DIVESTING FROM STATE VIOLENCE

Washington, DC I Hands on Drums

Eyewitness Palestine delegate Jaquial Durham will be speaking this Friday at the event below, hosted by Georgetown Black Student Alliance and Georgetown Students for Justice in Palestine for a teach-in on divesting from state violence.

“In the spirit of internationalism, we as students, activists, academics, and community members will explore together the manifestations of state violence in DC, Palestine, and the UK. Look forward to a night of hearing from community organizers directly involved in resisting state violence, visualizing possibilities for accountable solidarity, and expanding divestment work in DC.”

Check out the line up at the link below and come out if you’re in the DC-Metro Area!

YAFFA - THE CITY MY FAMILY ONCE CALLED HOME

Yaffa, Palestine I Mondoweiss

Eyewitness Palestine delegate Amirah AbuLughod just returned from the Oliver Harvest delegation. Her reflection of visiting Yaffa, the city her family once called home, for the first time is now published in Mondoweiss.

She writes “I walked these streets – we walked these streets – with a man whose family stayed after the Nakba in 1948. His family was one of only 4,000 who stayed out of an original population of 120,000.”

Delegates in Action, In the NewsAmirah A. L.November 20, 2017mondoweiss, yaffa, palestine, blog, Delegation 63, 2017 Olive Harvest

BUILDING SOLIDARITY AGAINST MILITARIZATION

Oakland, CA I East Side Arts Alliance

Bay Area Community: come out this Thursday to East Side Arts Alliance in Oakland, CA for the Panel on Political Prisoners and Incarceration, featuring Sahar Francis from Addameer Prisoner Support & Human Rights Association, bottom-lined by Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM)- حركة الشباب الفلسطيني

The panel will include speakers from Critical Resistance, Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, Anakbayan East Bay, Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, moderated by Freedom Archives

Event endorsed by member groups of the Palestine Action Network, The Center for Political Education, and IFPB!

See You There!

CONGRESSWOMAN BETTY MCCOLLUM'S NEW LEGISLATION

Washington, DC I Capitol Hill

Eyewitness Palestine board members, delegation leaders & delegates Mark Harrison, Jennifer Bing, Bradley Parker, Josh Ruebner and other partners met with Congresswoman Betty McCollum this morning to endorse her new legislation, H.R. 4391, which promotes the human rights of Palestinian children.

Congresswoman McCollum writes, “Peace can only be achieved by respecting human rights, especially the rights of children. Congress must not turn a blind eye the unjust and ongoing mistreatment of Palestinian children living under Israeli occupation.”

U.S. FAITH GROUPS DEFEND CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO BOYCOTT IN SUPPORT OF PALESTINIAN FREEDOM

Washington, DC I Huffington Post

Eyewitness delegation leader Philip Farah writes that the Kansas Commission of Education barred a math teacher from a program for training other teachers because she refused to sign a pledge certifying that she is “not engaged in boycotting Israel.”

DOWN WITH LAWFARE

San Francisco, California I Electronic Intifada

Delegation leader Nora Barrows-Friedman writes about San Francisco State University’s faculty, Dr. Rabab Abdulhadi, victory last week over the lawsuit, filed in June, prepared by The Lawfare Project, a group that describes itself as “the legal arm of the pro-Israel community.”

Nora writes, “The decision to dismiss the suit proves that these types of legal attempts by Israel advocacy groups ‘will fail,’ Palestine Legal’s Liz Jackson said. “They have no merit because the facts they allege are untrue and the legal theory they’re based on is an abuse of civil rights law….

"Abdulhadi said the dismissal of the lawsuit sends a strong message to those trying to silence students and faculty and praised activists and organizations that have fought back.

'For me personally, it renews my faith, my determination [to continue teaching],’ Abdulhadi said. 'These campaigns are designed to destroy careers. So this is a wake up call to the Zionists to say, you need to back off, and the people won’t allow you to do this.’

