Home Blog Page 158

Organizaciones juveniles y estudiantiles palestinas: ¡Ya es hora de que el “liderazgo palestino” se marche!

Inglés | Arábica

Declaración para su aprobación y distribución

Nosotros, los componentes de las organizaciones juveniles y estudiantiles palestinas abajo firmantes, y con nosotros, las asociaciones, organizaciones e instituciones que han firmado esta declaración, instamos a las masas de jóvenes y estudiantes palestinos en toda Palestina ocupada y en el exilio, a que se unan a nosotros en una iniciativa popular para levantarse e iniciar la construcción nacional y recuperar la línea del cambio revolucionario y democrático, para pasar hacia una nueva etapa de lucha, cuyo núcleo, ha de ser, el proyecto de nuestro pueblo palestino por el retorno, la liberación y la lucha para realizar todos sus objetivos y aspiraciones nacionales, sin importar el tiempo que lleve realizar dicha tarea.

La causa de Palestina, es la causa sagrada de nuestro pueblo, la causa de las clases populares explotadas de nuestra nación árabe y es, la causa de todos los hombres y mujeres libres del mundo. Al día de hoy, se la pretende liquidar y arrancar de sus raíces y de la conciencia y memoria del pueblo y de la nación, ya que, los derechos de nuestro pueblo están siendo  difamados y expropiados. Esta gran causa nuestra, solo será protegida por los brazos y cerebros de la gente de nuestro pueblo, por la voluntad de sus jóvenes patriotas vanguardistas revolucionarios y de la voluntad de sus mujeres, sus obreros y sus campesinos.

Por lo tanto, hoy hacemos un llamamiento a nuestro pueblo palestino, especialmente a las jóvenes generaciones palestinas, para que rechacen y repudien las políticas y posiciones representadas por la línea política del Presidente de la Autoridad Nacional Palestina, el Sr. Mahmoud Abbas y de su equipo, y para considerar, que la dirección de la ANP está fuera del consenso nacional, y no representa a nuestro pueblo. Así mismo, instamos a la mayoría patriótica para plasmar sobre el terreno la voluntad popular, a través de la organización de una amplia movilización popular unitaria, para sobrepasar la etapa de los desastrosos acuerdos de Oslo, sus anexos y sus negativas repercusiones.

Os invitamos a una amplia participación para un total derrocamiento del que se vino a llamarse “Programa del Liderazgo Palestino”, cuyo eje principal, está pasado en la línea de la claudicación y la desidia. Esta agonizante línea corrupta, que después de cuarenta años tratando de vender un ficticio proyecto de un estado. Esta clase política, que tan solo consiguió la vergüenza y el desastre, trata hoy de transformar una autonomía en la Cisjordania ocupada, en objetivo de nuestro proyecto de liberación. Es la clase social de las finanzas, agentes de la ocupación y rehén de los proyectos de la “Paz Económica” y la normalización de relaciones con la ocupación. Así pues, es una obligación para nuestro pueblo, la tarea de aislar a esta clase política, derrocar su programa en todas las plazas, las calles, las fabricas, los campos, las universidades, y las escuelas; dentro y fuera de Palestina Ocupada.

Ante todo lo que está ocurriendo hoy, viendo como las políticas estadounidenses, sionistas y  reaccionarias árabes, tienen como objetivo a los derechos de nuestro pueblo a existir y a vivir, y ante la aceleración del proyecto de liquidación que pretende golpear todos los horizontes del proyecto nacional, abortando las posibilidades de su restablecimiento de nuevo, y ante el ataque diario y sin precedentes, contra los presos en las cárceles del enemigo y, la expropiación de todo derecho natural y humano de nuestro pueblo en los campamentos de refugiados, ante todo esto, cualquier silencio se convierte en complicidad, en traición y en una forma de esclavitud y sumisión.

Ya es hora, para que este liderazgo claudicado en la sede de Al Muqataa en Ramalah se marche. Ya es hora de aislar a este fragmento derrotado que se siente complacido, estando en el regazo de la entidad sionista y la CIA, que castiga a nuestro pueblo en Gaza, priva a las familias de los mártires y de los presos de sus derechos, apuñala por la espalda a la resistencia y coordina con las fuerzas de seguridad de la ocupación para atacar la seguridad de nuestra sociedad, a nuestra resistencia patriótica y a nuestra vanguardia juvenil y estudiantil.

La derrota del proyecto de Oslo y el aislamiento de Mahmoud Abbas y su equipo, es hoy una posibilidad realista más que nunca, a pesar de todas las capacidades y recursos que las fuerzas hostiles al pueblo palestino utilizan para apoyar al liderazgo de la ANP. Sin embargo, el elemento crucial en esta larga batalla histórica, es el papel de las masas populares y su capacidad para generar el método revolucionario desde la base hacia la luz, desde las profundidades de nuestra historia y nuestro legado combativo, desde la matriz de nuestras sociedades palestinas en cada colectivo popular, cada barrio, cada campamento, ciudad y pueblo.

Hacemos un llamamiento a todas las fuerzas de la resistencia palestina, con sus diversas corrientes y trayectorias políticas e ideológicas, para que pongan fin al estado de desintegración y fragmentación mediante la formación de un frente patriótico unificado que, sirva como punto de apoyo y soporte para nuestro pueblo en todas partes, como su espada y su escudo protectores, mientras continúa su marcha histórica con grandes sacrificios, para arrancar sus derechos y romper sus cadenas, y conseguir así, su salvación definitiva y colectiva de las garras del colonialismo sionista.

Os instamos a involucraros en esta amplia y popular iniciativa, intensificando las actividades populares y patrióticas en la semana de lucha del pueblo palestino, entre 15 al 22 del mes de Mayo del 2020, y para que marque esta etapa, un nuevo periodo de lucha bajo el eslogan:

El Día de Palestina, El Día del Retorno y la Liberación.

Y que esta fecha, vuelva a ser un testimonio del crimen de Al Nakba que continua desde 1947- 1948, y un testimonio de que la resistencia palestina continua y continuará hasta la victoria final, cuesten lo que cuesten los sacrificios, y dure lo que dure la contienda.

¡No al proyecto de la desidia y claudicación!

¡No al proyecto de autonomía!

¡Si al retorno y la liberación!

¡Sí a la línea de la resistencia e intifada hasta la victoria!

Para añadir la firma de su grupo u organización juvenil, por favor envíe un correo electrónico bayanyouth.students@gmail.com

Organizaciones juveniles firmantes:

  • Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network
  • HIRAK: Palestinian Youth Mobilization – Germany
  • Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM)
  • “Sada” Movement – Jerusalem- occupied Palestine
  • Al-Awda, the Palestine Right to Return Coalition / North America
  • Palestinian Arab Cultural Center \Rio Grande de Sol, Brazil المركز الثقافي العربي- الفلسطيني/ ساو بولو، البرازيل
  • Unione Democratica Arabo-Palestinese (UDAP)- Italy  الاتحاد الديمقراطي العربي الفلسطيني- إيطاليا
  • Democratic Palestine Committees\ Brazil لجان فلسطين الديموقراطية- البرازيل
  • مركز النّقب للأنشطة الشبابيّة – ِAl Naqab Center for Youth Activities
  • Palestinian Chess Forum- Shatila refugee camp الملتقى الفلسطيني للشطرنج- مخيم شاتيلا
  • AlKarama-Palestinian Women Movement in Spain حركة نساء فلسطين الكرامة في إسبانيا
  • Centro Cultural e Politico Al Janiah\Brazil  مركز الجانية الثقافي والسياسي\البرازيل
  • Brazilian Arab Palestinian Society – Corumba\ Brazil
  • Students for Justice in Palestine at John Jay College
  • Students for Justice in Palestine at Butler University
  • GUPS SFSU
  • Within Our Lifetime – United for Palestine
  • Canada Palestine Association
  • Palestinian Student Association at Wilfrid Laurier University/ Canada
  • Palestine Solidarity Collective at York University
  • Palestine Solidarity Group at University of Windsor
  • Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights at McMaster University
  • Midwest Students for Justice in Palestine
  • Handala Coalition of Michigan
  • Palestinian Cultural Club – Beirut / Lebanon
  • Palestinian Arab Cultural Club\ Lebanon

 

Call to Action! Week of Palestinian Struggle, 15-22 May 2020

Call to Action | Days of Action and Events | Action Ideas | Endorse or Submit Your Activity 

View this call to action in French: https://palestinevaincra.com/2020/05/du-15-au-22-mai-rejoignez-la-semaine-de-lutte-palestinienne/

View this call to action in German: https://www.facebook.com/events/928938670913039/

View this call to action in Swedish: https://samidoun.net/sweden/palestinsk-kampvecka-2020/

On 15-22 May 2020 Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network urges all organizations, activists and movements to join us in a collective Week of Palestinian Struggle. 

On these days, we remember the Nakba, the theft of Palestinian land and the dispossession of the Palestinian people. At the same time, we celebrate, affirm and pledge to continue over 72 years of Palestinian resistance for liberation and return. 

For decades, the Palestinian people’s  movement has commemorated 15 May and the week that follows as a week of solidarity, resistance and struggle, affirming a revolution that will continue until victory. This week marks the Palestinian, Arab and international struggle for justice and liberation, a struggle that has continued for 72 years and continues every day. As the Nakba continues, the resistance continues!

