Hastings and Rye Palestine Solidarity Campaign
Newsletter   17 June 2020

 
Clear parallels between US police murders and Israeli violence against Palestinians

Israeli police in Jerusalem killed unarmed Iyad Hallaq by shooting him 7 times. If it hadn't taken place just 5 days after the brutal murder of George Floyd - by a Minnesota policeman pinning him to the ground and kneeling on his neck for nearly 9 minutes - it might not have received much attention. At demonstrations and in social media the common causes of and the parallels between the 2 murders have been made clear.

US police trained by Israel

Israel's paramilitary approach to law enforcement has been taken up by US police forces. We've now seen the disastrous results.

But due to local campaigns, US police forces have started to abandon training programmes with Israel. Durham, North Carolina and Vermont state police have cancelled training in Israel. There are similar campaigns ongoing in Seattle and Washington, DC.

"Minnesota cops 'trained by Israeli forces in restraint techniques'" Link.

"It is time for the US to end its deadly exchange programmes with Israel"
Link.

72 years of ethnic cleansing

During the Nakba (the catastrophe) in 1948, Zionist armed groups destroyed more than 500 Palestinian cities and villages and committed dozens of massacres. 750,000 Palestinians fled the terror. Since then, Israel has continued suppressing millions of Palestinians who happen to be the "wrong" ethnicity.

In the US, about 1 in 1,000 black men and boys can expect to lose their lives as a direct result of police brutality.
Source. Both are clearly victims of racism.

Here Shahd Abusalama gives a powerful message from all victims of racism. Shahd is from Gaza; now studying at Sheffield, interviewed at a recent Black Lives Matter rally. "We are killed every day for 72 years." Shahd Abusalama
Video: "Zionism is Racism"

Ramzy Baroud: "Palestine Bleeds: Execution of Autistic Man is Not an Exception but the Norm."
Link.

"From Minneapolis to Palestine, racism is the common enemy"
Link.

"Palestinians offer solidarity with black America's struggle for justice"
Link.

"MAP demands accountability for killing of Eyad Hallaq"
Link.

Petition: "Justice for Iyad Al-Halak"
Link.

"'The light of my heart' - Eyad al-Halaq's mother grieves his killing outside Jerusalem school he loved"
Link.
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Israel to annex large parts of the West Bank in July

The Israeli government intends to annex up to 60% of Palestinian land in the West Bank in July. Palestinians in the territories annexed to Israel will not be granted Israeli citizenship.

"Speak Out To Stop Annexation Now"
Link.

Israeli Annexation - write to your MP today demanding action using this template.
Link.

"World abandons Palestinians on eve of annexation"
Link.

"UN experts: Israel's annexation of West Bank land a serious violation of UN Charter, Conventions"
Link.

Al-Awda PRRC Day of Rage July 1st
Link.

Israel Opens New Settlement Roads on Palestinian Land in Preparation for West Bank Annexation.
Link.

Gideon Levy: "Let Israel Annex the West Bank. It's the Least Worst Option for Palestinians"
Link.
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Israel continues its policy of banning "mixed" marriages

If it were any other country, it would be denounced as racist, an apartheid regime and treated as an international pariah. But this is Israel we're talking about! The "Citizenship and Entry into Israel Law" prohibits Israeli citizens who marry Palestinians from the occupied West Bank or Gaza Strip, or nationals from several other regional states, from living with their spouse in Israel.

"Israel renews racist marriage law" Link.
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BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) Victory#1

The European Court of Human Rights rules against the French court's conviction of Palestine solidarity activists in France campaigning against Israeli apartheid and for BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions). This victory has major implications all across Europe. The ECHR has jurisdiction in the UK - useful to know if any British government tries to stifle the Palestine solidarity movement here.

"European Court of Human Rights deals major blow to Israel's war on Palestine solidarity" Link.

"European Court upholds right to boycott Israel"
Link.
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BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) Victory#2

Dutch pension fund ABP - with $465 billion in assets - has divested from Israeli businesses Bank Hapoalim and Bank Leumi citing their lack of human rights policy. The two banks finance Israel's illegal settlements.

"ABP removes two Israeli banks from its investment portfolio"
Link.
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Banksy in Palestine: A look at the street artist's work in Gaza and the West Bank

Farah Andrews - "From murals on the walls of destroyed family homes in Gaza to a hotel in Bethlehem, giant stencilled pieces on the Segregation Wall and an ironic travel campaign, elusive British street artist Banksy is no stranger to creating work in and about Palestine." The article includes Banksy's video about Gaza
"Make this the year YOU discover a new destination."

"Banksy in Palestine" Link.
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Stop the Jewish National Fund UK Webinar series

Monthly webinar series to explore the role of the Jewish National Fund in Palestinian dispossession. The next webinar is on Saturday 4th July: The JNF as a Pillar of Israeli Apartheid (1967-present).

Register here: Eventbrite.
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News from and about the occupation:

"Another military incursion into a refugee camp, another teen egregiously killed - Zeid Qaysiyah aged 17" Link.

"Israeli settlers' violence against Palestinians continues unabated with new vandalism" Link.

"Israel's next UK ambassador is a settler extremist" Link.

Palestine in Pictures: May 2020 Link.

Oisín McConville: "Gaza echoes bad days of the Troubles" Link.

"Yair Netanyahu: Clear Tel Aviv of minorities" Link.

Israeli contractor (Elbit) destroying sacred land of the Tohono O'odham Nation for spy towers Link.
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Hastings and Rye PSC online membership and donations

Becoming a member of Hastings and Rye PSC is an important way of supporting our work.The annual subscription is £10 waged, £5 unwaged. We now have an online membership payment form. It can also be used to renew membership. The work of Hastings & Rye Palestine Solidarity could not continue without the generous donations from members of the public. If you would like to support our work without becoming a member please visit our shop page here and see the right hand column: Donate to Hastings & Rye PSC.
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Recent Hastings and Rye PSC newsletters:
31 May 2020
14 May 2020
12 May 2020

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