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5 May, Toronto: Call for Action to Support Palestinian Prisoners’ Demands

Friday, 5 May
3:30 pm
Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeman’s Office
344 Bloor Street West

5 to 6 pm
Israeli Consulate
180 Bloor Street West
Toronto

Protest in Toronto to support Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike and demand Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeman take action to urge implementation of the hunger strikers’ demands.

5 May, Rotterdam: Collective #SaltWaterChallenge for Palestinian Hunger Strikers

Friday, 5 May
12:00 pm
Park Bij De Euromast
Rotterdam, Netherlands
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1355110621250317/

Calling all Rotterdammers to take the Salt Water Challenge! The Hague will participate as well, as well as a challenge at the Bevrijdingsfestival in Malieveld. Amsterdam will also be doing the Salt Water Challenge.

On 17 April, on Palestinian Prisoners’ Day, about 1700 prisoners in Israeli jails began a hunger strike to draw attention to the violation of their human rights by Israel. Marwan Barghouthi, an imprisoned Fateh leader, is a leader of the strike.

Barghouthi’s son launched the #SaltWaterChallenge in solidarity with the striking prisoners – you drink a glass of water with salt, what the prisoners consume to protect their lives during the strike.

Watch the call:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tc2YtS_qryM

Alle Rotterdammers graag verzamelen voor de Salt Water Challenge.

Den Haag doet ook mee. Ook daar is de challenge op het Bevrijdingsfestival (Malieveld).

Amsterdam doet de Salt Water Challenge op 6 mei. Info volgt nog.

Op 17 april, in Palestina ‘Prisoners Day’, begonnen zo’n 1700 gevangenen in Israelische detentie aan een hongerstaking om aandacht te vragen voor hun klachten over het schenden van (mensen-)rechten door Israël. Marwan Barghouti, een Fatah-leider die enkele mensenlevens aan gevangenisstraf moet uitzitten van Israel voor misdaden die niet bewezen zijn riep alle gevangenen in Israelische detentie op om mee te doen.

Barghouti’s zoon lanceerde op 26 april de #SaltWaterChallenge om de solidariteit met de hongerstakende gevangenen te betonen. De challenge komt erop neer dat je een glas water met zout drinkt, hetzelfde als wat de gevangenen nemen. Veel mensen namen de challenge al aan.

Aarab Barghouti’s oproep:
https://youtu.be/Tc2YtS_qryM

Zoek op #SaltWaterChallenge om meer filmpjes te zien.

Wij Rotterdammers gaan dit ook doen. Met z’n allen tegelijk. Op 5 mei (Bevrijdingsdag) delen we om 12:30 in het Park bij de Euromast een gezellige gemeenschappelijke ‘lunch’ met een bekertje zout water. Alles wordt geregeld dus je hoeft alleen maar te komen. Neem gerust al je vrienden en vriendinnen mee.

De challenge wordt gefilmd en online gezet met een uitdaging aan onze all time rivalen: de Amsterdammers 🙂

Informatie over tijd en exacte plaats volgt. Meld je aan voor dit event en je krijgt vanzelf een update.

 

 

5 May, Brussels: Protest in Solidarity with the Palestinian Prisoners

Friday, 5 May
5:00 pm

Carrefour de l’Europe (near Gare Central)
Brussels, Belgium
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1035538523213311/

Solidarity protest with the Palestinian prisoners. More than 1000 Palestinian political prisoners are on hunger strike for basic human rights in Israeli prisons.

FR:

16 jours de grève de la faim pour des centaines de prisonniers palestiniens.
Leurs demandes?
De simples droits que les conventions intetnationales garantissent mais qu’Israël ignore une fois encore.
Nous demandons au gouvernement belge de faire pression sur le gouvernement israélien pour qu’il entame des négocatiations.
Nous demandons également l’arrêt immédiat du programme de coopération entre la Belgique et Israël, law train
( www.stop-law-train.be)

–> Rendez-vous vendredi 5 mai à 17H, carrefour de l’Europe (en face de la gare centrale).