Join us in a week of virtual and in-person actions to stand with the Palestinian people through 72 years of struggle confronting Zionism, imperialism and reaction and for the liberation of Palestine, from the river to the sea! 

Click here to endorse the week of action or send us your activities. 

We know that the Zionist ethnic cleansing project did not begin on 15 May 1948 – it was mostly completed by this point throughout 78% of historic Palestine after its launch the previous December. More than that, it was built upon decades of military escalation and European colonization in Palestine and throughout the region more broadly, particularly the British colonial mandate and its Balfour declaration. This week of struggle requires confronting the racist, imperial ideology of Zionism on which the colonial regime in Palestine has been constructed.

There are over seven million Palestinian refugees and over 13 million Palestinians in exile and diaspora. The implementation of the right of return to Palestine is a collective and individual right that is at the core of the liberation of Palestine. In recent years, the attempts to liquidate the right of return have intensified, culminating in the so-called “deal of the century.” This week of action pledges to intensify the struggle everywhere for the right to return to Palestine. 

This struggle for return and liberation has meant that Palestinians have been on the front lines fighting imperialism for over 72 years, fighting alongside comrades in Ireland, the Philippines, Turkey, South Africa, the indigenous Americas and elsewhere. This week of Palestinian struggle is also a week of struggle against imperialism, especially as the U.S. attempts to impose its “deal of the century” and liquidate the Palestinian cause. Imperialist powers use “anti-terror” laws and repressive measures to repress the struggle for Palestine within their borders as well, from the imprisonment of Georges Abdallah in France to the Holy Land Five in the US, to the targeting of Palestinian activists like Khaled Barakat in Germany for political bans.

Every victory that is achieved for people’s struggles around the world is a victory for Palestine, and every attack on those movements – such as the attempts to foment a coup in Venezuela or blockade Cuba – is also an attack on the Palestinian people. The siege on Gaza is not simply an Israeli siege but also a U.S. and European siege in which Arab reactionary regimes are complicit. During this week of action, we struggle to break the siege on Gaza, bring an end to imperialist sanctions and fight all forms of repression.

Of course, Israel is not the only racist settler colony built on dispossession of indigenous peoples and extraction of their resources; the sponsors of Zionist policy in the United States, Canada and elsewhere. We stand with all oppressed peoples and indigenous movements defending their land from the ravages of settler colonial capitalism. 

Just as the Palestinian cause is an international struggle, it is also deeply linked to the fight against imperialism throughout the Arab world and the region more broadly. Arab reactionary regimes like those in Saudi Arabia and Egypt work hand in hand with Israel and the United States to promote normalization, besiege the Palestinian people and squander an independent future for the peoples of the region – and this is reflected in their attacks on the Palestinian movement. We stand with the Arab people and the peoples of the region who continue to fight back and defend their sovereignty and their future against imperialism and reaction. 

The Palestinian Authority continues to engage in “security coordination” with the Israeli occupier on a routine basis, attacking the Palestinian resistance. This week of action stands unconditionally with the Palestinian people’s right to resist occupation and oppression and against all forms of normalization and complicity with the liquidation of Palestine. 

As we fight these attempts to normalize colonialism, the Week of Palestinian Struggle aims to intensify the boycott of Israel and the complicit corporations that profit from the oppression, dispossession and ethnic cleansing of Palestine. The boycott movement and BDS campaign has faced escalated repression because it poses a material challenge to Israel and its corporate partners. During this week of action, we will expand the movement to isolate and boycott Israel.

Palestinian youth and students are fighting back against imprisonment and for the future of a liberated Palestine .Resisting suppression and imprisonment inside and outside Palestine, they fight – generation after generation until total liberation. 

Palestinian women have been on the front lines of struggle for over 72 years, defending the land, educating generations of strugglers and participating fully in leadership of the Palestinian struggle, political organization and armed and popular struggle. 

From inside the prisons, Palestinian prisoners stand on the front lines of confrontation for the freedom of their land and people. The imprisonment of Palestinians has always been a tool of the colonial project in Palestine, meant to maintain occupation, apartheid and oppression and criminalize the existence and resistance of Palestinians. From the martial law imposed in 1948 on the Palestinians who remained in the 78% of historic Palestine occupied at that time, to the imprisonment of 5,000 Palestinian political leaders, journalists, and freedom fighters today, the imprisonment of Palestinians and their leaders has always been part and parcel of the Nakba – and the Palestinian prisoners behind bars continue to stand at the heart of the resistance.

We salute the struggle of the workers and farmers of Palestine, fighting to defend their land and resist exploitation and oppression in all of its forms. Labor organizers are locked inside prisons and fishermen in Gaza are targeted for Israeli gunfire and assault. The popular classes of Palestine have always been the leaders of the revolution and those who have propelled the national liberation movement forward:  the farmers, the workers, the refugees in the camps. 

Join this week of action to highlight the voices and struggles of the Palestinian people, inside and outside Palestine, from Haifa, Nazareth and Safad to Gaza, Ramallah and Nablus, from Cairo, Amman and Beirut to Berlin, Brussels, Santiago and New York. 

Remember the Nakba: Long live the resistance! Victory for Palestine! 

Endorsers include: Staat van Beleg, Actions 4 Palestine, Knocknacarra Palestine Network, Coalition for Justice and Peace in Palestine, Free Palestine FFM (Frankfurt), Labor for Palestine, Jews for Palestinian Right of Return, Anti-War Committee Minneapolis and more! Add your endorsement below:

Days of Action

Below are themes for each day through the week, although events may reflect any or all of these themes at any time! Samidoun’s social media will focus on these topics through each day. We encourage you to schedule events and actions on any day during the week, regardless of theme or topic, focusing on the Palestinian liberation struggle and 72 years of continuing resistance. We also present a schedule of the events we know of taking place during the week. 

We want to add yours! Email us at samidoun@samidoun.net or use the form below to send in your events and actions! 

10 through 17 May

15 to 22 May

  • Free Palestine FFM in Frankfurt, Germany calls for the Actionswoche des palästinensisichen Struggles  https://www.facebook.com/events/928938670913039/ Download the images and posters and take photos around Frankfurt or your local community: submit them online!

Thursday, 14 May

  • Online Event: Webinar with Rasmea Odeh and George Khoury, moderated by Suzanne Adely. Organized by the US Palestinian Community Network. 11:30 am Pacific/2:30 pm Eastern/8:30 pm central Europe/9:30 pm Palestine. Watch on Facebook Live at: https://facebook.com/USPCN
  • Film screening and discussion, Gothenburg, Sweden: Screening of “Roadmap to Apartheid,” 6 pm, Syndikalistiskt Forum, Linnegatan 21, Gothenburg. Organized by Samidoun Gothenburg. Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/704603883702440/
  • Online Event (in Arabic): They can demolish our homes, but they cannot break our will: Discussion with Widad Barghouthi. 11:30 am Pacific/2:30 pm Eastern/8:30 pm central Europe/9:30 pm Palestine. Organized by Samidoun occupied Palestine. Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/events/761898511218239/

Friday, 15 May
72 years of struggle and ongoing resistance! Palestinian Workers’ and Farmers’ Struggle for Liberation

  • Join the online actions and keep tweeting and posting with #KeyToJustice #Nakba72 #NakbaDay. Join the global Twitterstorm: https://samidoun.net/2020/05/join-the-keytojustice-nakbaday-twitterstorm-on-friday-15-may/ Share your solidarity photos, videos and selfies!
  • In Chicago: Car Caravan to Commemorate the Nakba. For more details, see US Palestinian Community Network. At 1:30 pm Central time, gather at AAAN, 9838 S. Roberts Rd, Palos Hills, IL
  • In Minneapolis: Car Caravan to Commemorate the Nakba. Organized by the Anti-War Committee. Meet at 6 pm @ large parking lot at 43rd and Central Ave. in Columbia Heights (at intersection with Filfillah Restaurant 4301 Central Ave NE). Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/events/252169372647362/
  • Online Event: The Holy Land 5 and COVID-19: Conversation with their Sons and Daughters, organized by the Coalition for Civil Freedoms. 11:30 am Pacific/2:30 pm Eastern/8:30 pm central Europe/9:30 pm Palestine time. Register on Zoom at https://bit.ly/3dHUyvR or watch Facebook Live: https://www.facebook.com/civilfreedoms/live/
  • Online event: Nakba72: The Continuation of Colonisation – Annexation and Peace. 7 am Pacific/10 am Eastern/3 pm London/5 pm Palestine. Organized by EuroPal Forum. Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/events/595772341287413/ 
  • Online event: Discussion with Palestinian Nakba survivors. 11 am Pacific/2 pm Eastern/7 pm Scotland/9 pm Palestine. Organized by Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign and Sheffield PSC. Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/events/554093915292170/
  • Online event: Nakba Day Rally, organized by Jewish Voice for Peace, BDS Movement, Palestine Solidarity Campaign, South Africa BDS Coalition. 11 am Pacific/2 pm Eastern/7 pm Britain/8 pm Europe/9 pm Palestine. Register online: https://bit.ly/2YHx0TR
  • Online event: (In Arabic and German) #Nakba72 commemoration, organized by the Palestinian Working Committee in Austria. 12 pm Pacific/3 pm Eastern/9 pm central Europe/10 pm Palestine. On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/102366481337932/photos/a.102448721329708/146173453623901/
  • Online Event: Documentary film 1948: Creation & Catastrophe followed by a Q&A with directors Ahlam Muhtaseb and Andy Trimlett. 2:30 pm Pacific/5:30 pm Eastern/11:30 pm central Europe/12:30 am Palestine. Organized by the Toronto Palestine Film Festival. Watch at tpff.ca or live on Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/events/1624576931027490/
  • Online event: Friday Night Forums: Palestine and the Blockade of Gaza. Organized by The Red Nation, Arab Resource and Organizing Center and Center for Political Education. 5 pm Pacific/8 pm Eastern/2 am Europe/3 am Palestine. Register online: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_fSQJFHRzROKHyMqyqfM7Vg
  • Online event: Never Forgotten: 72 Years of Resilience, organized by American Muslims for Palestine. 7 pm Pacific/10 pm Eastern/4 am central Europe/5 am Palestine. With speakers: Dr. Salman Abu Sitta | Hanady Halawani | Dr. Hatem Bazian | Rawan Damen | Sh. Ibrahim Dardasawi | Raed Jarrar | Kefah Zreeqy | Taher Herzallah | Sh. Monzer Taleb | Tarek Khalil | Dr. Osama Abuirshaid | & special emcee Tessneem Abdallah from AMP Minnesota. Register online: bit.ly/AMPNeverForgotten

