May 28, NYC: CUNY Must Divest! Rally and Press Conference for Palestine

28 May 2021

Friday, 28 May
3:00 pm
John Jay College
524 W 59th St
New York City
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/2951785921811362/

This event will publicize the CUNY Statement for Palestine and then march to CUNY offices. See latest statement updates at the link.

CUNY Community Statement of Solidarity with the Palestinian People

[To add your name, please click here or email cuny.solidarity.letter@gmail.com]

We, members of the City University of New York community, stand in solidarity with the people of Palestine resisting the violence and oppression of Israeli settler colonial and apartheid rule.

We condemn the brutal bombing of Gaza, one of the world’s most densely populated areas, by Israeli forces. This represents the latest chapter of a nearly-fifteen-year illegal blockade that has transformed the territory into a prison for its two million inhabitants, most of whom descend from refugees expelled and driven from their homes during the Nakba that resulted from the establishment of the settler colonial state of Israel.

We condemn the forced removal of Palestinians from their homes in Sheikh Jarrah—part of the broader colonial project of dispossession and expulsion, including unequal residency rights and discriminatory planning policies designed to advance the ethnic cleansing of Jerusalem. We oppose the raiding of the al-Aqsa mosque, and the de facto annexation of East Jerusalem, which is illegally occupied territory.

We mourn all loss of life. But we do not subscribe to a “both sides” rhetoric that erases the military, economic, media, and global power that Israel has over Palestine. This narrative ignores and conceals the meaningful differences between Israel—one of the most heavily militarized states in the world that receives $3.8 billion of military aid annually from the U.S.—and a Palestinian population resisting colonial occupation and oppression. We pledge to do all in our power to change the conversation.

We assert that this is not a “conflict” that is too “controversial and complex” to assess. Since its inception, Israel has used violent force, punitive bureaucracy, and its legal system to expel Palestinians from their rightful homes and to remove Palestinian people from their land. Israeli law systematically discriminates against Palestinian citizens of Israel. Palestinians are cut off from each other by a network of checkpoints, laws, settler-only highways, and a separation wall that swallows illegally occupied Palestinian land. Both Human Rights Watch and B’Tselem have recently concluded that Israeli policies and practices towards Palestinians amount to apartheid, reinforcing a decades old analysis of Palestinian and international solidarity organizations.

We wholeheartedly endorse the “Palestine and Praxis” open letter and call to action, affirming our own commitment to speaking out in defense of “the Palestinian struggle as an indigenous liberation movement confronting a settler colonial state,” as well as foundational principles of scholarly integrity and academic freedom. We vow to support those who are most vulnerable to attack for organizing and speaking out on our campuses, including Palestinian, Arab, Muslim, and other students, faculty, and staff of color.

We unequivocally endorse and amplify the call from the Palestinian Feminist Collective for “feminists everywhere to speak up, organize, and join the struggle for Palestinian liberation” and the solidarity statement from gender studies departments.

We hail the fortitude and determination of the Palestinian people, who remain, despite the fragmentation of their populations, united in their demands to end their oppression. May 15 marked the 73rd anniversary of the Nakba, an ongoing ethnic cleansing of Palestine that drove over 750,000 Palestinians out of their homes, villages, and cities between the years 1947-1949. Today the vast majority of these Palestinians and their descendants are refugees in bordering countries and in the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem. We take our stand with Palestinians who have been resisting settler colonialism for more than one hundred years.

Therefore, we pledge to:

Initiate, support, and amplify campaigns in solidarity with Palestinian calls for Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) against Israeli apartheid, at CUNY and in our wider communities. In particular, we echo the demands of the John Jay Student Letter to Demand BDS and Solidarity with Palestinian Resistance and stand with any and all student-led resolutions demanding CUNY’s immediate divestment from companies that aid in Israeli colonization, occupation, and war crimes. As of 2014, CUNY invests at least $1,093,900 in weapons manufacturers such as Boeing, General Electric, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Raytheon; tech and security companies such as Hewlett-Packard Enterprise, G4S, and Motorola Solutions; and construction firms such as Caterpillar and Cemex.
Demand that our individual campuses, and CUNY as a whole, endorse and support the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel.
Stand in solidarity with students, staff, and faculty organizing for justice in Palestine at CUNY and everywhere. In particular, we pledge to push back against attempts to repress Students for Justice in Palestine chapters, and similar student-led efforts, at CUNY or anywhere. The “Palestine exception to free speech” needs to end!
Highlight Palestinian scholarship on Palestine in syllabi, our writing, and through invitation of Palestinian scholars and community members to speak at departmental and university events, and extend this approach to any and all indigenous scholars within the university and in our communities.
Support community efforts and legislation to pressure our government to end funding for Israeli military aggression.