AT THE WOMEN'S CONVENTION

Detroit, Michigan I The Women's Convention

Eyewitness Palestine delegates Ariel Gold and Paula Kahn and many others from CODEPINK: Women for Peace celebrated 15 years of challenging US wars at The Women’s Convention in Detroit.

They also came to strategize for the road ahead: in a follow-up to the Women’s March on Washington, DC, The Women’s Convention gathered for a weekend of workshops, strategy sessions and inspiration for going into the 2018 midterm elections.

MAKING THE NEW "ILLEGAL"

Canada I Penguin Random House

Big congratulations to Eyewitness Palestine delegate Gabe Schivone who has just released his new book “Making the New "Illegal”: How Decades of US Involvement in Central America Triggered the Modern Wave of Immigration" with a foreword by Noam Chomsky.

You pre-order the book online from Penguin Random House via this link.
We can’t wait to read it!

Delegates in ActionGabe S.October 26, 2017book, making the new illegal, noam chomsky, immigration, publishing

THE PUBLIC PULSE: MISSED A STRONG SPEAKER

Omaha, Nebraska I Omaha World Herald

Eyewitness Palestine delegate Sharon Conlon wrote to the Omaha World-Herald last week about the Millard North High School’s district revoking their invitation of Nora Carmi, a Palestinian Christian woman, on the basis that the district wanted to ‘protect students from politicization.’

Sharon writes, “I heard Carmi speak three times: at Creighton University, the College of St. Mary and a Pacific Springs Retirement Center luncheon for faith leaders. She spoke about how her faith helped her cope with the injustices of living under the Israeli military occupation.

I know the accuracy of her statements. This spring I was in Palestinian East Jerusalem and the West Bank and experienced the racism of the government toward non-Jews.

It’s a shame that Millard Schools did not allow her to speak; the district used censorship as a form of “protection.” Apparently administrators don’t understand the difference between criticizing the Israeli government policies and hating Jews. When I criticize the U.S. government, I do not hate Americans.”

Delegates in Action, In the NewsSharon C.October 26, 2017omaha, milliard north high school, politicization, racism

DIVEST FROM THE WAR MACHINE

Washington, DC I CodePink

Eyewitness Palestine delegate Ajamu Baraka spoke on a panel this past weekend for the CodePink Summit in Washington DC. The summit launched their new campaign to divest from the war profiteers. Ajamu Baraka spoke about the connection between the illegal wars abroad and the war right here in the United States on Black, Brown and poor folks. The talk was titled, “The U.S. War Machine: Fueling Violence at Home and Abroad”.

You can check out this new campaign page for divestment from war profiteers here.

Delegates in ActionAjamu B.October 21, 2017code pink, summit, washington dc, DC, war, divest, divestment

MILITARIZATION AND BORDERS

Palestine I Mundos Sin Muros/World Without Walls

The World Without Walls delegation is on the ground in Palestine, working together to defeat militarization from Mexico to Palestine and beyond, and to create a World Without Walls / MundoSinMuros

This group journalists, students, videographers, clergy, and activists from both sides of the US/Mexico border wall, including Latinx community organizers and members of the Tohono O’odham tribe whose ancestral lands are divided by the US/Mexico border and wall, are meeting with Palestinians to build connections and a joint resistance against the Israeli Apartheid Wall and the Wall of Shame that President Trump wants to expand.

Groups that co-organized & co-sponsored this delegation:
Stopthewall Campaign, US Campaign for Palestinian Rights,
Palestine BDS National Committee (BNC), Corsopal, Observatorio de Derechos Humanos de los Pueblos, Friends of Sabeel North America FOSNA, American Muslims for Palestine, Jewish Voice for Peace, FOSNA National, American Friends Service Committee, Global Exchange, Working for Peace and Justice:Hebron Freedom Fund, and Eyewitness Palestine - EP.

Read more about the delegation: http://bit.ly/2hE8ETV

WORLD WITHOUT WALLS / MUNDO SIN MUROS

Palestine I World Without Walls

An update from the World Without Walls / Mundo sin muros delegation in Palestine from Rev. Dr. Allison Tanner from the Lakeshore Avenue Baptist Church - Oakland.

