video of the presentation entitled “Beyond Occupation: The New Reality in Israel Palestine” by Sarah Roy, Harvard University, presented on 8 October 2008 at the University of Melbourne. For further information, visit the web site: http://www.australiansforpalestine.com Latin America Centro de Estudos Árabes, Grupo Nexus and the Institute of Arab Culture screened on 2 December 2008 the film “Bab Al Shams” based on the book by Elias Khoury, followed by a debate, at the University of São Paulo. The event will take place to commemorate the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. For further information, contact E-Mail: aeclem@hotmail.com Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem Addameer Prisoners Support and Human Rights Association issued a press release on 20 November 2008 entitled “Israeli Occupation Forces Storm Hebron School and Arrest Eights Students”. For further information, visit the web site: http://www.addameer.org Al- Haq issued a press release on 20 November 2008 entitled “Gaza Strip: Drifting into Deeper Darkness under the Silent Gaze of the International Community”. Al-Haq and the Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE) issued a joint press release on 19 November 2008 entitled “Israeli occupation policies are the primary obstacle to realization of the human right to adequate housing in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.” The conclusion was reached following a two-day workshop which included participants from both international and local organizations interested in addressing the deteriorating housing situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Since the Annapolis conference was held in November 2007, dozens of houses have been demolished in East Jerusalem under the pretext of lack of building permits, while during the same period plans for thousands of additional settlement housing units have been approved. For further information, contact E-Mail: media@alhaq.org or visit the web site: http://www.alhaq.org The Association of International Development Agencies (AIDA) issued a press release in December 2008 entitled “Unprecedented Denial of Humanitarian Access to Gaza must not continue”. The press release highlights the deterioration of the situation in the past three weeks, and lack of ability of organizations to deliver vital, basic services even at minimal level. AIDA is comprised by 21 international aid organizations. For further information, contact E-Mail: MRBailey@oxfam.org.uk Al-Quds University will hold a conference on 3 and 4 May 2009 entitled “Women, Leadership, State and Society”, at the Abu-Dis Campus, East Jerusalem. This conference is organized in part of an ongoing educational partnership between Al-Quds and Brandeis University. Proposals for papers or workshops should be sent by 15 January 2008. For further information, contact E-Mails: insacenter@arts.alquds.edu or crosby@bradeis.edu B’Tselem the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories issued three press releases in November 2008: the first one entitled ‘Policeman who killed Palestinian in Tel Aviv sentence to one year in jail”; “Jerusalem municipality demolishes houses in Silwan”; and “Testimony: House demolition and police brutality in East Jerusalem”. For further information, visit the web site: http://www.btselem.org Coalition for Jerusalem issued a press release calling for a press conference in 20 November 2008 at the tent protest in Sheikh Jarrah. For the second time the Israeli police evicted the Al-Kurd family and destroyed the tent erected to protest the eviction of the Al-Kurd family built in 1948. The press release contains a brief history of the ownership of the land. The Coalition is composed of dozens of organizations and individuals from East Jerusalem, West Bank and Gaza. For further information, contact E-Mail: coalitionforJerusalem@yahoo.com The Coalition for Jerusalem issued on 2 December 2008 Sabeel’s Seventh International Conference’s statement. For further information, visit the web site: http://www.sabeel.org Adalah and the Coalition for Jerusalem will hold a press conference on 27 November 2008 to submit the objection for the National Council of Planning and Building in Israel against the Regional Master Plan for Jerusalem, which was officially submitted two months ago. The objectors argued that with this policy plan, Israel is continuing to engage in intensive planning in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, designed to maintain a Jewish majority in an ever-expanding “greater and united Jerusalem”, with extensive highway, roads and rail networks that will also further cement the existence of the settlements in and around Jerusalem. Speakers include: Attorney Hassan Jabarreen, General Director of Adalah; Attorney Suhad Bishara, Director of Land and Planning Unit of Adalah and lawyer for the objectors; Khalil Tafajji, Director of Maps Department, Arab Studies Society. For further information, contact E-Mails: salah@adalah.org, rina@adalah.org or visit the web site: http://www.ccdprj.ps B’Tselem issued two press releases in November 2008: “Severe Bread Shortage in Gaza”; and “Policeman head-butts Palestinians in East