8 August, San Francisco: Rally to support academic freedom and Professor Rabab Abdulhadi

30 July 2018

Wednesday, 8 August
1:00 pm
Philip Burton Federal Building
450 Golden Gate Avenue
San Francisco, CA
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/248247629297399/

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RALLY – 1PM OUTSIDE SF FEDERAL BUILDING
HEARING – 2PM IN COURTROOM 2, 17TH FLOOR

To help plan or for more information, contact defendrabab@gmail.com

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In June 2017, the right-wing and Israel-aligned Lawfare Project filed a frivolous lawsuit against SFSU and Professor Rabab Abdulhadi, attempting to use the courts to silence scholarship and activism for Palestine.

The court dismissed the lawsuit in March 2018 for failing to make a single legitimate claim. “Out of an abundance of caution,” the court gave Lawfare a chance to fix the complaint and provided very specific instructions. Lawfare ignored the court’s instructions and re-filed its lawsuit. Dr. Abdulhadi’s laywers have once again asked the judge to dismiss the case. The court should dismiss the lawsuit for good and not allow for another chance.

JOIN US IN COURT ON AUGUST 8 to stand up to Lawfare’s self-professed attempt to inflict “massive punishments” on scholars like Dr. Abdulhadi for daring to speak against Zionism and advocate for justice in/for Palestine and an indivisible sense of justice.

Freedom Flotilla Boat to Gaza, Al-Awda, hijacked by Israeli occupation forces

29 July 2018

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 29 July, 2018 13:15pm CESTThe motor vessel Al Awda (The Return), traveling in international waters towards Palestinian waters, 49 nautical miles from the port in Gaza City, has been contacted by the Israeli Occupation Forces navy and warned. The Israeli navy claims our ship is breaking international law and threatens that they will use “any measures necessary” to stop us. In fact, the only “necessary measures” would be to end the blockade of Gaza and restore freedom of movement for all Palestinians. At last news from on board, Al Awda maintains her course towards Gaza, where the crew and participants hope to arrive this evening around 21:00 local time.

A number of warships have appeared, so an attack, boarding and capture appear to be imminent, and we anticipate that all communications with the vessel will be lost shortly.

Al Awda is sailing under a Norwegian flag, carrying 22 people and a cargo of medical supplies, including #Gauze4Gaza. Passengers and crew on board are from 16 nations, including human rights supporters, journalists and crew, along with €13,000 worth of urgently needed medical supplies. The boat itself, a former fishing vessel from Norway, is a gift to Palestinian fishers in Gaza.

Four boats left Scandinavia in mid-May and have since stopped in 28 ports building support for a ‘Just Future for Palestine’, that demands Israel end its ongoing breaches of international law and the twelve-year blockade of Gaza, thereby enabling the only closed port in the Mediterranean to open and for people to have their right to freedom of movement.

Al Awda is being followed by the Swedish-flagged yacht.

Freedom, which is also carrying medical supplies along with people from a number of nations. We anticipate that it will reach a similar area where the IOF attacked Al Awda within the next two days. Two smaller sailing boats that traveled from Scandinavia and sailed through the canal system in Netherlands, Belgium and France visiting inland ports, participated in the mission until Palermo.

“The Freedom Flotilla Coalition calls on the Norwegian Government, the national governments of those aboard Al Awda and the Freedom, other national governments, and relevant international organizations to act immediately.” said Torstein Dahle of Ship to Gaza Norway, part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition. “The international community must assume its responsibilities and demand that Israeli authorities ensure the safety of those on board, the speedy delivery of our gifts to the Palestinian people in Gaza, an end to the illegal blockade of Gaza, and to stop impeding our legal right of innocent passage to Gaza to deliver our gift of much-needed medical supplies”.