Against the rain of bombs, against the roving murderous mobs, against settler colonialism, against the support of complacent Western governments, we stand with the people of Palestine. We join together in rededicating ourselves to working against all forms of racism, colonialism, and injustice at CUNY, in the classroom, on campus, in our communities, and beyond.

[To add your name, please click here or email cuny.solidarity.letter@gmail.com]

May 29, Washington DC: National March for Palestine endorsed by 100+ organizations #March4Palestine

28 May 2021

Saturday, May 29
3 pm – 8 pm
Lincoln Memorial
Washington, DC
Info page: https://www.ampalestine.org/NationalMarch

Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network is honoured to join American Muslims for Palestine and over 100 organizations nationwide to march on Washington on Saturday, May 29 and demand to #SanctionIsrael.

As the call to the rally notes: “We need to go big and bold right now for Palestinian liberation now that a ceasefire has gone into effect. No return to the status quo. It is time for Israeli settler-colonialism, ethnic cleansing, apartheid, military occupation, and blockade to be dismantled now!” We’re also endorsing the campaign to #SanctionIsrael that will be highlighted at the March!

Bus Information

New York
New Jersey (Paterson)
Missouri
Cleveland
Chicago
North Carolina (Charlotte, Raleigh & Fayetteville)
Texas ( Dallas )
Florida
- Orlando – Masjid Omar Al Farooq
- Boca Raton – Islamic Community of Boca Raton
- Tampa – Masjid Al Qassam
- Contact info for ALL is Hatem Fariz (813) 355-6991
Minnesota
Ohio (Toledo)
More participating cities will be announced soon…

Follow American Muslims for Palestine for the full list of endorsers and latest transportation info!

Call for Action from Occupied Palestine ’48: Resist colonial imprisonment and repression!

23 May 2021

Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network is sharing the following call from Haifa, occupied Palestine ’48. Hirak Haifa has distributed this appeal for international action to Palestinian communities and supporters of Palestinian liberation around the world:

Israel has declared war against Palestinians who dare to resist its colonial project and demand freedom.

Today, the Israeli police announced their intent to arrest over 500 Palestinian citizens of Israel over the next 48 hours. This wave of mass arrests will take place as part of what Israel calls a “law and order” campaign. Thousands of police officers will carry out violent arrests, kicking into doors, brutalizing families and kidnapping our brothers and sisters.

This is not just an attempt to intimidate and discipline those who participated in the Unity Intifada for justice and liberation. This is a declaration of war. It is the settler colonial project’s way of attempting to crush our people’s spirit, resistance and resilience.

Over 1400 have already been arrested since May 9th. At least 200 people will be charged. Israel’s arrest campaigns have primarily targeted minors and working class youth from impoverished communities.

Do not remain silent. Speak about this and make it a priority for your solidarity campaign. Write to your representatives and force them to condemn this. Tweet about it. This cannot be allowed to pass quietly.

TAKE ACTION:

Protest at the Israeli Embassy or Consulate in Your Country!

Join the many protests taking place around the world — confront, isolate and besiege the Israeli embassy or consulate in your city or country of residence. Make it clear that the people are with Palestine! Send us your events at samidoun@samidoun.net.

Take to the streets: Organize a protest in solidarity with Palestine!

Hundreds of thousands – millions of people – around the world have marched and protested with Palestine, its people and its liberation over the past week. Your protest and organizing is also key to supporting this strike! Take to the streets and join the actions on our full list of events, which is constantly being updated as new actions are announced! Organize your own if there is none in your area, and send us your events at samidoun@samidoun.net.

Boycott Israel

The international, Arab and Palestinian campaign to boycott Israel can play an important role at this critical time. Local boycott groups can protest and label Israeli produce and groceries. Products grown and produced on stolen Palestinian land are marketed around the world while Israel attempts to force Palestinians from Jerusalem, demolish homes, and imprisons thousands more. By participating in the boycott of Israel, you can directly help to throw a wrench in the economy of settler colonialism. Download our Boycott Flyer to distribute at supermarkets, stores and other venues in your community!

Demand Your Government Sanction Israel!