Saturday, 16 May
Palestinian Struggle for Return and Liberation: Confronting Zionism – Boycott and Isolate Israel!

  • Join the online actions and keep tweeting and posting with #Nakba2020 #PalestinianResistance #PalestinianStruggle. Share your solidarity photos, videos and selfies!
  • Online Event: Liberate Palestine from the River to the Sea! With Palestinian writer Khaled Barakat. 10 am Pacific/1 pm Eastern/7 pm central Europe/8 pm Palestine. Organized by Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network. Register online: https://bit.ly/liberatepalestine
  • Online event: From Nakba to Return – the Struggle for Palestinian Liberation. 11 am Pacific/2 pm Eastern/8 pm Central Europe/9 pm Palestine. Organized by Palestinian Youth Movement and National SJP (Samidoun is an endorser!) Register online: bit.ly/nakba2return
  • Online event: The Nakba and Indigenous Struggles, with Ahed Tamimi, Nadya Tannous and Melanie Yazzie. 9 am Pacific/12 pm Eastern/6 pm central Europe/9 pm Palestine. Organized by Friends of Sabeel North America. Register at fosna.org/Nakba2020
  • Online event: Lift the siege on Gaza – Online rally for Palestine. 11 am Pacific/2 pm Eastern/8 pm Central Europe/9 pm Palestine. Organized by Canadian Palestinian Community Centre. Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/events/1086584601724111/
  • Online event: The Palestine Question, with Ramzy Baroud, Ghada Ageel and Mohammed Marandi. 11 am Pacific/2 pm Eastern/8 pm central Europe/9 pm Palestine. Organized by Mobilization for Justice. Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/events/539023010333963/
  • Online event: The right to return: the Palestinian Nakba, organized by Cadfa (Camden Abu Dis Friendship Association) 12 pm Pacific/3 pm Eastern/8 pm British time/9 pm central Europe/10 pm Palestine. With Jehan Aburaya, Abdullah Abu Hilal, Mona al-Farra, Abdelfattah Abu Srour, Basma Dhoukhi and Zeina. Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87535605255
  • Online event: Remember the Nakba. Organized by the Nottingham Palestine Solidarity Campaign. 11 am Pacific/2 pm Eastern/7 pm British time/8 pm Europe/9 pm Palestine. Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1414738382046138/

Sunday, 17 May
Palestinian Refugees’ Struggle for Liberation and Return to Palestine!

  • Join the online actions and keep tweeting and posting with #Nakba2020 #PalestinianResistance #PalestinianStruggle. Share your solidarity photos, videos and selfies!
  • Online Event: Virtual Rally and Panel to Commemorate al-Nakba and For the Right to Return. Organized by Al-Awda, Palestine Right to Return Coalition. 12 pm Pacific/3 pm Eastern/9 pm central Europe/10 pm Palestine. Register online: https://bit.ly/alawda72
  • Online Event: Arabic-Language Webinar with Fawzi Ismail on Palestinian Struggle in Exile. Organized by Samidoun Palestine and fellow organizers. 11 am Pacific/2 pm Eastern/8 pm central Europe/9 pm Palestine. Follow on Facebook: https://facebook.com/samidoun3/
  • Online Event: Screening of Gaza Fights for Freedom and Nakba commemoration, organized by the Coalition for Justice and Peace in Palestine (Australia). 7 pm Eastern Australia time. Includes an introduction with Australian lawyer Hiba Farra. To register for the event, email cjpp@coalitionforpalestine.org
  • Online Event: TAHA – The play, written by and starring Palestinian artist Amer Hlehel عامر حليحل based on the life of Palestinian poet Taha Muhammad Ali. Organized by Toronto Palestine Film Festival. 1 pm Pacific/4 pm Eastern/10 pm central Europe/11 pm Palestine. Watch at tpff.ca or live on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1624576931027490/
  • Online Event: Palestine, Free Speech and Becoming Strong on Campuses, organized by Students for Justice in Palestine activists. 2 pm Pacific/5 pm Eastern/11 pm central Europe/12 am Palestine. Join Zoom Meeting: tinyurl.com/palestineoncampus
  • Online Event: Reel Palestine Home Editition – 1948: Creation and Catastrophe. Ramzi Jabri in conversation with Dr. Ahlam Muhtaseb. 10 am Pacific/1 pm Eastern/7 pm central Europe/8 pm Palestine/9 pm UAE. On Instagram Live https://www.instagram.com/reelpalestine/

Monday, 18 May
Palestinian Youth and Students – Generation after Generation until Total Liberation

  • Join the online actions and keep tweeting and posting with #Nakba2020 #PalestinianResistance #PalestinianStruggle. Share your solidarity photos, videos and selfies!

Tuesday, 19 May
Confronting Reactionary Regimes, Normalization and Imperialism: Arab struggles for liberation

  • Join the online actions and keep tweeting and posting with #Nakba2020 #PalestinianResistance #PalestinianStruggle. Share your solidarity photos, videos and selfies!
  • Online Event: Honoring Malcolm X & Elombe Brath:Black Solidarity with Palestine. 11 am Pacific/2 pm Eastern/8 pm Europe/9 pm Palestine. Organized by AMED Studies at SFSU Open Classroom. Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/536552867060717/
  • Online event: Unite in Solidarity with Palestine, organized by Unite the Union. 10 am Pacific/1 pm Eastern/6 pm British time/7 pm Central Europe/8 pm Palestine. To register: https://bit.ly/2WdENad

Wednesday, 20 May
Palestinian Women in the Liberation Movement: National and Social Liberation

  • Join the online actions and keep tweeting and posting with #Nakba2020 #PalestinianResistance #PalestinianStruggle. Share your solidarity photos, videos and selfies!

Thursday, 21 May
Palestinian Prisoners on the Front Lines of the Freedom Struggle

  • Join the online actions and keep tweeting and posting with #Nakba2020 #PalestinianResistance #PalestinianStruggle. Share your solidarity photos, videos and selfies!
  • Online Event: Palestinian prisoners’ families: Collective punishment and steadfastness, with Basil Farraj. 12 pm Pacific/3 pm Eastern/9 pm central Europe/10 pm Palestine. Organized by Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network. Register online: https://bit.ly/prisonersfamilies
  • Online event: Stop settlements – on the road to justice in Palestine. 8 am Pacific/11 am Eastern/5 pm central Europe/6 pm Palestine, organized by ECCP – European Coordination of Committees and Associations for Palestine. With Michael Lynk, Anna Kdair, Tom Moerenhout, Clare Daly. Join via the link https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89797605467 or at Facebook live: https://www.facebook.com/ECCP-European-Coordination-of-Committees-and-Associations-for-Palestine-343061752465951/

Friday, 22 May
Palestinian, Arab and International Struggle Confronts Zionism, Reaction and Imperialism

  • Join the online actions and keep tweeting and posting with #Nakba2020 #PalestinianResistance #PalestinianStruggle. Share your solidarity photos, videos and selfies!
  • Online event: Why Palestine is still the issue, with Ilan Pappe, Rob Ferguson, Baha Hilo and Tamika Sankar. Organized by several organizations at the University of York. 10 am Pacific/1 pm Eastern/6 pm British time/7 pm central Europe/8 pm Palestine. Register online: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/why-palestine-is-still-the-issue-tickets-104451258526

