Hastings and Rye Palestine Solidarity Campaign
Newsletter   14 April 2023
  This weekend:
  • Saturday 15 April 12 midday. Prison cell in town centre.
  • Sunday 16 April 2pm. Meeting: No Way to Treat a Child.

    Prison cell in the town centre Saturday 15 April 12 midday

    We plan to build a prison in the town centre as an eye-catching display to publicise how Palestinian children's lives are impacted by Israel's policies of apartheid. We've found that in the past, having a few live 'prisoners' adds to the effect. So please bring your children along to take a turn in the 'prison' - and obviously they can come out whenever they like, or whenever you say so! Some examples of our past efforts:

     

    Each year approximately 500-700 Palestinian children, some as young as 12 years old, are detained and prosecuted in the Israeli military court system.
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    No Way to Treat a Child
    Sunday 16 April 2pm/14.00. White Rock Hotel, Hastings TN34 1JU

    Meeting with Ayed Abu Eqtaish and Miranda Cleland of the DCI-P (Defense for Children International - Palestine). The DCI-P has been investigating, documenting and exposing Israeli human rights violations against Palestinian children since 1991. Israel has attempted to shut the DCI-P down and in 2022 raided the organisation's headquarters in the West Bank.
    Article in the Hastings Online Times: 'No way to treat a child.'
    Please share: Facebook event page.  Twitter post.   Instagram post.  DCI-P website.
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    Barclays - Don't Bank On Apartheid

    We joined more than 35 other protests throughout the UK - to demand that Barclays stops investing in arms companies supplying Israel with weapons used to assault and kill Palestinians.

    Thanks to everyone who came to support our picket outside Barclays. There was a really good turnout with non-stop interest and support from members of the public.
    More information at the PSC website: Barclays: Don't Bank on Apartheid.
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    Information stalls

    Our stalls are every Saturday 12.00 noon until 2 pm (weather permitting) in the town centre. Please pay us a visit. Apart from a range of leaflets, pamphlets and stickers, we have keffiyehs from Hirbawi in Hebron, a range of T-shirts and Palestinian flag umbrellas. We also sell handicrafts from the Shu'fat Refugee Camp.
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    PSC Planning Meeting Monday 24 April 6 pm
    The Board Room, White Rock Hotel (opposite the pier) Hastings TN34 1JU

    Taking part in our planning meetings is a good way to get involved in all the different aspects of Palestine solidarity work that we're engaged in.
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    Nakba 75: Meeting with Dr. Khader Abu-Hayyeh
    Sunday 14 May 2 pm at the Hastings mosque, Mercatoria TN38 0EB

    It is 75 years since the Nakba (Arabic for Catastrophe). During the Nakba, the armed gangs that became the Israel Defense Force/IDF carried out the ethnic cleansing of over 530 Palestinian towns and villages; over 750,000 Palestinians fled the terror.

    Khader was a little boy in al-Lydd. He escaped when the Israelis threatened to shoot him and his family. It is estimated that the Israeli military murdered more than 400 people in al-Lydd. Palestinians from al-Lydd and nearby al-Ramla were forced to find refuge during one of the hottest summers. This became known as the Lydd Death March. Up to 350 died from heat, thirst and exhaustion.
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    Israeli attacks intensify

    Israeli soldiers have stormed Ramallah, Nablus, Bethlehem, Jericho, Hebron, Jerusalem, and Jenin. Already this year Israel has killed approximately 88 Palestinians, including 17 children. One of the children the Israeli military killed is 14 year old Omar Mohammad Omar Awadin. He was riding his bike in Jenin. Israeli special forces shot him in the back. Source.

    There was outrage earlier in the week when video emerged of the Israeli military smashing their batons and guns down on Palestinian worshippers in Al-Aqsa Mosque's Al-Qibli prayer hall. Video here.