The racist, settler colonial state of Israel and its war crimes against the Palestinian people are enabled and backed extensively by the over $3.8 billion each year given to Israel by the United States — targeted directly to support the Israeli occupation military killing children, women, men and elders throughout occupied Palestine. From Canada to Australia to the European Union, Western governments and imperialist powers provide ongoing diplomatic, political and economic support to Israel as well as selling billions of dollars of weaponry to the settler-colonial state. Meanwhile, they also purchase billions of dollars in weaponry from the Israeli state. Governments in league with imperialist powers, such as in the Philippines, Brazil, India and elsewhere, also buy weapons and “security” services — all “battle-tested” on the Palestinian population. Call your representatives, MPs, political officials and demand your government sanction Israel now, cut off all aid, expel its ambassadors, and stop buying and selling weapons!

Palestinian Resistance Wins: Now, The Struggle Continues!

21 May 2021

*Samidoun in occupied Palestine, 18 May 2021*

With the announcement of a ceasefire in Gaza, Palestine, one lesson is extremely clear: Palestinian resistance lives, Palestinian resistance thrives, Palestinian resistance unites, and Palestinian resistance wins. The resistance, in all of its varied and creative forms, is deeply rooted in the Palestinian people inside and outside Palestine, a legitimate resistance fighting colonialism, occupation, settler colonialism: Zionist racism, backed by the full weight of U.S. imperialism and its allies in Canada, Europe, Australia and elsewhere. The Palestinian resistance, with the armed struggle at its heart, is not only the core of the Palestinian liberation movement, but the front line of the defense of humanity against imperialism and colonial domination.

While the Israeli war machine, armed and funded by the United States and the arms sales of Europe, Canada and elsewhere, was humiliated by the Palestinian resistance, the ceasefire does not end the ongoing Nakba of the Palestinian people, the project of Zionist settler colonialism for more than 73 years. Palestinians are continuing to resist land confiscation, home demolitions, siege, mass incarceration, extrajudicial killings, the denial of the right to return: the entire colonial project in Palestine, on the road to return and liberation, from the river to the sea. At this moment, it is more critical than ever to support Palestinian steadfastness, resistance and revolutionary struggle with global solidarity and action.

The Palestinian resistance in Gaza entered this battle, demonstrating clearly the unity of the Palestinian people and their resistance, whether in Haifa, in Jerusalem, in Ramallah or in Gaza. The heroic struggle of Palestinians in Jerusalem to defend their homes and land, especially in Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan, and the defense of Al-Aqsa Mosque, from rampaging hordes of colonial settler gangs backed by Israeli military and police force, mobilized the Palestinian people as a whole, inside and outside Palestine.

The strength of the Palestinian people in occupied Palestine ’48, retaining their identity, their cause and their vision of liberation, driving out the occupation forces from their communities, defending their people from fascist bands marauding alongside colonial police, underlined that fundamental unity. In the West Bank, villages, cities and refugee camps rose up to demand collective liberation for Palestine.

And everywhere in the world, from the refugee camps surrounding Palestine, throughout the Arab region, and globally, millions have already filled the streets in support of the Palestinian people and their resistance.

The ceasefire does not bring this struggle to a conclusion. On the contrary, this moment heralds a new phase of struggle in which even greater engagement and organizing is perhaps more critical than ever, as the Palestinian resistance has changed the rules of engagement. The vision to guide that organizing is clear: return and liberation, justice for all of Palestine, from the river to the sea.

The Israeli war machine has not hesitated to carry out massacres against the Palestinian people. In the past 11 days, at least 259 Palestinians’ and Arabs’ lives have been taken, particularly those of civilians, including 65 children and, indeed, entire families, in Gaza, the West Bank, Jerusalem, occupied Palestine ’48 and on the borders with Lebanon. In Gaza, banks, media buildings, chemical and plastics factories, public buildings, streets and fundamental civilian infrastructure were subjected to systematic aerial bombings in which entire families were targeted alongside the Palestinian economy. At this moment, it is critical to support the steadfastness of the Palestinian people in Gaza, first and foremost, by breaking the siege on Gaza permanently.

Every one of those martyrs’ lives is a precious story cut short by the violence of colonialism. Every martyr had a name, a life, a family, a job, dreams and visions of the future and memories of the past, all stolen by Israeli bombs and missiles, many of them paid for by U.S. taxpayers. So far in this uprising throughout Palestine, hundreds upon hundreds of Palestinians have been detained by Israeli occupation forces, alongside 4,500 Palestinian political prisoners, the imprisoned leadership of the Palestinian revolution.