Suggested Actions

  1. Videos and selfies are a great way to express solidarity online! Create a short video clip or hold up a sign supporting the Palestinian people and their resistance through 72 years of ongoing Nakba. Your Tweets, Facebook, Instagram and other social media posts throughout the week can emphasize the critical importance of the Palestinian struggle! Use the hashtags #Nakba2020 #PalestinianResistance #PalestinianStruggle and tag us at @SamidounPP on Twitter so that we can re-share and boost your solidarity efforts.
  2. If you cannot hold an in-person demonstration or action during this week, we encourage you to consider a car caravan. Of course, you can still support the prisoners with an online action or event! Several online meetings are listed below. Host a webinar or online meeting about Palestine and the prisoners’ struggle over Zoom, Facebook Live or a platform of your choice. Send your event details – in any language – to Samidoun at samidoun@samidoun.net and we will include them in our list of activities.
  3. Call in for action. Governments around the world, specifically imperialist powers and reactionary regimes, are fully complicit in Israeli crimes against humanity. Even if you have to leave a message, call your government officials and demand they stop funding and supporting Israel’s ongoing Nakba with military, diplomatic and political support. Express your disgust at these governments’ ongoing support for Israeli colonialism. Call during your country’s regular office hours:
    • Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs Marise Payne: + 61 2 6277 7500
    • Canadian Foreign Minister François-Philippe Champagne: +1-613-995-4895
    • European Union Commissioner Josep Borrell Fontelles: +32(0) 470 18 24 05
    • New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters: +64 4 439 8000
    • United Kingdom Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab: +44 20 7008 1500
    • United States President Donald Trump: 1-202-456-1111
  1. Boycott, Divest and Sanction. It’s just as important to boycott Israel when buying online! Join the BDS campaign to highlight the complicity of corporations like Hewlett-Packard and the continuing involvement of G4S in Israeli policing and prisons. Build a campaign to boycott Israeli goods, impose a military embargo on Israel, or organize around the academic and cultural boycott of Israel.
  2. Share history and record oral history. It is vitally important to recall the history of Palestinian struggle and share the stories of Nakba survivors and generations of Palestinian strugglers. Share your story, that of your family and loved ones, or that of your comrades. Tag us at @SamidounPP so that we share your story further!

Endorse or Submit Your Event

Use this form to endorse the week of action or submit your event. You can use the form just to endorse, just to submit an event, or you can do both at the same time. We will update the schedule and call and re-release it on Friday, 15 May and throughout the week! You can also always email us at samidoun@samidoun.net.

Khaled Barakat: The “Modern Marx” – by Thomas Hofland

by Thomas Hofland

The last issue of the Neue Rheinische Zeitung, edited by Marx and banned in Germany in 1849.

May 5 is a national holiday in the Netherlands. We celebrate our liberation from the Nazi occupation from 1940-1945. On the same date in 1818, Karl Marx, one of the world’s greatest revolutionaries, was born. As I stayed inside the whole day due to COVID-19, I started scrolling through the liberating writings of Marx. The text that most resonated with me was not one of his famous economic or ideological writings. Instead, it was the last issue of the Neue Rheinische Zeitung (May 18, 1849, No. 301), by chief editor Comrade Marx. It was the last issue because the newspaper was being banned by the German regime in Berlin.

The German authorities did not like Marx’s calls for “violent revolution” and “establishing a social republic.” Marx quotes himself: “there is only one way in which the murderous death agonies of the old society and the bloody birth throes of the new society can be shortened, simplified and concentrated, and that way is revolutionary terror. […] the only alternatives are either a feudal absolutist counterrevolution or a social republican revolution.” With such articles, the authorities argued, Marx “abused” the “hospitality” of the German state. Marx was forced to leave his country. If he would not leave “voluntarily,” the police would kick him out.

While reading these strong and true words of Marx, which are so often left out of whitewashed popular images of Marx as a philosopher instead of an active revolutionary, I couldn’t help but think of Khaled Barakat, the Palestinian left-wing writer who was expelled from Germany last year.

On June 22, 2019, Barakat was on his way to deliver a speech on Donald Trump’s upcoming “Deal of the Century” in Berlin. While leaving the metro, he was stopped by dozens of German police officers. They told Barakat that, starting tonight, he would be forbidden from giving any speeches, participate in political meetings, or get together with more than ten people. Violating these sanctions would cost him one year in prison. Next to this, the residence permits of Barakat and his wife Charlotte Kates, international coordinator of Samidoun, were not renewed, forcing them to move to Canada a few months later.

The arguments put forward by the German state to ban Barakat resonate the words used against Marx. They accused Barakat of fueling “political conflict” in Germany. His outspoken support for the establishment of a democratic state on the whole of a liberated Palestine from the river to the sea amounted to support for “terrorism” and was “antisemitic.” In 1849 the call to revolution from a Jewish German writer was not tolerated. In 2019, the call to revolution from a Palestinian writer is not tolerated.

Barakat and Kates have since moved to Canada, but the German state does not think about leaving them alone. In March 2020, Germany escalated the attack on Barakat by imposing a four-year entry ban for the entire Schengen zone on him. Why? Because Barakat is “extreme”. His opposition to the dead-and-buried two-state solution is “extreme”. His call for the liberation of Palestine, all of Palestine, from the river to the sea, is “extreme.” His support for the BDS movement is “extreme”.

Barakat’s expulsion also serves as an example for other freedom fighters. “Your expulsion is also considered necessary to deter other foreigners… your expulsion must also make other foreign nationals aware that the state does not tolerate anti-Semitic statements approving the use of force and boycotts against sovereign states.” These so-called “anti-Semitic statements” are the same as the previously mentioned “extreme” statements. You can judge them for yourself:

“Palestinians have been resisting occupation and colonization for over a century. They have waged revolution after revolution. Their revolution is continuous; it has never stopped, and it will remain until the liberation of the land and people of Palestine. Palestinian resistance is a right, and this right belongs to all Palestinians. This right stems from the legitimacy of our just cause: the liberation of Palestine and the return of the refugees. If our aims are met, when our goals are achieved, then there will be no need for armed resistance.

But so long as Palestine is occupied, so long as colonization confiscates our homes, so long as there is a settler-colonial, apartheid system implanted in Palestine, Palestinians will continue to resist through all forms. Palestinians will resist through popular protest, by building their popular movements, and by strengthening their military resistance to occupation.”

Clearly, Khaled Barakat is appealing his banishment from Germany. The German state has no right to deny him access because of his revolutionary views and criticism of Germany and Israel. It is after all the German state itself which steals raw materials from “Third World countries” and wages deadly imperialist wars around the world. It is the German state which sponsors Israel’s state terrorism against the Palestinian people. In 2015, Germany subsidized the delivery of four warships destined for Israel to ensure their exploitation the occupied Palestinian gas fields in the Mediterranean Sea.

Let us face it, how ironic is it that the German state expels a Palestinian from the country because of “extreme” and “anti-Semitic statements” that are really a critique of Israel’s and Germany’s colonial policies? Just like in 1849 and 1933, the German state again positions itself at the forefront of reactionary politics and suppression of freedom fighters.

Marx and Barakat share the vision of a revolutionary and liberated world. And because they do not water down their rhetoric and are actively involved in organizing their communities, they are labeled as dangerous by the German state. As Barakat noted:

“They are not just worried about one writer who writes articles and gives talks. They are concerned about the strength of the Arab community in Berlin. They want to undermine the community’s attempts to organize itself, particularly the activities of Palestinian and Arab youth, who can become a real power if they come together, mobilize and organize for justice in Palestine, but also in Germany, fighting against racism and all forms of oppression” (https://samidoun.net/2020/03/oppression-and-resistance-khaled-barakat-speaks-on-germanys-repression-and-palestinian-liberation/ ).

To conclude, while we celebrate Dutch liberation from the Nazi occupation, we have to actualize that history in the fight against Israeli occupation. It is our duty to join forces with Khaled Barakat, the Palestinian liberation movement and all progressive movements in Germany, The Netherlands and around the world.

Just like Karl Marx was (and is) an important German voice, Khaled Barakat is an important Palestinian voice. But while Marx’s body – though certainly not his ideas – has been dead and buried for quite some time, Barakat is very much alive. Let us amplify Barakat’s call for the liberation of Palestine from the river to the sea. Or as Marx said: “And in the East, a revolutionary army made up of fighters of all nationalities already confronts the alliance of the old Europe.”

About Khaled Barakat: https://samidoun.net/2020/03/germany-escalates-attack-on-khaled-barakat-palestinian-rights-with-four-year-ban-fight-back-against-repression-2/

By Khaled Barakat: “Primary and secondary contradictions in the Palestinian struggle” https://freeahmadsaadat.org/2020/05/04/primary-and-secondary-contradictions-in-the-palestinian-struggle-by-khaled-barakat/

By Karl Marx: Neue Rheinische Zeitung, no. 301 https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1849/05/19c.htm

Palestinian refugees protesting in Sweden confront police repression

Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network strongly supports the struggle of Palestinian refugees in Sweden to claim their rights and fight against unjust denial of residency permits. European migration and asylum policies, including in Sweden, continue to revictimize Palestinians who are already denied their fundamental rights by Israeli colonialism and occupation and have been denied their right to return to their original homes and lands in Palestine for over 72 years. We affirm the slogan: Right to flee, right to stay, right to return! Yesterday’s police attack against Palestinian refugees in Sweden is another manifestation of anti-Palestinian repression that aims to undermine Palestinians’ right to live and organize. The following report is translated from the original Swedish statement by Samidoun Gothenburg:

Photo: Demonstration in Gothenburg in support of the Palestinian refugees on Saturday, 29 February 2020.

Yesterday, 6 May, Palestinian refugees in Gothenburg, Sweden, protested as they have done in various forms since the beginning of January of this year against the inhumane treatment they have faced by the Swedish migration authorities and for their right to security and dignity.