NL :
Staande manifestatie in solidariteit met de palestijnse gevangenen
5 may 17 uur Europakruispunt
Meer dan 1000 Palestijnse politieke gevangenen zijn in hongerstaking om te protesteren tegen de mensonwaardige leefomstandigheden in de Israëlische gevangenissen

Organized by Association Belgo-Palestinienne, Palestina Solidariteit, Palestinian Community of Belgium and Luxembourg, with the participation of:

11.11.11
Association Belgo-Palestinienne
ABP WAPI
ABP Liège
ABP LLN
Amis du Monde-Diplomatique BE
Artistes Contre le Mur
Association des Démocrates Tunisiens au Benelux (ADTB)
L’Avenir palestinien
La coalition européenne de soutien aux Prisonniers Palestiniens
CETRI
CNAPD
CNCD-11.11.11
Comunauté palestinienne de Belgique et du Luxembourg
Club Achille Chavée
Comac (mouvement de jeunes du PTB – jongerenbeweging van de PVDA) Comac
Comité de Vigilance pour la Démocratie en Tunisie (Belgique)
CPCR
ECCP – European Coordination of Committees and Associations for Palestine
Ecolo J
ECOLO
LEF-FGE
LCR
PTB PVDA
PAC Présence et Action Culturelle
Palestina Solidariteit
Plateforme Palestine Charleroi
PJPO Mazerine
PJPO coordination Brabant Wallon
Samidoun Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network
Solidarité Socialiste Solidarité Socialiste
UPJB Union des progressites juifs de Belgique

 

5 May, Manchester: Emergency Protest – Victory to the Hunger Strikers

Friday, 5 May
6:00 pm

Piccadilly Gardens
Manchester, UK
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1269570166493644/

Support the international callout for action to support Palestinian prisoners! In the third week of the prisoners’ strike protest this Friday in Picadilly.

1500 Palestinian prisoners launched their hunger strike on Monday, 17 April to achieve a series of demands: access to public telephones, an end to the denial of family visits, proper medical care, and an end to policies of solitary confinement and administrative detention – imprisonment without charge or trial.

The strike was announced by Fateh prisoners with Barghouthi as their spokesperson. Prisoners from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Islamic Jihad, the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Hamas, the People’s Party and others have declared participation in the strike, especially in Hadarim, Gilboa and Nafha prisons, where there is nearly unanimous participation in the strike among political prisoners.

The strikers have been met with harsh repression. Nearly all of the 1500 strikers have been denied legal visits; all have been denied family visits. Their personal belongings and clothing have been confiscated; many prisoners have even reported that the salt that they consume with water to sustain themselves has been confiscated by Israeli prison administration.

Manchester Boycott Israel Group – Victory to Palestine!
Victory to the Intifada
Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! (FRFI) Manchester
Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network

www.frfi.co.uk
www.samidoun.net

4 May, Belfast, Dublin, Newbridge, Galway: Ireland Vigils in Solidarity with Palestinian Hunger Strikers

Belfast:
Friday, 4 May
12 pm

Outside QUB Lanyon Gates (facing the Student Union)
Queens University, Belfast
Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/455302108152034/

Dublin:
Friday, 4 May
5 pm

The GPO, O’Connell Street
Dublin
More information: http://www.ipsc.ie/event/dublin-vigil-in-solidarity-with-palestinian-hunger-strikers-ipsc

Newbridge:
Friday, 4 May
6 pm

Wyeth Roundabout, Buckley’s Cross
Newbridge
More information: http://www.ipsc.ie/event/newbridge-dublin-vigil-in-solidarity-with-palestinian-hunger-strikers-ipsc

Galway:
Friday, 4 May
7 pm

Eyre Square, Galway
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1091693810934870/

On 17 April 2017 around 1500 Palestinian prisoners announced the beginning of an open hunger strike calling for an end to the state of Israel’s practice of prisoner abuse, solitary confinement, torture, medical negligence and denial of rights guaranteed under international law—including the right to a fair trial and family visits. Several Palestinian prisoners leading the hunger strike have been transferred into isolation and at the moment all striking prisoners are being denied lawyer and family visits.

Currently the state of Israel holds more than 7150 Palestinian political prisoners of which approximately 6300 are male political prisoners, 300 male children and approximately 56 females (including 13 female children) as well as an estimated 500 Palestinians in administrative detention (including 2 children), held for indefinite periods without charge or trial.

We are deeply alarmed that despite this clear injustice inflicted on the people of Palestine, European states, the European Union (EU) and representative institutions have failed to fulfill their duty to hold Israel accountable for its grave violations of international law.

Shamefully, the European Union even includes the Israeli National Police in research projects, like LAW TRAIN, funded by the EU taxpayers money, that aims to further develop interrogation techniques.

The Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign expresses its support and solidarity with Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike and supports their demands.

