Remembering Israel’s war on Gaza: END THE SIEGE ON GAZA

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Vigil outside the Israeli embassy in London 27 December 2010, 1-3pm to mark the second year of the start of Operation Cast Lead.

Between 27 December 2008 and 18 January 2009, over 1400 Palestinians were killed by Israel in a brutal and illegal attack on the Gaza Strip, destroying lives and infrastructure. Two years on, Gaza’s infrastructure has still not been repaired due to Israel’s blockade. Families are still living in tents. UN schools are unable to rebuild as Israel blocks concrete and building supplies. Join us, and bring family and friends, to send a clear message - END THE SIEGE ON GAZA! FREE PALESTINE!

Rally for Gaza on Tuesday 18 January 2011, 7pm, Conway Hall, Holborn, London.

Organised by: Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, Stop the War Coalition, British Muslim Initiative, Friends of Al Aqsa, Palestinian Forum in Britain, Viva Palestina.

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Government’s proposal could let war criminals ‘get away with murder’, Sir Gerald Kaufman says during debate on Bill

In Parliament the Second Reading Commons’ debate was held for the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill. This contains the proposal (clause 151) to give the Director of Public Prosecutions a veto on whether or not a court can consider issuing an arrest warrant for war crimes.

The Bill was introduced by Theresa May from the government, with Ed Balls and Vernon Coaker, the Home Office Shadow team, leading the opposition. Unfortunately, clause 151 was one of the few areas they offered Labour’s support for, although they promised to ‘probe’ these aspects. However, their support was not echoed by a single speaker on the Opposition backbenchers. Sir Gerald Kaufman launched a stinging attack, stating that this change in the law ‘would never have been proposed if it were not for the case of Tzipi Livni, the war criminal daughter of a terrorist father’. He catalogued some of the crimes of the Israeli state against the Palestinians including the assault on Gaza; their attack on the flotilla; holding political prisoners; abuse of prisoners, including children and reminded the House that a change in the law will mean that one of the few sanctions open will be removed and “Israeli politicians will be literally allowed to get away with murder.”

Ann Clwyd pointed out how rarely arrest warrants were made, how difficult it was to obtain one and set out that “nothing needs fixing, as nothing has been broken.”

Tom Brake was the only Liberal Democrat to make a speech covering the issue, and unfortunately was broadly supportive of the Government measures, but did raise that “sufficient resources need to be made available to the DPP to ensure that arrest warrant requests are dealt with speedily, and are not used as a means of ensuring that appropriate action is not taken.”

The Coalition Government predictably won the vote on the Second reading, and the Bill will now be heard by a committee of MPs selected by the Whips. The Bill will be debated again at its Report and Third Reading, which will take place after mid-February.

It is still not too late to press your MP to defend universal jurisdiction, and oppose war criminals being able to ‘get away with murder’. Please arrange to meet them at their constituency surgery in January. PSC has prepared detailed briefings.

Click here to read the debate.

Click here for the letter to the Guardian, organized by PSC and signed by MPs, trade union leaders and celebrities

Click here for the letter to the Guardian by lawyers opposing the attack, organized by PSC

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PSC Merchandise - Ideal Christmas Presents: PSC Xmas cards, Palestine Art Calendar and lots more now on sale

We have a range of items for sale, all ideal for Christmas gifts, along our regular Christmas Cards and 2011 calendars:

PSC Christmas Card - Pack of 5: £3

2011 Palestine Art Calendar £12

Keffyiehs made in Hebron £10

PSC football style Palestine Scarf: £8.50

NEW: Boycott Israeli Goods/Justice for Palestine T-shirt (dark green colour) £10 ONLY

Plus our regular and very popular items:

Palestine Football shirt: £10 // Embroidered Wristband Made in Bethlehem £4 // Reem Kelani CD £13 // The Iron Wall DVD £10 // Jerusalem: the East Side Story DVD £12 // Flotilla to Gaza DVD £5

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Israel Government Tourist Office excludes Palestine from Holy Land pilgrim tours