    As usual the coverage in the corporate media was thoroughly distorted. Jonathan Cook explains: Al-Aqsa raid: How BBC coverage is enabling Israeli violence. Likewise the media treatment of the deaths of the Dee family members, with no background, no context: A British-Israeli tragedy, born out of the occupation.
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    Palestine: Patriarchate calls for international protection for sacred places
    The Patriarchate stressed that terrorist attacks by radical Israeli groups targeting churches, cemeteries and Christian properties, in addition to physical and verbal abuse against Christian clergy, have become almost a daily occurrence that evidently increases in intensity during Christian holidays. Article here.

    "From 1967 until today, the Israeli occupation has carried out more than 100 attacks against Christian holy sites in Palestine." Article here.
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    "Tomorrow I Will Refuse To Enlist In The Israeli Military"
    "One of the Israeli military's most central missions and roles is to be an occupying and oppressive body." Letter from Israeli refusenik Yuval Dag: Click here.
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    The Deir Yassin massacre: 75 years ago
    More than 100 Palestinians, including dozens of children, women, and elderly people, were massacred. Carried out by Zionist militias in the Palestinian town of Deir Yassin near Jerusalem on April 9, 1948, during the establishment of the state of Israel. Some of the victims were mutilated and raped before being murdered. Entire families were killed. Dozens of men were paraded through Jerusalem on trucks and then executed in a nearby quarry. Explainer: The Deir Yassin Massacre.
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    Israel holding over 1,000 Palestinians without charge, the most since 2003
    More than 1,000 Palestinians are held under administrative detention, that is without charge or trial. Administrative detention orders are typically issued for six-month periods, but can be renewed indefinitely. Article here.
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    Remember Tom Hurndall
    It was 20 years ago that an Israeli sniper shot Tom Hurndall in the head. Tom died in a London hospital after spending nine months in a coma. Tom was a volunteer with the International Solidarity Movement. While the Israeli army was invading the city of Rafah, Tom was pulling children to safety when he was shot in the head. It's important to remember the life of this brave and exceptional young man. ISM article (2017).
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    Gaza children's artwork removed from London hospital
    After pressure from an Israel lobby group which threatened legal action, the hospital gave in and removed the children's artwork made by students aged 14 and 15 from Gaza. Article here.
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    South Africa's historic vote to downgrade diplomatic ties with Israel
    "Israel-South Africa: No impunity for apartheid against the Palestinians." Article here.
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    The BDS Movement after 17 years
    A useful summary of the BDS/Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement. Article here.
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    Film: 'Boycott'
    For those who weren't able to get to our recent meeting where we showed the film 'Boycott,' the distributors have announced that the film is now available on Apple TV, Google Play, Amazon and Vimeo on Demand. The film shows the attacks against the BDS/Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement in the US. We showed the film because we think that there are strong parallels between the situation in the US and in the UK where there are similar attacks on the BDS movement and against the Palestine solidarity movement. Recommended.
    Boycott (Justvision).
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    Comments on the recent demonstrations in Israel
    Miko Peled: For Israelis, Ethnic Cleansing Palestinians Is Fine, But Judicial Reform Is A Red Line. Article here.
    Gideon Levy: Israelis Know That True Democracy Will Spell the End of Zionism: Article here.
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    More news:

    Israel approves 'national guard' sought by far-right security minister: Article here.

    UK drowns criticism of Netanyahu with trade deal: Article here.

    Israeli jets bomb Syria's main hub for earthquake aid deliveries: Article here.

    Gaza's Amputee Athletes Train for Upcoming Football Competition: Article here.

    IHRA: Protect Human Rights in Action on Antisemitism. Don't Adopt Controversial Definition: Article here.

    UCU Scotland suspends support to SUTR until explicitly pro-Israel groups are excluded: Article here.

    Israel's uncertain future in the wake of Great Power conflict: Article here.

    Roger Waters v The Machine: Inside The Pink Floyd Frontman's Battle For Free Speech In Germany: 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:

    24 March 2023
    7 March 2023
    23 February 2023

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