Palestinian refugees maintained their peaceful protests through a sit-in/standing demonstration outside the immigration agency’s offices in Gothenburg and through a limited traffic blockade at Brunnsparken. However, Palestinian refugees’ protests were met by police repression, violence, arrests and ongoing assaults, later in collaboration with local security guards. The detained Palestinian refugees were released later in the day, but the violent approach of the police indicates clearly the position of the Swedish state authorities. At the same time, the Palestinian refugees made clear that the fight for freedom and justice cannot be locked down.

Some clips from yesterday have been shared here, at the Facebook page maintained by Palestinian refugees advocating for their rights in Sweden:

From Israeli bombs and concrete walls to Swedish bureaucrats and batons – anti-Palestinian repression is international and must be met with international solidarity! Follow the pages Palestinian Refugees Rights in Sweden and Palestiniers asylsökande manifestation och sittstrejk for more detailed, up-to-the-minute reports on the struggle of Palestinian refugees. We demand media, politicians and social and political organizations pay attention to their important fight for freedom, security and dignity and express our support for the struggling Palestinian refugees!

Take Action:

Do you want to read more about the Palestinian refugees’ fight against the inhumane practices of the Swedish migration system?

Below are some articles on the subject (in Swedish):

Samidoun salutes the martyr, revolutionary Grup Yorum musician Ibrahim Gökçek

Ibrahim Gökçek, before and during his strike

Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network salutes Ibrahim Gökçek, who was martyred this morning, 7 May, two days after achieving victory in his 323-day hunger strike. Gökçek, a musician of the revolutionary music band Grup Yorum, is the third hunger striker to be martyred in Turkey in one month, after Helin Bölek and Mustafa Koçak were on hunger strikes for 288 and 297 days respectively.

Last Sunday, 3 May, Samidoun participated alongside organizations from all over the world in the International Internet Conference and Concert for Solidarity with the Resistance, organized by the Anti-Imperialist Front in support of the imprisoned hunger strikers of Grup Yorum and People’s Law Bureau. Approximately 17,000 people watched the livestream of the solidarity event with speakers and participants around the world.

Ibrahim Gökçek also spoke at the conference, reiterating the words of his letter from 30 April:

“After Helin and Mustafa Koçak, who continued the death fast for justice, lost their lives, calls are made for me not to die. Of course, I want to live, too. Well, friends, as the resistance has come to this stage, it has not made any solid gains, how can I quit the resistance?

I want our demands to be fulfilled! Now, with all our strength, we must put pressure on the government to meet our demands. Without losing time, our intellectual and artist friends should talk with the relevant ministry and the presidency by forming committees among themselves and ensure that our demands are met. I greet you all with the warmth of Helin and Mustafa and with the enthusiasm of our resistance!”

It is important to reiterate the victory achieved by Ibrahim Gökçek and Grup Yorum on Tuesday 5 May, two days before he died. He stopped his hunger strike after Turkish Ministries, politicians, and organizations “vouched for Grup Yorum and declared that they would struggle until the permission to hold concerts was obtained and the imprisoned members were released.” Grup Yorum has applied for three concerts in Istanbul and one in Ízmir.

Ibrahim Gökçek, revolutionary musician

Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network salutes the hunger strike martyrs Ibrahim Gökçek, Helin Bölek and Mustafa Koçak. We demand the immediate release of all political prisoners in Turkey, including members of Grup Yorum and the People’s Law Bureau. Political prisoners around the world should be liberated at a time when they face a double threat in COVID-19 and intensifying prison repression. Freedom for all political prisoners!

As Grup Yorum is an internationalist music band, we end with the lyrics of their song Kalbu Falestini:

“This land is the land of our ancestors

shoulder to shoulder, martyr

Abu Ibrahim, good days will come

Don’t send me off, hold this gun.”

Palestinian youth and student organizations: It is time for the “Palestinian leadership” to go!

Palestinian youth and student organizations: It is time for the “Palestinian leadership” to go!

Statement for endorsement and circulation

Palestinian, Arab and international organizations are invited to endorse the statement below, which will be reissued with all additional signatories. To add the signature of your group or youth organization, please email bayanyouth.students@gmail.com.

English | Arabic

Photo credit: Joe Catron / Flickr. Photo for illustration purposes

We, the undersigned Palestinian youth and student organizations, and with us the associations, organizations and institutions that have signed this statement, call on the masses of Palestinian youth and students throughout occupied Palestine and in exile to join us in a popular initiative for the advancement and initiation of national development for the restoration of the revolutionary democratic approach for a new stage of struggle. The core of this initiative is the objectives of our Palestinian people: return, liberation, and continuing struggle to achieve all of their legitimate national goals and aspirations, no matter how long it may take.

The cause of Palestine, the sacred cause of our people, the cause of the exploited popular classes in our Arab homeland and the forces of freedom in the world, is today intended for liquidation, to be uprooted from the awareness and memory of our people and our nation. The rights of our people everywhere are subjected to all forms of distortion and confiscation. Nothing will protect this great cause from the ravages of liquidation and destruction except for the minds and arms of our people, the will of the committed, patriotic and revolutionary youth, and the steadfastness of women, workers and peasants.

Therefore, today, we call on our Palestinian people, especially the young Palestinian generations, to reject and repudiate the policies and positions represented in the approach of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and his cohort, and to affirm that the leadership of the Palestinian Authority does not represent our people and is outside the ranks of our national struggle. We also call upon our great people to embody this popular will on the ground by organizing the widest, unified popular framework to overcome the disastrous phase of Oslo and all of its accompanying effects.

We invite you to participate broadly in the overthrow of the program of the so-called “Palestinian leadership,” which is based on a path of surrender and abandonment. This corrupt approach has come to its last days after over 40 years of marketing the project of a phantom state. This political class that has brought only shame and disaster to our people seeks today to convert the administrative autonomy in the occupied West Bank into the end of our liberation projects. The money of this class is mortgaged to the agents of the occupation, to “economic peace” and normalization projects. It has become imperative for our people to isolate this sector and defeat its program in the squares, streets, factories, farms, universities and schools inside and outside occupied Palestine.

And as we confront the U.S., Zionist and reactionary policies that today target the rights of our people to life and existence, in the face of the acceleration of the hostile liquidation project that aims to demolish the horizons of the national liberation project and abort all possibilities for renewal, in front of the daily brutal attack on the prisoners’ movement in the occupation prisons, and amid the confiscation of all of the natural and human rights of our people in the camps, silence becomes complicity, betrayal, a form of submission and failure.

The time has come for these leaders of surrender to depart from the Muqata’ headquarters in Ramallah and to isolate this defeated sector that holds itself close to the Zionist entity and the CIA, participating in the collective punishment of our people in Gaza, depriving the families of martyrs and prisoners of their rights, suppressing the resistance and coordinating with the occupation forces to target the fundamentals of our society, its national resistance and its youth and student vanguard.

The defeat of the Oslo project and the isolation of Mahmoud Abbas and his cronies are more achievable and realistic than ever, despite all of the capacities and resources that the forces hostile to the Palestinian people use to support the leadership of the Authority. However, the crucial element in this lengthy historical battle is the role of the popular masses and their ability to generate the revolutionary approach from the grassroots and bring it into the light, from the depths of our history and our militant legacies of struggle and from the womb of our Palestinian societies in every popular community, every neighborhood, camp, city and village.

We call on all Palestinian resistance forces, with their various political and intellectual currents and paths, to end the state of disintegration and fragmentation by forming a unified national front. This will be a support and sustenance for our people everywhere, and it sword and shield will protect our people as they continue on their historical road of great sacrifice and struggle in order to obtain their rights and break their chains, achieving our collective and complete liberation from the clutches of Zionism.

We call on you to broad popular engagement and to intensify popular national activities during the Week of Palestinian Struggle, May 15-22, 2020, as our first stage in announcing a new phase of struggle under the slogan: Palestine Day – the Day of Return and Liberation. Let history bear witness to the crime, the ongoing Nakba that has continued since 1947-48 and, at the same time, testifies to the ongoing Palestinian resistance that continues until victory, despite all of the sacrifices and lengthy years of struggle.

No to the path of surrender and liquidation! No to the project of the “self-rule government” and “administrative autonomy!”

Yes to the path of return and liberation. Yes to the resistance and intifada until victory!

To add the signature of your group or youth organization, please email bayanyouth.students@gmail.com.