“A new economic squeeze by Israel Government Tourist Office to exclude Palestine from Holy Land pilgrim tours has begun, aided by full page colour adverts in Church newspapers like the Anglican Church Times* and Roman Catholic The Tablet*, which appear to have been taken in. Seven UK and one Irish tour companies** are linked on a new website www.WalkWhereJesusWalked.com to sell IGTO tours. None of the tour itineraries includes Bethlehem, Hebron or Jericho or mention Palestinians. But parts of illegally annexed East Jerusalem feature, including the controversial ’King David’s City’ controlled by the Elad settlers, as well as Galilee, Tel Aviv and holiday resort Eilat. All give the impression of Israel’s total control and legitimacy since in their itineraries of these tours there is no mention of Palestine or Palestinians”.

Click here for more on this story.

The Interfaith Group for Morally Responsible Investment has written to the Church Times and The Tablet who have chosen to advertise the tour in their paper.

We are calling on others to do the same

The Church Times: editor@churchtimes.co.uk

The Tablet: thetablet@thetablet.co.uk

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Inside the moral corruption of Israeli society - Former Israeli soldiers who have testified against army abuses

‘After being arrested in a Palestinian demonstration near Hebron some time ago, I was handcuffed and blindfolded then sat in the direct sun along with another Israeli activist. After some time, an IDF commander arrived on the scene and asked one of his soldiers, “why are those two in the sun?” The soldier reported that he just put us next to some Palestinians that were arrested in the same demonstration. The commander, clearly upset with his young soldier, ordered that we be moved to the shade because ‘they are Jews." Then he personally inspected the zip-tie handcuffs of the Palestinians, making sure that they were as excruciatingly tight as possible.’ Read the full article

Former Israeli soldiers who testified against army abuses have for the first time given up their anonymity, to make their voices all the harder to ignore. Donald Macintyre gets an exclusive preview of a powerful new book

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BDS NEWS

Veolia excluded from those companies bidding for Council contracts in Edinburgh

Boycott call: Adidas, Don’t Help Running Apartheid: Cancel Sponsorship of Jerusalem Marathon!

Lib Dem Friends of Palestine call for BDS

In Australia, Marrickville council votes to support BDS

First Victory of BDS Campaign against Israel in Japan

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REPORTS & REVIEWS

1. Professor Richard Falk: The Israeli assault on human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories
Richard Falk gave an inspirational speech to a packed meeting at Senate House, University of London on 1 December. He reinforced the critical role of the solidarity movement and the need for people to take action, including BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions). This speech is now available online.

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
2. The War You Don’t See - John Pilger. How the media brainwashes the public to go to war

3. Women’s Centre for Legal Action (WCLAC) report: “Forced Evictions: Assessing the impact on Palestinian Women in East Jerusalem”
4. COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION: Conclusions on the Middle East Peace Process

5. Europe’s alliance with Israel: aiding the occupation, David Cronin Reviewed by Dr Daud Abdullah

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NEWS

The Mavi Marmara returns to Istanbul to mark second anniversary of the start of Operation Cast Lead

Rabbis say ’no housing for Arabs’

Rabbis from US, UK, worldwide, denounce statement from Israeli Rabbis

EU shelves recognition of Palestine

US House against Palestinian state

Palestinian Fire Heroes Denied Entry

Israeli towns continue to rewrite bylaws to keep Arabs out
Israel approves construction for East Jlem Yeshiva

Defiant Jerusalem Palestinians say “we will remain here”

Rights group counts steep increase in arrest of minors in East Jerusalem

Israeli forces raid Palestinian MP house

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EVENTS

 Thursday 16 December Sunday 19 December 2010 Hopes & Dreams: Portraits of Palestinian refugee children, London

 Monday 27 December Remembering Israel’s war on Gaza - Vigil 27th Dec 2010, London

 Tuesday 18 January Rally for Gaza on the second anniversary of Israel’s war on Gaza, London

 Friday 21 January 2011 Camden Palestine Festival, London

 Saturday 22 January 2011 PSC AGM in London: Freedom for Palestine - next steps for the solidarity movement, London

More events around the UK on the PSC website events section!!!