More information about the ‘Right to a Just Future for Palestine’ flotilla and the FFC:

Web: https://jfp.freedomflotilla.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FreedomFlotillaCoalition Twitter: @gazafflotilla

For US citizens, please call the US Department of State and demand that the State of Israel be held accountable for piracy–and demand that the medical supplies for Gaza on Al Awda be sent from Ashdod harbor to Gaza as provided by international law.

Call/email/tweet for release of US participant Joe Meadors

Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State

Tel: +1 202 647 4000 (ask for Israel & Palestine desk, and American Citizen Services, and/or Operations Center

Email: pompeom@state.gov

Website: http://state.gov

Twitter: @SecPompeo

Also call:

US Embassy in Israel

U.S. Embassy Jerusalem

14 David Flusser

Jerusalem 9378322, Israel

Phone: 02-630-4000 (ask for Ambassador, American Citizen Services and/or Duty Officer)

@usembassyjlm

Branch Office Tel Aviv

71 HaYarkon Street

Tel Aviv 6343229, Israel

Phone: 03-519-7575 (ask for Ambassador, American Citizen Services and/or Duty Officer)

30 July: Protest for Ship to Gaza

29 July 2018

Monday, 30 July
5:00 pm
Brunnsparken
Gothenburg, Sweden
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/258278298287187/

The two Ship to Gaza boats, Al Awda and Freedom, are approaching Gaza. (The others have had technical problems and could not continue.)

UPDATE: The Norwegian Al-Awda has been boarded by the Israeli military. The Swedish boat Freedom is still on its way and is expected to reach Gaza on Monday or Tuesday.

Come along, mobilize all you know who solidify with Palestine and come to Brunnspaken on Monday at 5:00 pm, with flags if you have them.

De två Ship to Gaza-båtarna, Al Awda och Freedom, närmar sig Gaza. (De andra har fått tekniska problem och kunde inte fortsätta).

UPPDATERING: Den Norska Al-Awda har blivit bordad av israelisk militär. Svenska Freedom är fortfarande på väg och väntas nå mot Gaza under måndag eller tisdag.

Kom med, mobilisera alla ni känner som solidariserar sig med Palestina och kom till Brunnspaken måndag kl 17.Med flaggor om ni har.

Därefter sprider vi oss. Ta kort/ filma och sprid. En bra plats att stå med våra flaggor och flygblad är vid fontäner stora som små. En skriande kontrast med läget i Gaza. Här flödar vattnet rikligt trots torkan.

29 July, Madrid: Support the Freedom Flotilla! Protest against Israeli piracy!

29 July 2018

Sunday, 29 July
7:00 pm
In front of the Foreign Affairs Ministry
Plaza de las Provincias
Madrid, Spain

Demonstration against this new act of Israeli piracy! While we celebrate the release of Ahed and Nariman, the Freedom Flotilla is approaching the shores of Gaza and an attack by Israeli occupation forces is imminent.

Mientras estamos celebrando la liberación de Ahed y Nariman, la #FlotillaDeLaLibertad se aproxima a las costas de #Gaza y su abordaje por parte de las fuerzas israelíes de ocupación puede ser inminente
Os pedimos que difundais y participéis en las movilizaciones que se convoquen para denunciar este nuevo acto de piratería de la entidad sionista

6 August, Amsterdam: Benefit dinner for Jalazone playground project

29 July 2018

Monday, 6 August
7:00 pm
Joe’s Garage
Pretoriusstraat 43
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/186509688877956/

SRP are back in Joe’s Garage for our sixth benefit dinner. Part of our fundraising campaign for Jalazone, a project to support building a playground for the children in the camp.

Last summer SRP visited Jalazone camp during one of our annually organised trips to Palestine. The living circumstances of the Palestinians in this refugee camp left a lasting impression on the group. Motivated by what they had seen they asked the local women’s collective for advice. Out of this conversation, a fund-raising project for the building of a children’s playground was formed.

Come and join us for a delicious meal and bring along your friends, family and neighbors. It will be a night of good company and great food!

Dinner includes starter + main for €4!