We urge the Irish government and the European Union to intervene with the Israeli Government to: ensure it stops stop punishing the hunger strikers for their action; to lift restrictions on family visits for the prisoners; to increase visit duration from 45 to 90 minutes; to allow at least for women prisoners for family visits without glass barriers to allow mothers to hold their children; to ease restrictions on the entry of books, clothing, food and other gifts from family members; to restore educational facilities for the prisoners; to install phones to enable prisoners to communicate with their families and last but not least to substantially improve their access to medical care.

Furthermore we call for the abolition of Israel’s Apartheid Military Court system (under which only Palestinians are tried, which have a 99.7% conviction rate and which Amnesty International says “do not meet international standards for fair trial”) and freedom for all Palestinian political prisoners.

Belfast Event organized by the Justice for Palestine Society; other events organized by the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign

Strike enters 17th day: Ahmad Sa’adat, Ahed Abu Ghoulmeh, more Palestinian leaders announce they will join strike on 4 May

Poster: Walls | حيطان

As Palestinian prisoners enter their 17th day of open hunger strike, a major escalation is planned to take place tomorrow, 4 May, when significant political leaders will join the hunger strike. Imprisoned Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine General Secretary Ahmad Sa’adat and fellow PFLP leader Ahed Abu Ghoulmeh will join the strike with dozens of leaders from all factions, announced former political prisoner and leftist parliamentarian Khalida Jarrar, at a joint press conference held simultaneously in Ramallah and Gaza City on Wednesday morning, 3 May.

Jarrar denounced attempts to re-start “negotiations” while the prisoners are starving for freedom, saying that anyone who wishes to speak to the leadership of the Palestinian people should go to the prisons to find that leadership and meet with them. She also denounced Palestinian Authority security coordination with Israel, demanding that it come to an end immediately. She emphasized that the strike would continue to grow, with an increasing number of leaders joining the strike.

Sa’adat, Abu Ghoulmeh and the PFLP leaders are not alone in joining the strike; the Islamic Jihad movement announced that 16 members of its leadership in Ramon prison will join the hunger strike on Thursday, 4 May, in support of their fellow prisoners: Ziad Bseiso, Said Tubasi, Tamim Salem, Munif Abu Atwan, Iyad Abu Hashem, Mohammed Aridat, Mahmoud Kalibi, Mohammed Abdel-Hamid, Ahmed Bseiso, Abdel-Rahman Abu Libdeh, Ahmed al-Shanna, Hamza al-Haj Mohammed, Omar Abu al-Rub, Adnan Hussein, Abdel-Rahman Rayyan and Majdi Yassin.

The joint press conference included representatives of the PFLP, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Fateh and the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine as well as Issa Qaraqe of the Prisoners’ Affairs Commission.

The strike, which was launched by 1500 prisoners in Israeli jails on 17 April, Palestinian Prisoners Day, highlights key, basic demands: end to denial of family visits, the right to access distance higher education, appropriate medical care and treatment, and an end to solitary confinement and imprisonment without charge or trial.

The Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, also issued a statement on 2 May, warning the Israeli prison administration that it would take swift action if the demands of the prisoners did not find a response within 24 hours; it also noted that it would increase its demands for prisoner releases in exchange for captured Israelis held in Gaza on a daily basis so long as the strike continues with no action to implement the prisoners’ demands.

Among the striking prisoners are three Jordanian prisoners in Israeli jails, Riad Saleh, Abdallah Abu Jaber and Raafat al-Asa’s, out of the 23 Jordanian prisoners in Israeli jails. The National Committee for Imprisoned and Missing Jordanians issued a statement on 3 May highlighting their involvement in the strike and urging international and Arab action to support the hunger strikers.  Also participating in the hunger strike is Syrian prisoner in Israeli jails Sidqi al-Maqt, from the occupied Syrian Golan Heights. Al-Maqt joined the strike on 19 April, its third day. “I salute, from the heart of Israeli jails, the souls of all martyrs of Syria and Arab nations. The hunger pains in our empty stomachs are a battle towards the victory of our humanity and national dignity,” he said.

Since the strike began, over 20 prisoners have been taken to hospitals and clinics and a number of prisoners have reportedly fainted during the strike. The prisoners consume only salt and water during the strike, without additives, vitamins or other supplements.

Prisoners have faced sharp repression since the strike began – with hundreds of prisoners transferred, many leaders ordered into solitary confinement and hunger strikers widely denied legal visits or family visits. A hearing will take place in the Israeli Supreme Court today, Wednesday, 3 May, in response to a petition filed by Adalah and the Prisoners’ Affairs Commission demanding legal visits with their imprisoned hunger-striking clients. The hearing will convene at 11:30 am in Jerusalem.

Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network urges the escalation of international support and solidarity just as the prisoners are escalating their strike. Students on campuses throughout Europe are organizing hunger strike solidarity actions while a growing number of cities and towns are hosting actions and demonstrations. It is critical to break the isolation imposed by the Israeli state with broader, wider, louder and stronger international solidarity with the Palestinian prisoners as they continue their valiant struggle in the Strike of Freedom and Dignity.

4 May, Chicago: Solidarity Protest – Stand with Palestinian Prisoners

Thursday, 4 May
5 pm
Israeli Consulate Chicago
500 W. Madison St.
Chicago, IL, USA
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/226212284530982/

BUS INFO:
Two buses will leave the Mosque Foundation at 4 pm.

Stand in solidarity with the more than 1500 Palestinian prisoners currently on a hunger strike. We will be across the street from the Israeli Consulate. Announcements forthcoming regarding buses.

Organized by the Coalition for Justice in Palestine – CJP

3 May, Dearborn: Solidarity Vigil for Palestinian Prisoners

Wednesday, 3 May
6 pm
Henry Ford Centennial Library
16301 Michigan Ave
Dearborn, MI, USA
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1270795399624097/

A vigil in solidarity with our 1500 Palestinian prisoners on #HungerStrike in Israeli prisons.

We are here to spread awareness of their inhumane treatment.

Bring Palestinian flags, keffiyehs, blindfolds, and bottles of water to show solidarity with their ongoing struggle.

Sponsored by American Muslims for Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace, Jewish Voice for Peace-Detroit, Amer Zahr

3 May, Johannesburg: 300 Palestinian Children in Israeli Prisons (Film Screening and Presentation)

Wednesday, 3 May
7:00 pm
Constitution Hill
Lekgotla Room, Women’s Jail
11 Kotze St, Johannesburg, South Africa

For more information: http://nc4psouthafrica.com/300-palestinian-children-in-israeli-prisons-film-screening-and-presentation/

Members of the media and public are invited to a free film screening and presentation on the over 300 Palestinian children currently incarcerated in Israeli prisoners (click here for an article on the Israeli arrest and torture of Palestinian children.)

The event, part of solidarity activities in support of #PalestinianPoliticalPrisoners currently on hunger strike since 17 April 2017, will take place tomorrow (Wednesday 3 May 2017, 7pm) at Constitution Hill (Lekgotla Room, Women’s Jail, Constitution Hill, 11 Kotze St, Johannesburg. Safe parking available).

The event is a collaboration between various South African organizations in support of #PalestinianPoliticalPrisoners and their open hunger strike which is now in its second week.

The documentary screened will be “Stone Cold Justice” (click here for trailer) and will be followed with a presentation by Dr Sadna Balton (an early childhood interventionist who was the South African representative at the 3rd International Prisoner Conference recently held in Palestine). The event will be chaired by Khulekani Skosana (Secretary-General of the Congress of South African Students).

There are currently over 6500 #PalestinianPoliticalPrisoners detained by Israel. Over the past 50 years, more than 800 000 Palestinians have been imprisoned or detained by Israel (about 40% of all Palestinian men living under military occupation have at some point been detained by Israel). Presently there are more than 500 Palestinians held under Israel’s “administrative detention” (equivalent of Apartheid SA’s “detention without trial”). In the last one year period Israel has arrested more than 400 Palestinians for social media posts. 25 Palestinian journalists and 13 Palestinian parliamentarians are also currently being incarcerated in Israeli prisons. Virtually every single Palestinian family has been affected by Israeli imprisonment of a loved one.

———-

There will be a national day of action and 24 hour fast on the 15th of May (starting at 6pm on the 14th of May and ending at 6pm on the 15th of May) in solidarity with #PalestinianPoliticalPrisoners currently on hunger strike. A build up fast will also take place tomorrow 3 May (starting at 6pm on the 02nd of May and ending at 6pm on the 3rd of May). All South African organizations are invited to join this campaign.

———-

ISSUED BY KWARA KEKANA ON BEHALF OF BDS SOUTH AFRICA

3 May, Paris: Concert of Solidarity with Palestinian Prisoners

Wednesday, 3 May
7 pm
Salle de l’International
5/7 Rue Moret, Paris, France
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/222469588239529/

Priority entrance to those who have reserved online: http://www.green1d.com/service-reservation/

With the participation of Kery James, Medine, Youssoupha, “Al-Quds” troupe, Abeer and Ahmed Dari, Palestinian composer and singer