PSC Weekly Update – 3 September 2010

September 6th, 2010 • News
Tags: PSC, update

In this week’s update:

• Why should an occupied people be forced to negotiate their freedom?
  News and views on the ‘peace negotiations’
• Send a PSC vehicle to Gaza! Please donate towards the next convoy
• BDS news: Massive Attack’s Robert del Naja says why he is boycotting Israel;
  - Greenbelt votes on boycott;
  - PSC gets its view across in Israeli Channel 10 documentary on BDS;
  - Israeli academics and actors boycott actions.

ACTIONS

• Panorama: Death in the Med
  Stage 3 in the BBC complaints procedure – a detailed set of points to make when requesting an appeal to the BBC Trust’s Editorial Standards Committee;
  - plus MK Haneen Zoabi gives evidence to the UN
• Tear gas and rubber bullets greet Bi’lin protestors in first march after jailing of Abu Rahmah
  - write to William Hague – demand the UK puts pressure on Israel to overturn his conviction.
• UK actors in fundraising drive to take drama therapy workshop to children in Gaza

News, events, analysis and more

Read the full update here…

PSC Weekly Update – 27 August 2010

August 27th, 2010 • News
Tags: PSC, update

In this week’s update:

• Demonstrate outside AHAVA – Saturday 28 August 12 – 2pm, Monmouth Street, Covent Garden, London

• Help PSC send a vehicle to Gaza with the Viva Palestina convoy – breaking the siege by land and sea.

• Israel is an ‘occupation-addicted junkie’, Gideon Levy tells packed PSC meeting – See report and video

• PSC Briefing: What the ‘peace talks’ mean for the Palestinians

• Death on the Med – bloggers and columnists give their views

• News, events, analysis and more

Read the full update here…

PSC Weekly Update – 19 August 2010

August 19th, 2010 • News
Tags: PSC, update

In this week’s update:

• ‘DEATH ON THE MED’ The next steps – OFCOM and taking your complaint further with the BBC

• Sign the petition – Free Vanunu

• BDS: Edinburgh council to discuss Israel boycott of Veolia

• Students – Order your freshers pack and special book offer

• Israel keeps evidence of ethnic cleansing locked up

• Abuse pictures on facebook ‘reflect prejudice, racism and hatred of the Israeli army’

• News, events, analysis and more

Read the full update here…

PSC Weekly Update – 12 August 2010

August 12th, 2010 • News
Tags: PSC, update

In this week’s update:

• Gideon Levy in conversation with Jon Snow London 24 August

• BDS Victory: Ahava 4 acquitted – Join Protest on Saturday

• Trade Union News: International Transport Federation calls for Action on Illegal Israeli Settlements;

• UN panel examining Gaza flotilla attack shows lack of teeth

• Israel razes Negev village for the third time

• Besieging Israel’s siege – BDS has become truly global

• News, events, analysis and more

Read the full update here…

BDS: Criticisms of Israel not anti-Semitic

August 6th, 2010 • 1 comment Action, Awareness, News
Tags: BDS, boycott, concert, johnny rotten, leeds, picket, protest, PSC

Letters published in the Yorkshire Evening Post in response to the Leeds PSC picket at Johnny Rotten’s concert:

IN response to Kevin Hartley’s letter (below), Palestine solidarity supporters do not demonise Israel – there is much that Israelis should be duly proud of. This does not mean there are not criticisms of Israel and that these are anti-Semitic.

The criticisms are that Israel violates international law and human rights as recognised by the UN – by continued expansion of its settlements in the Palestinian West Bank (as commented on by Barak Obama re: East Jerusalem), the blockade on Gaza (which even David Cameron described as a prison) and the system of check points, lack of freedom of movement and the apartheid wall that makes Palestinians’ lives and livelihoods acutely difficult in the West Bank and in Israel.

Many of the most active Palestine campaigners in the UK are Jewish and we are clear that it is the Israeli State (and not Jews) that we are critical of.

This anti-apartheid boycott campaign is the peaceful one, in which we can all take part, to collectively pressurise Israel to stop the above violations and to start a peace process with Palestine.

Whilst John Lydon may or may not boycott Israel, many other artists have (Carlos Santana, Elvis Costello, Ian Banks etc).

For Mr Hartley’s information, I do campaign and support campaigns against injustice and poverty here and abroad and don’t just boycott Israeli goods. I also promote fairtrade and buy fairtrade products, including Zaytoun Palestinian olive oil. I believe we can use our consumer power by supporting and boycotting and hope others will consider doing the same.

– C MacDonald, Leeds (Published Date: 05 August 2010)

in response to:

Further to your report of July 22 regarding the Palestinian supporters’ campaign to boycott Israel and urge entertainers like rocker John Lydon not to perform, this is saddening.

Israel is not an “apartheid” state as was suggested; all of its citizens have equal rights under the law regardless of race or religion despite what these misguided campaigners say.

Israel’s situation is totally unique and her need for security is paramount.

The attempt by these campaigners to demonise Israel and portray it as malign is an obvious form of distasteful anti-semitism which we can do without.

I suggest these campaigners turn their attention and efforts to far more worthwhile causes, such as the real poverty and injustices that exist right here in the UK.

– Kevin Hartley, by email (Published Date: 28 July 2010)

Original July 22 YEP report on the planned protest.

