Photo: 1066 Drone Photography
Hastings and Rye Palestine Solidarity Campaign
Newsletter   10 June 2022
 
A Look Inside Gaza Ghetto

Saturday 11 June 3pm
White Rock Hotel, Hastings TN34 1JU


A reminder of Saturday's film show 'Gaza Ghetto' and meeting with Dr. Shahd Abusalama. We are really pleased that Joan Mandell, the co-director of Gaza Ghetto, will be joining our meeting to introduce her film. We will be speaking with her from Detroit where she is based. She teamed up with Swedish filmmaker Per-Åke Holmquist to tell the story of Gaza through the experiences of one family in a film which is believed to be the first feature-length documentary on Gazan refugees. At one point the film follows the family from the Gaza Strip on a visit to the site of the village they were expelled from. They get told to leave!

Here's an article about the meeting in the Hastings Independent. Pick up a copy the next time you're in town.
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Israeli Apartheid: Reality & Resistance

Saturday 2 July 3pm
White Rock Hotel, Hastings


Is Israel guilty of the crime of apartheid? According to a growing number of global humans rights organisations, the answer is an unequivocal yes. In which case - what do we do about it?

This is our first meeting jointly hosted with Amnesty International Kent and East Sussex Network on the subject of Israeli Apartheid. The meeting will include a presentation by Amnesty International's Country Coordinator for Israel/Palestine Garry Ettle and a guest speaker. More details to follow. Please share our Facebook event widely.
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Sanctuary Festival 2022

Sunday 26 June 12 - 7pm Hastings Museum and Art Gallery

The annual community festival returns to Hastings Museum for a day of live music, creative workshops, talks, children's activities, food and friends. Organised by Hastings Supports Refugees. We will have a stall at the event - come and say hello. Facebook event page.
Book tickets for the Sanctuary Festival Comedy Special on Saturday 25 June 7 - 10pm.
More information.
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Hastings Friends of Al-Mawasi
Goat Ledge Does Gaza

Al-Mawasi Day at the Goat Ledge cafe in St Leonards on Thursday June 30th

Goat Ledge is to host a cultural event celebrating the developing link between Hastings and St Leonards and the small Palestinian coastal town of Al-Mawasi in Gaza. In collaboration with Hastings Friends of Al Mawasi, the event will be held on Thursday 30th June. Throughout the day Goat Ledge will be including a dish popular in Al Mawasi as a special for customers to sample here, and making a donation for each dish sold to fundraising efforts of the Friends of Al-Mawasi. Frank Moon will be playing the Oud, a traditional Arabic instrument, to entertain customers from early evening. More information to follow.
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CNN: Shireen Abu Akleh was killed in a targeted attack by Israeli forces
New evidence shows that journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was killed in targeted attack by Israeli forces. Firearms expert Chris Cobb-Smith told CNN: "The relatively tight grouping of the rounds indicate Shireen was intentionally targeted with aimed shots and not the victim of random or stray fire." CNN article: 'They were shooting directly at the journalists'.

The Independent: Israeli troops deliberately shot Al Jazeera journalist, Palestinian probe finds.
Article here.

Shireen Abu Akleh: A Story Of Solidarity In Hastings

After our recent Nakba (catastrophe) street meeting we also commemorated the lives of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh and 16 year old Thaer Khalil Mohammad Maslat who were both murdered by the Israeli military on the same day.

We had a poster of Shireen and a floral tribute. We lent it against the window of an old shopfront and attached our poster to it. Those working there took the flowers and poster inside and put them on display in the window, giving Hastings a semi permanent shrine to Shireen. Thank you to those who did this. Thank you for your solidarity.
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"One of the babies we saw there had been well enough to be collected four months ago, but the Israeli authorities had denied the necessary collection permit to his mother"

A delegation of UK MPs has recently returned from a week's visit to Palestine. At the high dependency neonatal unit at the Makassed Hospital in East Jerusalem they found nine cots. In each, a premature baby lay alone - none of them had their mother or another family member with them. Because of Israel's draconian permit laws, the mothers are forced to return to the West Bank or Gaza after their 3-day permits run out. Permits for mothers to collect their babies are often difficult to obtain. Article by MP Bambos Charalambous. Some might not be convinced at his enthusiasm of the '2-state solution,' but an important exposé of Israeli apartheid nonetheless. Israel's occupation of the West Bank and Gaza is a fundamental barrier to peace.
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Four Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces across the West Bank in the span of just 24 hours

"Harrowing accounts of Palestinians shot dead by Israeli forces over 24-hour period. Those killed, including a child and a journalist, died in four separate incidents across the West Bank during first two days of June." Middle East Eye article.
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Everything you need to know about the possible forced eviction from Masafer Yatta

Israel plans to evict more than Palestinian residents of Masafer Yatta in the South Hebron Hills from their homes. This video from Breaking the Silence explains the background:
What you need to know about Firing Zone 918.