SRP is terug in Joe’s Garage voor onze zesde benefietdiner. Onderdeel van onze campagne voor Jalazone, een project waarbij we de bouw van een speeltuin ondersteunen.

Afgelopen zomer is SRP als onderdeel van ons jaarlijks georganiseerde reis naar Palestina in Jalazone geweest.
De leef omstandigheden van de palestijnen in deze vluchtelingen kamp heeft een blijvende indruk gemaakt op de groep.
Gemotiveerd door wat ze hadden gezien hebben zij de lokale vrouwenbeweging om advies gevraagd. Zo heeft het idee om geld op te halen voor de bouw van een speeltuin vorm gekregen.

Kom genieten van een heerlijke maaltijd en breng je vrienden, familie en buren mee. Een avond met fijn gezelschap en lekker eten!

Het diner is inclusief voorgerecht + hoofdgerecht voor € 4!

Warm welcome greets Ahed and Nariman Tamimi upon their release from Israeli prison

29 July 2018

*Ahed, Nariman and Bassem Tamimi reunite upon the women’s release.*

Palestinian teen Ahed Tamimi, 17, and her mother, Nariman Tamimi, were released from Israeli occupation prisons in the morning of Sunday, 29 July 2018 after serving eight-month prison sentences. Ahed and her mother were arrested on 19 December 2017 after a video of Ahed confronting occupation soldiers on the family’s land in the village of Nabi Saleh, including slapping one soldier, went viral on social media. Ahed and her family are leaders in the anti-colonial indigenous land defense movement in Nabi Saleh, where the village’s land and even springs are targeted for confiscation and theft by the neighboring illegal, Jewish-only settlement of Halamish.

A crowd of friends and family awaited the Tamimis’ release as the Israeli occupation repeatedly changed the designated location, from the Jabara checkpoint to Rantees to Jabara again, leaving them to travel the one-hour distance between the locations repeatedly. Ahed and Nariman were greeted with joy upon their actual release; they will hold a press conference at 4:00 pm in their village of Nabi Saleh.

One day before Ahed’s release, Israeli occupation forces arrested three artists involved in the painting of a massive mural on the Apartheid Wall saluting the teen’s struggle and celebrating her liberation.

Two of the detained artists are Italian and one Palestinian, including the lead artist, Jorit Agoch (Agostina Chirwin) a street artist from Naples known around the world for his massive, realistic murals.

An occupation spokesperson accused them of having “damaged and defaced the defense barrier in the Bethlehem area.” The Wall is well-known as a location for a number of famous graffiti murals saluting the Palestinian struggle. The mayor of Naples, Luigi de Magistris, called for the artists’ immediate release, saying that this was a matter of freedom that concerned everyone.

As the Tamimi family and Palestinians celebrate Ahed’s release, their joy is, of course, not complete – among the over 6,000 Palestinians held in Israeli jails is Ahed’s 21-year-old brother, Wa’ed, seized in May by the Israeli occupation and accused of “participation in popular terror activities” such as organizing demonstrations. A number of Ahed’s cousins, including Mohammed and Osama Tamimi, are also behind bars, targeted for their involvement in the defense of Palestinian land from confiscation, theft and colonization. The village of Nabi Saleh itself was closed by occupation forces last Thursday, preventing inhabitants from entering or leaving.

Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network salutes, congratulates and welcomes Ahed and Nariman Tamimi upon their release. They are not only symbols of protest, but leaders in an anti-colonial, indigenous movement to defend their land from occupation, colonization and confiscation. Ahed’s case drew the attention and support of thousands – indeed millions – of people around the world, with protests in global cities and over 1.5 million people signing a petition demanding her freedom. That support had an important role to play in the freedom of Ahed and Nariman today. It also reminds us how critical it is to escalate our organizing for the freedom of all Palestinian political prisoners.