Initial Signatories:

  • Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network
  • HIRAK: Palestinian Youth Mobilization – Germany
  • Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM)
  • “Sada” Movement – Jerusalem- occupied Palestine 
  • Al-Awda, the Palestine Right to Return Coalition / North America
  • Palestinian Arab Cultural Center \Rio Grande de Sol, Brazil المركز الثقافي العربي- الفلسطيني/ ساو بولو، البرازيل 
  • Unione Democratica Arabo-Palestinese (UDAP)- Italy  الاتحاد الديمقراطي العربي الفلسطيني- إيطاليا 
  • Democratic Palestine Committees\ Brazil لجان فلسطين الديموقراطية- البرازيل
  • مركز النّقب للأنشطة الشبابيّة – ِAl Naqab Center for Youth Activities
  • Palestinian Chess Forum- Shatila refugee camp الملتقى الفلسطيني للشطرنج- مخيم شاتيلا
  • AlKarama-Palestinian Women Movement in Spain حركة نساء فلسطين الكرامة في إسبانيا
  • Centro Cultural e Politico Al Janiah\Brazil  مركز الجانية الثقافي والسياسي\البرازيل
  • Brazilian Arab Palestinian Society – Corumba\ Brazil 
  • Students for Justice in Palestine at John Jay College 
  • Students for Justice in Palestine at Butler University
  • GUPS SFSU
  • Within Our Lifetime – United for Palestine
  • Canada Palestine Association
  • Palestinian Student Association at Wilfrid Laurier University/ Canada
  • Palestine Solidarity Collective at York University
  • Palestine Solidarity Group at University of Windsor
  • Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights at McMaster University
  • Midwest Students for Justice in Palestine
  • Handala Coalition of Michigan
  • Palestinian Cultural Club – Beirut / Lebanon
  • Palestinian Arab Cultural Club\ Lebanon 

المنظمات الشبابية والطلابية الفلسطينية:
آن أوان رحيل ” القيادة الفلسطينية “

بيان / عريضة للتوقيع

نحن المنظمات الشبابيّة والطلابيّة الفلسطينية، ومعنا الجمعيات والمنظمات والمؤسسات الموّقعة على هذا البيان، ندعو جماهير طلبة وشباب فلسطين في عموم الوطن المحتل والمنافي إلى المبادرة الشعبية من أجل النهوض والشروع في البناء الوطني واستعادة نهج التغيير الثوري الديموقراطي للعبور نحو مرحلة نضالية جديدة جوهرها مشروع شعبنا الفلسطيني في العودة والتحرير والنضال لتحقيق كافة أهدافه وطموحاته الوطنية المشروعة مهما طال الزمن.

إن قضية فلسطين، قضية شعبنا المقدسة، قضية الطبقات الشعبية المُستغَلة في وطننا العربي وأحرار العالم، يُراد اليوم تصفيتها وقلعها من جذورها ومن وعي الشعب وذاكرة الأمة، حيث تتعرض حقوق شعبنا في كافة أماكن تواجده إلى كل أشكال التشويه والمصادرة، ولن يحمي هذه القضية الكبرى من براثن التصفية والإلغاء إلا سواعد وعقول شعبنا وإرادة شبابه الوطني الطليعي والثوري وإرادة نساءه وعماله وفلاحيه.

وعليه، فإننا اليوم ندعو شعبنا الفلسطيني وفي مقدمتهم الأجيال الفلسطينية الشابة إلى رفض السياسات والمواقف التي يمثلها نهج رئيس السلطة الفلسطينية محمود عباس وفريقه، واعتبار قيادة السلطة الفلسطينية خارجة عن الصف الوطني ولا تمثل شعبنا، كما وندعو الكل الوطني إلى تجسيد الإرادة الشعبية على الأرض من خلال تنظيم أوسع حالة شعبية موحدة لتجاوز مرحلة أوسلو الكارثية وكل ملحقاتها وآثارها.

إننا ندعوكم إلى المشاركة الشعبية الواسعة في الإطاحة الشاملة بما يُسمى ” برنامج القيادة الفلسطينية ” القائم على نهج الاستسلام والتفريط. النهج الفاسد الذي بات يلفظ أنفاسه الأخيرة بعد أكثر من 40 عاماً من تسويق مشروع الدولة الوهمية، وهذه الطبقة السياسية التي جلبت الخزي والكوارث وتسعى اليوم إلى تحويل الحكم الإداري الذاتي في الضفة المحتلة إلى نهاية مشروعنا التحرري، طبقة المال من وكلاء الاحتلال المرتهنة إلى مشاريع ” السلام الاقتصادي” والتطبيع. فقد صار لِزاماً على شعبنا عزلها وإسقاط برنامجها في الساحات والميادين والشوارع وفي المصانع والمزارع والجامعات والمدارس داخل وخارج فلسطين المحتلة.

وأمام كل ما يجري اليوم من سياسات أمريكية وصهيونية ورجعية تستهدف حقوق شعبنا في الوجود والحياة، وأمام تسارع وتيرة المشروع التصفوي المعادي وضرب آفاق المشروع الوطني واجهاض إمكانيات توليده من جديد، وأمام الهجمة المسعورة اليومية على الحركة الأسيرة في سجون العدوّ، ومصادرة كل حق طبيعي وإنساني لشعبنا في المخيمات، يُصبح الصمت تواطئ وخيانة وشكلاً من أشكال العبودية والسقوط.

آن أوان رحيل هذه القيادات المستسلمة في مقر المقاطعة برام الله، وعزل هذه الشريحة المهزومة التي ترتمي في حضن الكيان الصهيوني ووكالة المخابرات الأمريكية، تعاقب شعبنا في غزة، وتحرم عوائل الشهداء والأسرى من حقوقهم وتطعن المقاومة وتنسق مع قوات الاحتلال لاستهداف أمن مجتمعنا ومقاومته الوطنية و طلائعه الشبابية والطلابية.

إن هزيمة مشروع أوسلو التصفويّ وعزل محمود عباس وفريقه هي إمكانية واقعية أكثر من أيّ وقت مضى، رغم كل الإمكانيات والقدرات التي تملكها القوى المعادية لشعبنا التي تساند قيادة السلطة، غير أن العنصر الحاسم، في هذه المعركة التاريخية الطويلة، هو دور الجماهير الشعبية وقدرتها على توليد النهج الثوري من القاع إلى النور، ومن عمق تاريخنا وإرثنا الكفاحي ومن رحم مجتمعاتنا الفلسطينية في كل تجمع شعبي وكل حي ومخيم ومدينة وقرية.

إننا ندعو كافة قوى المقاومة الفلسطينية على اختلاف تياراتها ومشاربها السياسية والفكرية إلى إنهاء حالة التفكك والشرذمة من خلال تشكيل جبهة وطنية موحدة، تكون سنداً وعوناً لشعبنا في كل مكان، وسيفه ودرعه الذي يحميه، وهو يواصل مسيرته التاريخية ويقدم التضحيات الجسام من أجل انتزاع حقوقه وكسر قيوده وتحقيق خلاصه النهائي والجماعي من براثن الاستعمار الصهيوني.

ندعوكم إلى الانخراط الشعبي الواسع وتكثيف الفعاليات الوطنية الشعبية في أسبوع النضال الفلسطيني 15 ـــــ 22 مايو/أيار، 2020 ليكون محطتنا الأولى في إعلان مرحلة نضالية جديدة تحت شعار: يوم فلسطين. يوم العودة والتحرير. وليعود هذا التاريخ شاهداً على الجريمة ـــ النكبة المستمرة منذ العام 1947 / 1948 وشاهداً في الوقت ذاته على المقاومة الفلسطينية المستمرة حتى النصر. مهما بلغت التضحيات وطال الزمن.

لا لمشروع التفريط والاستسلام. لا لمشروع الحكم الإداري الذاتي.

نعم لنهج العودة والتحرير. نعم للمقاومة والانتفاضة حتى النصر.

لإضافة توقيع منظمتكم أو مجموعتكم الشبابية الرجاء إرسال اسم المنظمة الشبابية عبر الايميل الآتي: bayanyouth.students@gmail.com

المنظمات الشبابية والطلابية الفلسطينية:

  • شبكة صامدون للدفاع عن الأسرى الفلسطينيين
  • الحراك الشبابي الفلسطيني- ألمانيا
  • حركة الشباب الفلسطيني- الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية (Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM
  • العودة ، ائتلاف فلسطين من أجل حق العودة / أمريكا الشمالية
  • حراك “صدى” القدس- فلسطين المحتلة 
  • المركز الثقافي العربي الفلسطيني/ ريو غراندي دي سول، البرازيل
  • الاتحاد الديمقراطي العربي- الفلسطيني- إيطاليا
  • لجان فلسطين الديمقراطية- البرازيل
  • الملتقى الفلسطيني للشطرنج- مخيم شاتيلا
  • حركة نساء فلسطين الكرامة في إسبانيا
  • مركز الجانية الثقافي والسياسي\البرازيل
  • Students for justice in Palestine at John Jay college طلاب من أجل العدالة في فلسطين/ جي كولدج
  • Students for Justice in Palestine at Butler University طلاب من أجل العدالة في فلسطين/ جامعة بتلر
  • GUPS SFSU الاتحاد العام لطلبة فلسطين/ جامعة سان فرانسيسكو
  • Within Our Lifetime- United for Palestine
  • الجمعية العربية الفلسطينية البرازيلية- كرومبا
  • Canada Palestine Association  
  • رابطة الطلاب الفلسطينيين في جامعة ويلفريد لوريير / كندا
  • تجمع التضامن مع فلسطين في جامعة يورك
  • مجموعة التضامن مع فلسطين في جامعة ويندسور 
  • التضامن من أجل حقوق الإنسان الفلسطينية في جامعة ماكماستر
  • Midwest Students for Justice in Palestine طلاب الغرب الأوسط من أجل العدالة في فلسطين
  • Handala Coalition of Michigan ائتلاف حنظلة في ميشيغن
  • مركز النقب للأنشطة الشبابية- مخيم برج البراجنة 
  • النادي الثقافي الفلسطيني- بيروت/ لبنان
  • النادي الثقافي الفلسطيني العربي\ لبنان 

Join the #EndGazaBlockade Twitterstorm to pressure U.S. Congress to end the siege

The following Twitterstorm campaign was launched by VPalestine, Palestine Online Community , Palestine Sunbird, and Palestinian Defence Forces Online. Join in today, Thursday, 7 May at 12 pm Pacific/3 pm Eastern/9 pm central Europe/10 pm Palestine time at #EndGazaBlockade:

You are kindly invited to join a “new” type of Twitter storm on 07 May 2020 at 10 pm Palestine time, to demand #EndGazaBlockade amid the Covid19 pandemic – before an unprecedented catastrophe happens!