More information about Masafer Yatta. Email your MP to help #SaveMasaferYatta: Click here.
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Marchers on the annual Flag March marking "Jerusalem Day" chant 'Death to Arabs'

Marchers attack Palestinian shop owners, journalists, and onlookers as they chant genocidal slogans. 972 magazine.
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Extinction Rebellion: The 'Desert' was Already Blooming

Palestine, Colonialism and Global Climate Justice. Extinction Rebellion lists some of the ecological problems created by Israeli colonialism: "Israel routinely dumps its waste in occupied Palestine, where Palestinians desperate for a means of income burn plastic waste creating carcinogenic emissions, contributing to the increasing levels of cancer among Palestinians. Israel's decades old blockade of the Gaza Strip - coupled with its repeated bombings of its electricity plants - has left only three percent of water drinkable, creating an unimaginable health crisis for Palestinians living in an unlivable place. The 'Desert' was Already Blooming.
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Palestine Action: Why We're Trying To Shut Down Israel's Arms Factories In Britain

Huda Ammori writes how local communities have been mobilised in the fight to close down Israeli armaments manufacturer Elbit. Article here. Donations can be made to Palestine Action.
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More about the Controversial IHRA 'definition'

How the IHRA is being misrepresented. This report by Jamie Stern-Weiner shows how the 11 examples of anti-Semitism which have been added to the definition were never agreed by the IHRA Member Countries. "Member Countries were able to reach consensus only by excluding the examples from the Working Definition." It is these 11 examples, most of which relate to Israel, that have been used to stifle criticism of Israel and its apartheid policies. The IHRA has been used to shut down pro-Palestine events, expel people from political parties and even sack employees. The most important effect has been self-censorship. Many people and groups have been afraid to speak up. From April 2021. The Politics of a Definition.
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BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) news


Norway's largest trade union federation supports boycotting apartheid Israel: Article here.

BDS victory: General Mills says it will divest from Israel: Article here.

American indie band Big Thief calls off Israel shows in support for Palestine: Article here.

US: How unions are backing BDS: Article here.


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The Extraordinary Case of Edward Sutherland

Edward Sutherland is the ex-Convenor of the pro-Israel Confederation of Friends of Israel Scotland (COFIS). He was accused of sharing anti-Semitic posts online from a fake profile. The intent was to bait and entrap Palestine solidarity activists as racists. Sutherland, along with Glasgow lawyer Matthew Berlow, went on to invent a graffiti attack on the lawyer's home, which they then attributed to Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign.
Scots RE teacher accused of sharing vile anti-semitic posts online from fake profile.
Shock Zionist U-turn at GTC Sutherland hearing.
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Saied Silbak Presents Songs From Palestine

Saturday 25 June 2022 7.30 - 9pm
The Fishermen's Church, St Paul's, West Street, Brighton BN1 2RE


Saied Silbak's Quintet with singer Maha Khlifi pay homage to Palestine's rich music history with the region's folklore classics. Songs From Palestine.
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More news:

Israeli forces use Palestinian girl as a human shield in Jenin: Article here.

Israeli navy opens fire at Palestinian fishermen off Gaza coast: Article here.

Criminalizing Palestine Solidarity Activism in the UK: Article here.

Lebanon: Thousands of Israeli air incursions since 2007 cause widespread stress: Article here.

German police attack Palestine supporters on Nakba Day: Article here.

Former Mossad Chief: Israel on Path to Self-destruction: Article here.

Palestinians in Germany fear new level of repression after Nakba Day crackdown: Article here.

Five killed in Israeli strike on Syria's Hama countryside: Article here.

Was the assassination in Iran another Israeli effort to sabotage JCPOA?: Article here.

Ghada Karmi: Why Palestine desperately needs a unified national leadership: Article here.

Palestine Way: Paterson in the US celebrates street renaming in tribute to community: Article here.

Bella Hadid Condemns Israel's Attack At Shireen Abu Akleh's Funeral: Article here.

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Information stalls

We now have a range of keffiyehs from Hirbawi in Hebron, Palestinian flag umbrellas and a supply of T-shirts. In addition of course we have pamphlets, leaflets and publications about Palestine and apartheid Israel, also Free Palestine badges and Boycott Apartheid stickers. Sometimes we even have music! Please pay us a visit. We're always happy to have members and supporters to visit or stay and help. Every Saturday 12.00 noon until 2 pm (weather permitting) in the town centre near Millets.
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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:

21 May 2022
13 May 2022
28 April 2022

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