There are urgent tasks for the solidarity movement today: first and foremost, to keep up, escalate and build the struggle, make our organizing stronger and deeper, and build greater connections of solidarity with liberation movements around the world.

Our vision for solidarity must center and support Palestinian resistance by all means, including armed struggle alongside cultural resistance, political organizing, mass struggle, strikes, boycotts and popular action. The right for Palestinians to defend themselves and liberate themselves from colonialism, occupation and apartheid is fundamental. Palestinian resistance is not “terrorist.” It is a fundamental right. This means that we must fight to put an end to the “terror” designations criminalizing Palestinian resistance and liberation movements. The greatest strength of our solidarity is to provide support and space for the Palestinian resistance to thrive and achieve victory, by cutting off the flow of arms, money and political support to the Zionist colonial project.

This also means building the boycott movement, isolating Israel on an international level and pushing international governments and the United Nations to impose meaningful sanctions on Israel, from an arms embargo to cutting off the over $3.8 billion in U.S. aid Israel receives every year, to putting an end to the favorable trade deals in Canada, the European Union and elsewhere that reward the exploitation of indigenous Palestinian land and labor. Every person can play a role in boycotting Israel and the corporations that profit from death, destruction and colonialism in occupied Palestine, on an individual level and even more powerfully on a collective level. The boycott extends beyond a consumer campaign to academic and cultural boycott of Israeli institutions.

It is also clear more than ever that the Palestinian resistance has effectively put an end to the U.S-sponsored “normalization” projects trumpeted by complicit Arab regimes. From Yemen to Algeria, Tunis to Baghdad, Nouakchott through Rabat, the Arab masses have taken to the streets with Palestine. The Palestinian resistance and ongoing uprising throughout occupied Palestine has also indicated the failure of imperialism to crush resistance, self-determination and liberation struggle throughout the region, despite sanctions, invasions and devastating wars. Palestine has redirected the compass of the region towards confrontation with Zionism, imperialism, and the reactionary forces that enabled them, and inspires all around the world who struggle to bring imperialism to an end.

Imperialism has continued to function hand in hand with its strategic partner, Israel. This extends not only to the public declarations of support for Israeli war crimes by U.S. and European officials and the ongoing flow of money and weapons, but to the targeting and repression of Palestinians and Arabs in exile and diaspora.

In Copenhagen, Paris and Berlin, massive police brutality targeted demonstrations of thousands marching for Palestine. Protests in multiple European countries were banned, demonstrators beaten and organizers smeared in media and political campaigns aiming to criminalize Palestinian organizing. As Palestinians throughout Palestine celebrated the resistance in the early morning of 21 May, 20 Palestinian youth were attacked and detained by the New York police department for protesting for Palestine.

Throughout the years of the Madrid-Oslo path of the “peace process,” Palestinians in exile and diaspora were forcibly sidelined and excluded from official political leadership. Today, diaspora Palestinians are reclaiming their role, voice and power in the struggle for return and liberation.

Within the heart of empire, despite the violence and criminalization meted out to demonstrators by police, the massive turnouts in support of Palestine made clear that the mythology of Zionist settler colonialism is increasingly exposed, and that politicians looking for public support may find that unbridled support for Israel is no longer a path to political success. As movements for Black liberation, Indigenous sovereignty and anti-imperialist struggle grow, the Palestinian movement is building upon decades of joint struggle to put forward an alternative vision for the world.

The mythology of the “peace process,” of apartheid and colonialism as a “solution,” of the mirage of a Palestinian Authority under Israeli, U.S. and European domination lies exposed, discredited and lifeless. Instead, the Palestinian resistance is a national, Arab and international beacon of hope and life.

The Palestinian people, whether inside prison bars, in exile in the refugee camps, or fighting for freedom anywhere in Palestine, from the river to the sea, present a vision for the future that is clear: one Palestine, liberated, from the river to the sea. Free of Zionism, free of imperialism, free of settler colonialism. At this critical moment, it is time to act, organize, protest, build and resist together to make that vision a reality.

“We win together, and we win only together.” – Georges Ibrahim Abdallah, imprisoned Arab fighter for Palestine, from French jails after 36 years of imprisonment. Palestine lives, the intifada continues, the struggle intensifies and Palestine will win! Long live Palestinian resistance! Long live international solidarity!

Visit the calendar of actions for Palestine.

North American statement for May 18 global day of action

17 May 2021

We, the undersigned Palestinian-led organizations, endorse the General Strike called for by our people across all of colonized Palestine for May 18, 2021, and call on all supporters of Palestinian liberation to join the Day of Action.