US Congress needs to be sensitized on:
(i) the urgency to lift the 13-year long blockade imposed on Gaza by air, land and sea, by Israel.
(ii) the anti-racist nature of our request, which highlights universal principles of justice

Prelude to the Twitter storm:

1. We are hereby calling on US activists, from all districts, to make a video/photo in solidarity with Gaza.

On the Twitter storm day, kindly tag your representatives in your tweet and send your prepared video/photo to them.

To find your Members of Congress’ Twitter accounts, visit TweetCongress. You can search by state or zip code to find your local representatives.

2. We are hereby calling on independent journalists and Human Rights groups to publish about the Twitter storm, and more importantly, about its outcome.

Twitter Storm Day:

1. We will send a single message to each of the 535 US Congress members requesting them to pressure Israel to End the blockade on Gaza. (83 tweets in all, to be sent by ALL Palestine activists, not only by above mentioned US activists)

2. Alongside, US activists send their video/photo tweet, as explained above.

3. And, independent journalists and Human Rights groups publicize about the ongoing Twitter Storm and subsequently, on whether the Congress members do respond or not, on this demand to save 2 million Palestinians (including 800,000 children) from the Israeli blockade, and from the highly threatening Covid19 pandemic.

Should this campaign move the Congress members to take concrete actions, we will move on to sensitise and appeal UK MPs along the same lines.

Thank you in advance for your support of the Palestinian cause and for your pressure on those who need to be moved 🇵🇸✌🏼

Samidoun Gothenburg joins internationalist 1 May demonstration in Sweden

Photo: Framåt kamrater

On 1 May, International Workers’ Day, Samidoun Gothenburg in Sweden joined other internationalists on the streets. They protested alongside several organizations, including Framåt kamrater (Forward comrades), Rojavakommittéerna Gothenburg and ATİK Haber Merkezi / AHM.

The demonstrators carried banners with various demands, including “Right to flee, right to stay, right to return,” upholding the rights of Palestinian refugees in Sweden facing repression and denial of residency permits, as well as “Solidarity against repression – solidarity with Khaled Barakat,” highlighting the case of Palestinian leftist writer and international coordinator of the Campaign to Free Ahmad Sa’adat, who was subjected to a political ban and ordered excluded from Germany for four years for his political activities in defense of Palestine.

In a speech given by Samidoun Gothenburg at the event, they affirmed:

“The struggle for the freedom of all political prisoners and all oppressed peoples continues this May First, despite the special circumstances of our time. Political prisoners such as Georges Abdallah, Ahmad Sa’adat, Khalida Jarrar, Müslüm Elma and Abdullah Öcalan continue their struggles for freedom, and resistance to other forms of repression also continue. Our comrade Khaled Barakat continues to fight against the German state’s political ban, deportation and exclusion that has been issued against him. An invisible but very serious form of repression is to be forced to flee and prohibited from finding sanctuary. The situation of Palestinian refugees in Sweden has been created jointly by the Israeli occupation and the Swedish immigration authorities. We end our speech with the following: Fight against the state and capital – No one is illegal!”

A further report on the demonstration and other 1 May activities in Gothenburg is available at the website of Framåt kamrater (Forward Comrades).

Statement: We demand the immediate release of Georges Abdallah!

The following statement is signed by a wide array of groups, organizations and individuals, including Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network, Collectif Palestine Vaincra (member organization of the Samidoun Network in France) and the Campaign to Free Ahmad Sa’adat. We urge all to act for freedom for this imprisoned Lebanese Communist struggler for Palestine jailed in France for 35 years:

On 25 March 2020, French Minister of Justice Nicole Belloubet announced that a decision had been made by the government, in view of the health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, to release several thousand prisoners in advance of the end of their sentences.

Since then, many voices have been raised once more to demand the release of Georges Abdallah: we no longer count the letters addressed in this regard to the Minister by many collectives and support organizations nationally and internationally as well as the appeals by parliamentarians and elected officials who are increasingly active in this struggle.

And yet it is clear that this time, once again, despite the very exceptional context of the growing threat and the urgency of action, that the refusal to accept these appeals is again expressed through the deafening and criminal silence of the political and judicial authorities that are fully responsible and guilty of exposing Georges Abdallah to the threat of the coronavirus.

This time again, it seems, once more there is no question of freeing Abdallah! No question of releaseing Georges Abdallah for whom for over 21 years now, “the request for release is not accepted!”

No question of freeing Abdallah! While Georges Abdallah saw his mandatory sentence completed in 1999 and he has been eligible for release for over 20 years.

No question of freeing Abdallah! While Georges Abdallah, aged 69, is today one of the oldest political prisoners in Europe after 36 years of captivity.

And yet, if there is indeed a state of emergency that must be declared today, it is that of freeing Georges Abdallah!

Faced with the denial still reiterated by the authorities rather than the legitimate release of Georges Abdallah, we, the signatories of this appeal, once again demand the release of this resistance fighter and urge increased pressure to change the balance of power which alone will make these officials bend – as Georges Abdallah already pointed out when, in October 2019, he already declared: “It is not enough that the state of Lebanon asks for my release, it remains necessary to establish a real power struggle to make the representatives of French imperialism understand that my incarceration is starting to weigh more heavily than any possible “threats” inherent in my release!”

Let us hear as widely as possible, every day and everywhere, the call of Georges Abdallah and with him, of all political prisoners, and multiply all initiatives, in the diversity of our expressions, to demand his immediate release, here and now!

Let a thousand initiatives flourish!

It is together and only together that we will win!

Initial signatories: To add your name, email campagne.unitaire.gabdallah@gmail.com

Unified campaign for the release of Georges Abdallah, ACTA – média autonome et partisan, Action antifa NP2C, National Association of Communists (ANC), International Campaign to Free Ahmad Sa’adat, CAPJPO-EuroPalestine, Cases Rebelles, Collectif “Bassin minier” for the liberation of Georges Ibrahim Abdallah, Collective Against Police Abuse (CLAP33), Collective in support of the Palestinian resistance (CSRP59), Collective Jaunes Etc33, Collective Libérez Georges 33, Collectif Palestine Vaincra, Collective for the liberation of Georges Ibrahim Abdallah (CLGIA), Collective for the liberation of Georges Abdallah 65, Collective 69 to support the Palestinian people, Committee of action and support for the struggles of the Moroccan people, Committee of international support for the people’s war in India, Committee “Liberez-les!”(59-62), Front Uni des Immigrations et des Quartiers Populaires (F.U.I.Q.P), G.R.C, International Solidarity Movement -France (ISM-France), Jeunes révolutionnaires, Belgian Call for the Liberation of Georges Abdallah, le Cri rouge pour la libération des prisonniers révolutionnaires, Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network, Nouveau parti anticapitaliste (N.P.A), OCML Voie Prolétarienne, Orchestre Poétique d’Avant-guerre (O.P.A), Parti des Indigènes de la République (P.I.R), Plate-forme Charleroi-Palestine Belgium, Plateforme des prisonniers politiques en Turquie et au Kurdistan, Secours Rouge Lille, Soccorso Rosso Proletario Italia, Solidarité Georges Abdallah Lille, Union Juive Française pour la Paix (U.J.F.P), International Committee for Political Prisoners London, Anti Internment Group London 

Individual signatories:
Khaled BARAKAT, Badia BENJELLOUN, Saïd BOUAMAMA, Youssef BOUSSOUMAH (PIR), Houria BOUTELDJA (PIR), Michel COLLON, Philippe DAUMAS, Jacques GAILLOT (bishop), Dominique GRANGE (singer), TARDI (author-designer), Djelloul HATTAB (collectif 65), Sarah KATZ, Daniel LARREGOLA (collectif 65), Aline PAILLER (journalist, former Member of European Parliament), Pierre STAMBUL, Françoise VERGÈS

Le 25 mars 2020, Nicole Belloubet, ministre de la Justice, annonçait que décision était prise avec le gouvernement, au vu de la crise sanitaire engendrée par la pandémie, de libérer de façon anticipée plusieurs milliers de détenus en fin de peine.

Depuis lors, nombreuses sont les voix qui s’élèvent pour exiger une fois de plus la libération de Georges Abdallah : on ne compte plus les lettres adressées, en ce sens, à la Garde des Sceaux par les collectifs et les organisations de soutien sur le plan national et international mais aussi les interpellations formulées par des députés de plus en plus acteurs et actifs dans ce combat.

Et pour autant, force est de constater aujourd’hui cette fois encore, et ce malgré le contexte très exceptionnel de la menace grandissante et de l’urgence d’agir, qu’une fin de non-recevoir est là encore exprimée à travers le silence assourdissant et criminel de ce pouvoir politique et judiciaire pleinement responsable et coupable d’exposer Georges Abdallah au risque du coronavirus.