Jerusalem”. For further information, visit the web site: http://www.btselem.org Defence for Children International – Palestine Section (DCI) issued its monthly publication. DCI is launching “The Palestine’s Freedom Now” campaign on its web site with a focus on Palestinian child detainees held by the Israeli authorities. For further information, visit the web site: http://www.dci-pal.org Gisha issued an urgent call in November 2008 entitled “The Time Has Come to Stop Targeting Civilians” as the Gaza Strip started another week without electricity. For further information, visit the web site: http://www.gisha.org Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) issued a report on 26 November 2008 entitled “Suffering of Gazan Women increases with Israeli Siege”. According to the report, 19 Palestinian women in the Gaza Strip were killed by shelling, shootings and incursions, in many cases in their homes. Also the siege lead to death of 13 women, who were denied their right to travel for advanced medical treatment. For further information, visit the web site: http://www.pchrgaza.org PCHR issued a press release on 19 November 2008 entitled “PCHR Warns of Further Deterioration to Humanitarian Conditions in the Gaza Strip.” PCHR issued another press release on 2 December 2008 entitled ‘Gaza Border Crossings are closed for 27th consecutive day”. The press release states that the Gazan economy has now all collapsed due to the IOF refusing to allow the export of Gaza goods through the five border crossings that it directly controls. 76% of the Gazan population is currently partially dependant on humanitarian aid, and the Centre reiterates that IOF strategies have forced Gaza into chronic poverty, making one of the most dependent communities on earth. For further information, contact E-Mail: pchr@pchrgaza.org or visit the web site: http://pchrgaza.org Palestinian Center for Rapprochement Between People (PCR) is organizing on 24 and 25 December 2008 the “Nights of the Shepherds: Community and people connections to protect the land and the people of the Shepherd field”, co-sponsored by its tourist division, the Siraj Center for Holy Land Studies and in collaboration with the Joint Advocacy of the YMCA.YWCA. Shepherds’ fields are surrounded by settlements on three sides and the fourth is being targeted by settler groups. For further information, contact E-Mail: qumsi001@hotmail.com or visit the web site: http://www.sirajcenter.org or visit the web sites: http://www.pcr.ps or http://www.imenc.org Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) and Palestinian Medical Relief Society issued a statement on 12 November 2008 entitled “New Israeli Restrictions target Palestinian Hospitals in Jerusalem”. As of 2 November new Israeli army guidelines require Palestinian medical personnel from the West Bank who work in Jerusalem hospitals to come in only through the Qalandia checkpoint in Ramallah, which is the more crowded checkpoint. According to the organizations, “the restriction is part of the ongoing policy intended to weaken the connection between Palestinian hospitals in East Jerusalem and the population of the West Bank, in an attempt to harm their special status as Palestinian institutions operating in Jerusalem”. For further information, visit the web site: http://www.phr.org.il PNGO (Palestinian NGO Network) issued a statement on 3 December 2008 entitled “Preserving the Palestinian Social Cohesion and insuring Sustainable Development”. The statement says that aid remains vital and instrumental in development of system, sector and society building, however, the major challenge and obstacle that is facing Palestinian society and obstructing its development is the Israeli occupation. The purpose of any support provided to Palestinians apart of humanitarian assistance is to bring about empowerment of the Palestinian society to enable it to realize its national goals and to build an independent state. For further information, contact E-Mail: pngonet@pngo.net or visit the web site: http://www.pngo.net Stop the Wall Campaign issued the list of over 80 national and global activities against the wall during the week of 9 to 16 November 2008. For further information, visit the web site: http://www.stopthewall.org United Nations The Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People will convene the United Nations Latin American and Caribbean Meeting in Support of Israeli-Palestinian Peace on 11 and 12 December, to be followed on 13 December 2008 by the United Nations Public Forum in Support of the Israeli-Palestinian Peace. The Meetings will he held at the Headquarters of the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, in Santiago, Chile. The objective of the Meeting, at this time of reinvigorated efforts at advancing the Israeli-Palestinian political process, is to encourage broad international action, including by Latin America and Caribbean States, in support of the Israel-Palestinian peace and achieving a solution to the conflict based on a shared vision of two States, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security. For further information, visit the web site: http://www.un.org/depts/dpa/qpal/calendar.htm