THIS IS NOT A BORDER: REPORTAGE & REFLECTION FROM THE PALFEST OF LITERATURE

Boston, MA I Brookline Booksmith

Eyewitness Palestine delegate & writer Shuchi Saraswat has put together an incredible reading which will be held at the bookstore Brookline Booksmith, Friday October 6th at 7pm. Please spread the word and bring your community with you!

Delegates in Action, ArtsShuchi S.October 4, 2017boston, Massachusetts, Delegation 60, 2016 November, palfest, book talk

DC PALESTINIAN FILM & ARTS FESTIVAL

Washington, DC I John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

Eyewitness Palestine delegation leader Noura Erakat, founding board member of the DC Palestinian Film and Arts Festival, kicked off the festival the first week of October at the The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington DC.

Delegates in Action, ArtsNoura E.October 2, 2017conference, 2013 May, Delegation 46, Delegation Leaders, dcpfaf, film

INTERSECTIONALITY AND THE MAINSTREAMING OF PALESTINE

San Francisco, California I Palestine in America

Delegation leader Nora Barrows-Friedman writes an article titled “Intersectionality and the mainstreaming of Palestine” in Palestine in America.

She writes:

“Princess Nokia did it. Macklemore and Ryan Lewis did it. Queer filmmakers did it. A group of NFL players did it. Barcelona city council members did it. Even Sacramento, California transit officials did it.

Calling for Accountability of the 35th anniversary of the Massacre of Sabra & Shatila

USA I Al-Jazeera

As we enter the 35th anniversary of the Sabra & Shatila massacre, we enter 35 years with neither accountability nor justice.

In this reflective op-ed, Nabil Mohamad –a survivor of the massacre, writes that the brutalization in Sabra & Shatila “was a direct consequence of Israel’s violation of the American-brokered ceasefire and the impunity bestowed on Israel by the US and the international community.” He writes, that “the international community is obliged to remedy its moral responsibility” to the victims and the survivors.

Delegates in Action, In the NewsEyewitness PalestineSeptember 18, 2017sabraandshatila, commemoration, al-jazeera

RAED AL-SALHI DIES AFTER ISRAELI RAID AT DHEISHEH CAMP

Santa Clara, CA I Facebook/Al-Jazeera

Eyewitness Palestine delegate Safeer M. wrote a moving post upon recently returning:

“Been trying to avoid sharing this since yesterday morning. Members of the group & I stayed with Fashek and had breakfast with him and Raed when we stayed at the Dehesha refugee camp in Bethlehem. I had written earlier about staying at Fashek’s place and having to close the windows due to the tear gas fired in the camp by the Israeli army. At breakfast, Fashek told us that him and Raed were the only two out of his eleven friends who had not been killed or arrested. A few weeks ago, we found out that Fashek was taken to jail by the the Israeli army - no charges, trial, nothing.

Delegates in Action, In the NewsSafeer M.September 5, 2017santa clara, california, dheisheh, no trial, Delegation 62, 2017 INJIP, facebook

SOBRE GIRA A PALESTINA OCUPADA POR ISRAEL

Boston, MA I Información al Desnudo

Eyewitness Palestine delegate Roberto Collazo speaks to Información al Desnudo about his experience on his recent delegation in an interview titled, “About the tour to Occupied Palestine”

INCARCERATION, DETENTION & POLITICAL PRISONERS

Midland, MI I Islamic Center of Midland

Eyewitness Palestine delegate Emma Johnson speaks to community members at the Islamic Center of Midland, Michigan about her experiences and reflections of the Incarceration, Detention & Political Prisoners delegation, co-sponsored by Defense for Children International - Palestine and CODEPINK: Women For Peace.

WOMEN FOR PEACE 2017

Sonoma, California I CODEPINK

Eyewitness Palestine delegate Ariel Gold led breakout groups this weekend at CODEPINK: Women For Peace’s PeaceCamp 2017 with other amazing women organizers for justice.

Delegates In Action

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