Cette fois encore, semble-t-il, pas question de libérer Abdallah ! Pas question de libérer Georges Abdallah, dont, depuis maintenant plus de 21 ans, « la demande de libération n’est pas recevable ! ».

Pas question de libérer Abdallah ! Alors que Georges Abdallah a vu sa peine de sûreté accomplie en 1999 et qu’il est libérable depuis plus de 20 ans.

Pas question de libérer Abdallah ! Alors qu’en 2012, le tribunal d’application des peines a donné un avis favorable à sa libération et que, depuis lors, le Liban, son pays, a réaffirmé à maintes reprises son accord pour son retour.

Pas question de libérer Abdallah ! Alors que Georges Abdallah, âgé de 69 ans, est aujourd’hui l’un des plus anciens prisonniers politiques en Europe après 36 ans de captivité.

Et pour autant, s’il est bien un état d’urgence qu’il faut décréter aujourd’hui, c’est bien celui de libérer Georges Abdallah !

Face à ce déni encore réitéré par le pouvoir en place de la légitime libération de Georges Abdallah, nous, signataires de ce texte, exigeons une fois de plus la libération de ce résistant et appelons à accentuer la pression pour imposer le rapport de force qui seul fera plier ces donneurs d’ordre – comme le signalait déjà en toute clairvoyance Georges Abdallah quand, en octobre 2019, il déclarait déjà : « il ne suffit pas que l’État du Liban “demande” ma libération, encore faut-il établir un rapport de force réellement existant pour faire comprendre aux représentants de l’impérialisme français que mon incarcération commence à peser plus lourd que les possibles menaces inhérentes à ma libération ! ».

Faisons entendre le plus largement possible, chaque jour et de partout, le cri de Georges Abdallah et avec lui de tous les prisonniers politiques et multiplions toutes les initiatives, dans la diversité de nos expressions, pour exiger sa libération immédiate, ici et maintenant !

Que mille initiatives fleurissent !

C’est ensemble et seulement ensemble que nous vaincrons !

Paris, 25 avril 2020

Premiers signataires (liste ouverte à signature) :

Campagne unitaire pour la libération de Georges Abdallah, ACTA – média autonome et partisan, Action antifa NP2C, Association Nationale des Communistes (A.N.C), Campagne internationale de solidarité avec Ahmad Sa’adat, CAPJPO-EuroPalestine, Cases Rebelles, Collectif « Bassin minier » pour la libération de Georges Ibrahim Abdallah, Collectif Contre Les Abus Policiers (C.L.A.P33), Collectif de soutien à la résistance palestinienne (CSRP59), Collectif Jaunes Etc33, Collectif Libérons Georges 33, Collectif Palestine Vaincra, Collectif pour la libération de Georges Ibrahim Abdallah (C.L.G.I.A), Collectif pour la libération de Georges Abdallah 65, Collectif 69 de soutien au peuple palestinien, Comité d’action et de soutien aux luttes du peuple Marocain, Comité de soutien international à la guerre populaire en Inde, Comité « Libérez-les !  » (59 – 62), Front Uni des Immigrations et des Quartiers Populaires (F.U.I.Q.P), G.R.C, International Solidarity Movement -France (ISM-France), Jeunes révolutionnaires, L’Appel belge pour la libération de Georges Abdallah, le Cri rouge pour la libération des prisonniers révolutionnaires, Réseau de soutien aux prisonniers palestiniens Samidoun, Nouveau parti anticapitaliste (N.P.A), OCML Voie Prolétarienne, Orchestre Poétique d’Avant-guerre (O.P.A), Parti des Indigènes de la République (P.I.R), Plate-forme Charleroi-Palestine Belgique, Plateforme des prisonniers politiques en Turquie et au Kurdistan, Secours Rouge Lille, Soccorso Rosso Proletario Italia, Solidarité Georges Abdallah Lille, Union Juive Française pour la Paix (U.J.F.P)

Signataires à titre personnel :

Khaled BARAKAT, Badia BENJELLOUN, Saïd BOUAMAMA, Youssef BOUSSOUMAH (PIR), Houria BOUTELDJA (PIR), Michel COLLON, Philippe DAUMAS, Jacques GAILLOT (évêque), Dominique GRANGE (chanteuse engagée), TARDI (auteur-dessinateur), Djelloul HATTAB (collectif 65), Sarah KATZ, Daniel LARREGOLA (collectif 65), Aline PAILLER (journaliste ex députée européenne), Pierre STAMBUL, Françoise VERGÈS

Samidoun Netherlands joins international solidarity action for Grup Yorum hunger strikers in Turkey

Samidoun Netherlands joined many other groups and organizations around the world in the International Internet Conference and Concert for Solidarity with the Resistance, organized by the Anti-Imperialist Front on Sunday, 3 May.

Watch the Samidoun Netherlands message here:

The online event was organized in particular to support the death fast hunger strikers in Turkey, where musician Ibrahim Gökçek of Grup Yorum has been engaged in a hunger strike for 322 days. Helin Bölek, another musician of Grup Yorum, lost her life after 288 days of hunger strike on 3 April, while imprisoned hunger striker Mustafa Koçak died on 24 April inside Turkish prisons after 297 days of hunger strike, during which he consumed only water and sugar. Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network honors their deep sacrifices in the struggle for liberation; they stand as martyrs in the international movement for justice and liberation.

“Koçak and Bölek – along with another Grup Yorum member Ibrahim Gökçek, who is still continuing his protest – started their hunger strikes to demand the right to fair trial, while Bölek and Gökçek also demanded the lifting of concert bans on their band, an end to raids on its cultural centre, and for the release of imprisoned band members,” Ahval News noted.

Approximately 17,000 people watched the livestream of the solidarity event with speakers and participants around the world. Solidarity messages included speakers from the Anti-Imperialist Front in Greece, Italy, Bulgaria, Austria and Mexico, as well as Armutlu Resistance House, Group Comment, Mustafa Koçak’s family, People’s Law Firm, Anti Imperialist Front member in Greece Sadi Özpolat, European People’s Assembly, European Resistance Council, Syriac People’s Assembly, Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network (Netherlands), International Solidarity of Lawyers, Anti Imperialist Action Flying Column (Ireland), migrants from the Philippines in Austria, International League of Peoples’ Struggles (ILPS), Marxist-Leninist Party of Germany (MLPD), Banda Basotti (Italy) and Donbass Borotba – Alexey Albu.

Following the conference, the online event concluded with a concert in which international musicians expressed their solidarity with fellow musician Ibrahim Gökçek, Grup Yorum and their fellow political prisoners and detainees. Performers included Hakan Akmaz, Haluk Tolga Ilhan, Efkan Sesen, Ibrahim Karaca, Muzaffer Gezer, Gabriel Morena (Gibraltar), Nicolas (Chile), Paul Mc Adaims (Ireland) and Kostas Navarino (Greece).

All participants emphasized the importance of international solidarity to support the hunger strikers and their just demands in Turkey. Watch the video of the event here:

Ibrahim Gökçek’s letter of 30 April is republished below:

“Today is the 318th day of our death fast resistance, which we have been continuing to make our art freely. By this time, much has been said, written and drawn on our resistance. Our resistance has already exceeded the borders of our country. It can be said that our resistance has been heard and supported all over the world from Antarctica to Latin America.

“There have been so many days that we shared the same stages, platforms with you, our intellectual and artist friends. With those we couldn’t share the same stage, we had the honor of making art for a more fair and livable world. We have also experienced the oppression of the dominant powers who are fed by people’s remaining ignorant and unorganized.

“As our intellectual and artist friends, you have more or less done your best to support this resistance and make it heard. You came to us, shared our hunger, you organized concerts for us. You have personally supported us with your productions and have made many efforts to make the voice of our resistance heard. But unfortunately, we were unable to keep Helin, with whom we resisted shoulder to shoulder, alive.

“After Helin and Mustafa Koçak, who continued the death fast for justice, lost their lives, calls are made for me not to die. Of course, I want to live, too. Well, friends, as the resistance has come to this stage, it has not made any solid gains, how can I quit the resistance?

“As intellectuals and artists, we got our share from the oppression and attacks of the state. Our plays, concerts were banned, lawsuits and investigations opened against us because of our social media posts are endless. Didn’t these attacks become so reckless because we have failed to put up a stronger resistance together until today?

“Imprisoned Grup Yorum member Ali Araci should be released immediately. His arrest does not have a right reason, a legal justification. It was understood during the trials without evidence and unjust trials that how unfair and arbitrary the raids were. The lies and demagoguery about Group Yorum members and Idil Cultural Center have been in vain.

“All Grup Yorum members were arrested upon unfounded anonymous witness statements. Today, four Grup Yorum members are arrested because they had been to our Idil Cultural Center and due to the statements of the defamatory witnesses. I was released thanks to the power of my resistance and you adopted it. I want my friend, with whom we composed together, with me. I want to be able to make new compositions with Ali. i want the imprisoned Grup Yorum members to be released and concerts to be allowed!

“Why are such simple and humanly demands not met? I want our demands to be fulfilled! Now, with all our strength, we must put pressure on the government to meet our demands. Without losing time, our intellectual and artist friends should talk with the relevant ministry and the presidency by forming committees among themselves and ensure that our demands are met. I greet you all with the warmth of Helin and Mustafa and with the enthusiasm of our resistance!”