PSC Weekly Update – 5 August 2010

August 6th, 2010 • News
Tags: PSC, update

In this week’s update:

• Send a message of support to MK Talab El-Sana, injured defending Palestinian village from demolition

• Breaking the siege – six things you can to get involved in the convoy to Gaza

• British Muslims urged to boycott Israeli dates during Ramadan

• Thank the Methodist church for BDS stance

• Mark Steel ‘No guns? They must be terrorists’

• Open letter to PM – End the ‘prison camp’ conditions of Gaza

• News, events, analysis and more

Read the full update here…

PSC Weekly Update – 29 July 2010

July 29th, 2010 • News
Tags: PSC, update

In this week’s update:

• Palestinian members of Knesset speak at packed meeting in House of Commons about Israel’s lack of democracy

• Letter: Universal jurisdiction – the right to arrest war criminals

• Help break the siege – register for the Viva Palestina convoy

• BDS Ahava – Boycott Israel, Free Palestine demo this Saturday; Boycott Israeli dates – latest

• Bedouin village razed in Negev as Israelis cheer on

• News, events, analysis and more

Read the full update here…

Their Loss of Innocence. Our Shame.

July 22nd, 2010 • Events, News
Tags: Aberystwyth, art, children, Loss of Innocence, PSC, report, Rod Cox, Wales

Following Reading PSC’s January exhibition of Gazan Children’s Art at Reading library, the exhibition continued around the UK. Here’s a report from Elizabeth Morley at Aberstwyth PSC after their recent show:

Loss of Innocence, Aberystwyth - photo: Nida Shoughry

An exhibition of Gazan children’s art compiled by Rod Cox was on display in the Officers Club Gallery, Aberystwyth, 12-17 July.

On Friday evening Rod gave a talk about the pictures, which communicate the children’s experience of death and destruction, the loss of their childhood.

The continuous bombardment (from 27th December 2008 to 18th January 2009) of this narrow strip of land, where 1.5 million people live caged in by barbed wire, was devastating. Of the 1,400 killed almost 300 were children. Those who didn’t die will bear the physical and psychological scars for the rest of their lives.

When we hear of people suffering our hearts go out to them; we reach into our pockets and we want to help. When the victims are Palestinian, we find obstacles to giving aid, and what is worse, even to voicing our compassion. What, asked Rod, are Palestinians to make of it that when they are injured the world seems to look the other way?

photo: Nida Shoughry

That the tide may at last be turning could be inferred from remarks made by the two guest speakers. Cross-party co-operation at the National Assembly on the issue of Palestine was referred to by Elin Jones AM. Although foreign policy, she pointed out, wasn’t devolved to Wales, that didn’t deter her colleagues from discussing the situation in Gaza, for example. Raising awareness was important, she said.The role of education was emphasized also by Mark Williams MP. Teachers here, he said, could help children understand that children in Palestine long for a sign of recognition and friendship even more than aid. He hoped that schools in Wales would be encouraged to twin with schools in Palestine.

photo: Sue Young

Thanks to UNWRA and charitable organisations, Rod explained, laptops and computers are available to schools in Gaza and the West Bank. Language isn’t a problem, either, as many teachers know enough English to enable the children to exchange simple emails. He mentioned the Britain-Palestine Twinning Network, which is there to help schools make the link.

For anyone who missed the exhibition here, it will be in Bangor Cathedral from 18-23 July before it goes on up to Manchester Cathedral from 24 July to 7 August.

Read about Aber PSC and see more photos from the event on their “Get 2 Know a PSC” page.

Johnny Rotten Protest by Leeds PSC – 7pm 23 July

July 22nd, 2010 • Action, Events, News
Tags: BBC Radio Leeds, boycott, cultural, elvis costello, israel, johnny rotten, leed, O2 Academy, PSC, sex pistols

UPDATE! BBC Radio Leeds interview:

Former Sex Pistols frontman John Lydon/Rotten and his group Public Image Limited will be the focus of a protest by Leeds PSC tomorrow.

This comes ahead of his planned concert in Tel Aviv and comments in The Independent about objections to the Israeli leg of his tour:

I really resent the presumption that I’m going there to play to right-wing Nazi jews, if Elvis-f*cking-Costello wants to pull out of a gig in Israel because he’s suddenly got this compassion for Palestinians, then good on him.

But I have absolutely one rule, right?

Until I see an Arab country, a Muslim country, with a democracy, I won’t understand how anyone can have a problem with how they’re treated.

Reaction to those comments: John Lydon’s rotten politics & ‘Rise’ against Racism

Events in Leeds on Friday July 23:

• Andy Brown from Leeds PSC will be interviewed live on BBC Radio Leeds at 7am:

• Protesters will gather from 7pm in front of the venue: O2 Academy, 55 Cookridge Street, Leeds

Leeds PSC group have also taken out a half page in Yorkshire Evening Post and on the Guardian Leeds site: Lydon/Rotten: Palestine protesters set to demonstrate at Leeds gig Friday 23 July

Check out the Cultural Boycott page at Leeds PSC & Johnny Rotten you ain’t no human being if u play the Israeli fascist regime on Facebook.

PSC Weekly Update – 22 July 2010

July 22nd, 2010 • News
Tags: PSC, update

In this week’s update:

• Register now for Lifeline 5: Convoy to Gaza

• Take action on Universal Jurisdiction – contact your MP before Monday

• Scale of ethnic cleansing and apartheid in East Jerusalem shocks UK peers

• Netanyahu brags he deceived US to destroy Oslo accords

• PSC conference success report back

• News, events, analysis and more

Read the full update here…

Plus:

• The summer edition of Palestine News is now out – PSC members will be getting a copy next week. If your not a member, please join PSC today: palestinecampaign.org/join

• New and exclusive PSC film: Gaza Flotilla Attack: The Truth, available from the PSC office for £5 only!