There are over 6,000 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, including over 450 jailed without charge or trial under administrative detention. There are over 350 Palestinian children in Israeli jails and 60 Palestinian women and girls. They are leaders, teachers, organizers, workers, farmers, students and beloved family members, and they represent the true leadership of the Palestinian people targeted by the Israeli occupation for isolation. Of course, there are also prisoners of the Palestinian struggle in imperialist jails around the world – from the Holy Land Five in the United States to Georges Ibrahim Abdallah, jailed for 34 years in French prisons. Their freedom is critical to achieving the goal for which they struggle and sacrifice – freedom for the land and people of Palestine.

Free all Palestinian prisoners! Free Palestine!

11-12 August, Albuquerque: Third Annual Native Liberation Conference

28 July 2018

Saturday and Sunday, August 11-12
Health Leadership High School
1900 Randolph Road SE
Albuquerque, NM
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/208524013120165/

We live in difficult times. Settlers have committed atrocities against poor and colonized people across the world. But people have fought back not only in response to a global authoritarian turn, but also to build a better world, a world in which many worlds fit. From the inner cities to rural Indian reservations, from Palestine to Turtle Island, our struggles are interwoven. We are not free unless all our relatives are free!

This year’s Native Liberation Conference focuses on global solidarity and decolonization in the heart of empire, bringing together Native, Black, undocumented, and Palestinian organizers. In this time of terrible danger, we must work together to build a better world — the future of the planet is at stake!

Speakers and agenda TBA.

Workshops will focus on:

Protecting the Greater Chaco Landscape
Indigenous Youth Organizing
Extractivism
Palestine Freedom
Black Liberation
No Ban On Stolen Land
The Pueblo Revolt and the Entrada
Police Violence
Indigenous Queer Feminism
Indigenous Peoples and the Left
Anti-Imperialism
Decolonizing Sexuality
And More!

This is an all-ages event open to the public, and no admission fee or registration is required.

The Red Nation is a volunteer-based organization dedicated to the liberation of Indigenous life and land. We rely entirely on volunteer support and donations. If you are able to donate to the event, please do so here: https://therednation.org/support/. Everything counts! Thank you.

4 August, Philadelphia: Support Gaza!

27 July 2018

Saturday, 4 August
6:00 pm
Arch Street Meeting House
320 Arch St
Philadelphia, PA
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1652937701472284/

As the assault on Gaza continues with innocent children, women, and men are suffering we want to express our desire and solidarity to help those in Gaza by helping and supporting those affected most. KinderUSA, Philly BDS, JVP-Philly, Temple SJP and other local organizations will be setting up an event for Gaza, focusing on the humanitarian needs of the people.

The event is family friendly and will include dinner, musical entertainment, speakers and raffles. Suggested donations of $15.00 is highly encouraged!

KinderUSA is a registered non-profit that works directly with families, children, and individuals on the ground in Gaza.

28 July, Manchester: Protest the Killings in Gaza. End All Links to Israeli Apartheid

27 July 2018

Saturday, 28 July
1:00 pm
Piccadilly Gardens
Manchester, UK
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/520736121693981/

Israel has just officially announced themselves as an apartheid regime, downgrading and degrading the status of the Palestinians. In the last 3 months, the Israeli Army has massacred over 140 Palestinians who were protesting in Gaza.

As they still march, still stand against the bullets, don’t turn your back on Gaza now. Stand with Gaza and against all UK complicity with these Crimes on the Manchester Streets this Saturday 1pm starting in Piccadilly Gardens.

