Hastings and Rye Palestine Solidarity Campaign
Newsletter   11 May 2021
 
Hastings Rally for Palestine - Stop the Ethnic Cleansing
12.00 Saturday 15 May 2021
Outside Debenhams, Hastings TN34 1HN

Each May 15th, the solidarity movement marks 'Nakba Day' - Nakba is the Arabic for 'catastrophe' - when over 750,000 Palestinians were forced from their homes and their 500 villages razed to the ground.

In a matter of weeks families from the neighbourhood of Sheikh Jarrah will be thrown out of their homes, onto the street, to be replaced with Israeli settlers. The Nakba continues.

Now the situation has escalated with the Israeli police raiding the Al-Aqsa Mosque, firing rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas cannisters and sound grenades at men, women and children at prayer. (picture below: Israeli police at the Al-Aqsa Compound.)
Al-Aqsa Mosque attacked again to mark Jerusalem Day.
Statement by the International Jewish Collective for Justice in Palestine.

Join us to send a powerful message to Israel and our government that we will not sit by and watch the ethnic cleansing of Palestine.

Please share our Facebook event page widely. The online version of this newsletter can also be shared.
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Sheikh Jarrah: Israel's policy of ethnic cleansing continues

An Israeli court has ordered Palestinian families in Sheikh Jarrah to be evicted - their homes to be handed to Israeli settlers. This crime has ignited a widespread campaign to save the neighbourhood from within Palestine and internationally.

Useful background to the evictions: A new generation of Palestinians will not abandon Sheikh Jarrah.
British campaign to save Sheikh Jarrah gets 'overwhelming' response.
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Global rights group accuses Israel of apartheid, persecution

In January Israel's most prominent and respected human rights group B'Tselem produced the report 'This is Apartheid.' Now Human Rights Watch has produced a 213-page report which concludes: "Israel is guilty of the international crimes of apartheid and persecution." Palestinians have known this for decades, but it's useful having this confirmed yet again. Article in the Independent.
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Online meeting: the Palestinian elections

Thanks to everyone who came to our meeting with Ramzy Baroud, Samah Sabawi and Nadia Naser-Najjab. Our heartfelt thanks goes to our three wonderful speakers for their expert analysis at this critical time, helping those of us within the international solidarity movement to understand the political changes now occurring. For those that missed the meeting, we have published videos of the event: Palestine: Democracy Under Occupation?
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British charities condemn Prime Minister's statement on the International Criminal Court (ICC) investigation into Israel's alleged war crimes

UK organisations including Medical Aid for Palestinians, the Amos Trust, War on Want, Interpal, Lawyers for Palestinian Human Rights, Council for Arab-British Understanding (CAABU) published the statement which condemned the UK government for '...undermining international criminal proceedings and standing in the way of justice. No longer can the UK Government genuinely assert that "Promoting international criminal justice and the rule of law are fundamental elements of the United Kingdom's foreign policy."'       Statement.
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Israeli forces shoot, kill 16-year-old Palestinian boy

As Puma shareholders met, Israeli forces murdered 16-year old Saeed Odeh, talented footballer of Balata Youth Center.

"Israeli forces deployed in a nearby olive grove fired live ammunition at Said as he approached the village entrance, according to information collected by DCIP. He sustained at least two gunshot wounds. He was struck with live ammunition in the back near his right shoulder and pelvis and both bullets exited from the front...."
Article here (DCIP).
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How British minister Priti Patel lied for Israel

Alan Duncan, who served as deputy Foreign Minister under Theresa May's government, has published his new book In The Thick of It. He shows the power of the Israel lobby, in particular the Conservative Friends of Israel.

In November 2017 Priti Patel caused a scandal when she used the cover of a "holiday" in Israel to attend a series of secret meetings with Israeli ministers. She then lied to the press about these meetings. In his diary entry, Duncan slams Patel's comments as "deceitful, morally corrupt and improper."

It was found that she had tried to funnel UK funds to the Israel Defence Force in the Golan Heights. At the time, the Israeli army was running field hospitals in the Golan Heights which were used to treat armed fighters in the war against Syria. This included members of Jabhat al-Nusra which is al-Qaida in Syria. "So Patel was effectively arguing for money from the UK humanitarian aid budget to be sent to al-Qaida and to the Israeli army." Electronic Intifada article.
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Palestinian behind Mars drone says visiting home is no small step

Space engineer Loay Elbasyouni was part of the NASA team that made history by launching an experimental helicopter from the surface of Mars. Loay's incredible story is of a 19-year old living in the northern town of Beit Hanoun in Gaza - to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California.    Article (Aljazeera).
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May Day - "Defend the Right to Protest" march in Hastings

Every year we support the event in Hastings celebrating International Workers Day. This year the demonstration was directed at the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill. Over 40 similar demonstrations took place up and down the country with tens of thousands protesting against the new Bill.

Speaker after speaker made it clear that if this bill becomes law, the police will have the power to shut us down and arrest us. Report on the demonstration and more information about the bill: "Defend the Right to Protest" march.
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East Sussex Pension Fund: the value of investments in companies complicit in Israel's war crimes has been reduced by £40 million

This is a 36% reduction. But this leaves more than £71 million invested in complicit companies. Included in these investments are 5 companies listed in the United Nations Human Rights Office's list of business enterprises involved in Israel's illegal settlement economy. The investments that remain in the portfolio are listed here.
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Methodists Divest from Caterpillar citing Palestinian Evictions

Another BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) victory: Article here.
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Converging Cultures - PalMusic UK Virtual Concert Series

Sunday May 30, 2021, 7.00. An evening of music, poetry and discussions celebrating both Eastern and Western culture, in support of the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music (ESNCM) in Palestine. Featuring Richard Durrant, Naseer Shamma and Rafeef Ziadah. Eventbrite event page.
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News from and about the occupation:

Palestinian Authority Postpones Parliamentary Elections: Article here.

Israel lobby's "Death to the Arabs" damage control: Article here.

From His Solitary Confinement, Marwan Barghouti Holds the Key to Fatah's Future: Article here.

Ilan Pappé: 'Gaza, West Bank are prisons! Palestinians' only crime is being Palestinian!' Video (Going Underground).

Twitter and Facebook accused of censoring Palestinian content: Article here.

Lehava: The anti-Palestinian, far-right Israeli group marching in Jerusalem: Article here.

Syrian air-defence missile lands near Israeli nuclear site: Article here.

US and Israeli NGOs fund far-right Jewish extremists: Article here.
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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:
16 April 2021
10 April 2021
17 March 2021

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