The Zionist settler-colonial state of Israel has launched a brutal military assault against our besieged people in the Gaza Strip and is pursuing the ethnic cleansing of Jerusalem, most notably in the neighborhoods of Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan. These instances are a continuation of over 73 years of exile, oppression, and violence enacted by the apartheid state and Israeli settler mobs. Yet, our determination to liberate our people and homeland has only increased.

We ask our people and allies in the diaspora, Palestinian/Arab organizations, unions, and social justice movements to heed the call for a day of action in support of the general strike in Palestine on Tuesday, May 18, 2021. We urge you to join Palestinians in this global day of action by organizing actions at Israeli embassies and consulates, holding vigils for Palestinians killed by the apartheid Israel, releasing solidarity statements, and calling on your governments to enact sanctions on the apartheid state of Israel.

Until return and liberation,

Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM)

US Palestinian Community Network (USPCN)

National Students for Justice in Palestine (NSJP)

Al-Awda: The Palestine Right to Return Coalition

Free Democratic Palestine Movement (FDPM)

Arab Resource and Organizing Center (AROC)

Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network

Palestinian Feminist Collective (PFC)

Palestinian Assembly for Liberation

Union of Palestinian American Women

To add your organizational endorsement, please e-mail palyouth.usa@gmail.com.

LIST OF ACTIONS (local timezones)

*Reminder to wear masks & social distance.- see additional international actions and further days at the Global Calendar of Resistance*

SAN FRANCISCO, BAY AREA: May 18, 4-6 PM, ISRAHELLI CONSULATE 456 MONTGOMERY

WASHINGTON D.C.:

May 18, 3 PM, “ISRAELI” EMBASSY 3514 International Dr NW

May 18, 5:30 PM, War Memorial Plaza, 102 N Holliday St. (Between E. Fayette St & Lexington St), Baltimore MD. Contact: baltimorerally@gmail.com

SAN DIEGO, CA: May 18, 4 PM, Federal Buiding, 880 Front St. Federal Plaza, contact pym.sandiego@gmail.com. Take action at https://linktr.ee/pymsandiego

LOS ANGELES, CA: May 18, 4PM at Israeli Consulate, 11766 Wilshire Blvd, LA

NEW YORK CITY: May 18, 1 PM, 800 2nd Ave, NY. Facebook Event: https://fb.me/e/4bxxp0Ab4

To add action, please e-mail palyouth.usa@gmail.com.

Day of Action in Solidarity with the Palestinian Uprising and General Strike: Tuesday, May 18

16 May 2021

As Israel is continuing its massacres in Gaza, its attacks in Jerusalem and settler mob violence throughout occupied Palestine from the river to the sea, Palestinians have called for a general strike!

Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network joins the call of Palestinians in Palestine and across the world for actions and mobilizations in support of the call for a general strike in Palestine on Tuesday, 18 May, and the escalation of organizing and resistance until liberation and return for Palestine.

This call has been supported by the Palestinian prisoners’ movement and popular movements, youth organizations, labor unions, political parties, and other mobilizations from the river to the sea inside occupied Palestine, and the call is expected to grow even further. As Palestinians are united with the #PalestineStrike, Samidoun calls on all labor movements, unions and syndicates around the world to support the Palestine Strike. Please share with us your endorsements, actions and solidarity statements so that we can publicize them widely.

Join in the call to action!

#PalestineStrike from the river to the sea!

Text below:

Day of Action in solidarity with the Palestinian uprising & general strike

From across Palestine, we call on you to join our general strike and day of action on Tuesday, May 18. Launched from Jerusalem and extending to every village, city, and refugee camp across Palestine and at our borders with Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan, we call on your support in maintaining this moment of unprecedented popular resistance.The Israeli settler-colonial regime and military occupation has suffocated us and attempted to extinguish all possibility for the past 73 years. Now we demand our freedom — for the sake of the lives taken from us, for the countless injured, for those whose homes were destroyed, and for the thousands of our people arbitrarily imprisoned by the occupation.

As Jewish Israeli settler mobs and the Israeli state continue a campaign of violence against our people in Sheikh Jarrah and Gaza, we will continue our popular intifada until the liberation of our lands and people.

As Palestinian youth, we invite you across the international community to contribute to our general strike on May 18th by organizing actions in your cities and communities. We invite you to hold actions outside Israeli embassies and consulates in your region, but invite any gesture or action in solidarity with our continued struggle.

We will continue to strike, organize, and protest for as long as the occupation exists. Liberation is within our reach.