During the Great Return March in Gaza Israeli snipers have shot and injured thousands of protesters with live ammunition. They have killed clearly-marked journalists like Yaser Murtaja and Medics in Lab coats trying to help the wounded like 21 year old Razan Al Najjar. They’ve killed 25 children during the protests and 3 children in 2 days this week. 15 year old Othman Rami Hilles was shot and killed by Israeli soldiers who fired live bullets at a peaceful protest along the fence in Gaza and a day later best friends Amir al-Nimra who was 15 years old, and Louay Kuhail, who was 16 years old, were bombed while playing on the roof of their house. On Friday Israeli jets and drones devastated Gaza with a mass bombardment not seen since the bombing of Gaza 4 years ago that murdered 2200 people – over 500 children lost their lives in 50 days. The Israeli Regime is threatening an all out attack on Gaza and we in Manchester will stand in the way and we will stand against companies on UK high Streets who are profiting from Israel’s mass murder and imprisonment of the Palestinians. Join us at Piccadilly Gardens at 1pm this Saturday.

Ahed Tamimi scheduled to be released on Sunday, 29 July

27 July 2018

*Mural on Apartheid Wall honoring Ahed Tamimi by artist Jorit Agoch.*

Ahed Tamimi, 17, the Palestinian teen activist whose detention has drawn global outrage and solidarity, and her mother Nariman Tamimi, are scheduled for release from Israeli occupation prisons on Sunday, 29 July. Both are leaders in the indigenous, anti-colonial land defense movement in their village of Nabi Saleh, which faces land confiscation and even the theft of its well from the illegal, Jewish-only colonial settlement of Halamish.

After their release, the Tamimi women are planning to resume their activism immediately, heading directly to the Bedouin village of Khan al-Ahmar, targeted for demolition by Israeli occupation forces for a press conference. Their family eagerly awaits their release; Bassem Tamimi, Ahed’s father and Nariman’s husband, said in an interview with Reuters that “time is an eternity for those who wait, it is mixed feelings. Our home and hearts are open to reunite with her, hopefully we will meet soon.”

Ahed, a globally known activist who has spoken around the world, including in South Africa, Lebanon and throughout Europe, was seized by occupation forces on 19 December 2017 after a video of her slapping a heavily armed Israeli occupation soldier as she demanded he leave her family’s land went “viral” on Facebook. Ahed’s mother, Nariman, was also arrested and charged with livestreaming the video on Facebook. Their case inspired widespread Palestinian, Arab and international solidarity and affirmation of Palestinians’ right to resist occupaition.

Ahed and Nariman are not the only Tamimi family members jailed; indeed, dozens of Tamimis have been arrested and imprisoned for their involvement in the land defense movement. Ahed’s own brother Waed is currently jailed in Ofer prison. Many of the Tamimi family members targeted have been children and teens; they are among over 350 Palestinian children jailed by the Israeli occupation.

In a statement, Saleh Higazi of Amnesty International noted that “Ahed Tamimi’s release must not obscure the familiar and continuing story of the Israeli military using discriminatory policies to lock up Palestinian children. Her unjust imprisonment is a reminder of how the Israeli occupation uses the arbitrary military courts to punish those who challenge the occupation and illegal settlements expansion policies, without any regard to age.”

Ongoing protests around the world have demanded Ahed’s release and that of fellow Palestinian prisoners. In New York, Samidoun activists and others organized protests that drew hundreds of supporters and then joined monthly actions at the “Fearless Girl” statue to highlight the Palestinian fearless girl, Ahed. Over 1.5 million people around the world signed a global petition to demand Ahed’s freedom and numerous organizations campaigned for her release.

A new mural was also created on the Apartheid Wall to honor Ahed Tamimi in advance of her release. Painted by Italian street artist Jorit Agoch, the 13-foot mural rises high in the air with a realistic portrait of the young activist. It borders another mural on the wall honoring slain health worker Razan al-Najjar, shot down by Israeli forces while providing medical support to protesters at the Great Return March in Gaza.

Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network eagerly awaits the release of Ahed and Nariman Tamimi on Sunday. There are thousands – indeed, millions – of people in Palestine and around the world who have played a role in the campaign to win their freedom. The release of Ahed and Nariman must inspire us to escalate our campaigns to win the freedom of all of the other over 6,000 Palestinian political prisoners behind Israeli bars and to win freedom for the land and people of Palestine.

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