Monday's vigil is part of thousands of actions happening
throughout the world, as per the press release below the local
announcement. I took a look at US events and was almost
exhausted by the time it took to get through California. You can
look for yourself by clicking on the release website. Speaking of
which, the list of sponsoring organizations is not only long, wide
and diverse, but unique for this era and this cause. Alevai.
Ed
From: Karin Pally
Sent: Tuesday, December 22, 2009 7:42 AM
*JUSTICE FOR GAZA
What : Silent Candlelight Vigil--Justice For Gaza
When: Monday, December 28, 2009, 5:00 to 6:30 p.m
Where: In front of the Israeli Consulate, 6380 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles
90048
Please bring your own candle (or paper-covered flashlight). We will
maintain silence except for the designated speakers. Only one banner will
be displayed. For more info or to add your organization as a sponsor:
vtamoush@gmail.com or (714) 362-7676
***Sponsored by:
* LA Jews For Peace * FOR-LA (Fellowship of Reconcilliation)
* Bartimaeus Cooperative Ministries * Campaign to End Israeli Apartheid,
* St. Anselm of Canterbury Episcopal Church * Islamic Shura Council
* Kinder USA * Friends of Sabeel Orange County * Los Amgeles Chapter -
National Lawyes Guild * Campaign to End Israeli Apartheid * Jews for Peace
Between Israelis and Palestinians * Women In Black - Los Angeles * Orange
County Peace & Freedom Party * Orange Ccounty KPFK Peace Support Group
* US Committee for Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (USCOM4ACBI)
* Anti-Racist Action - L.A./ People Against Racist Terror * Middle East
Fellowship of Southern California * Friends of SABEEL LOS ANGELES
* Muslims for Progressive Values * South and West Asia & North Africa
Collective/Radio Intifada/KPFK
* CODE PINK, * OOA, * Veterans For Peace
*AND THE LIST CONTINUES TO GROW!*
- - -
http://www.gazafreedommarch.org/solidarity
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
* December 26, 2009
For contact information:
In Cairo: Ann Wright, 019 508 1493, **microann@yahoo.com**
In Europe (Portugal): Ziyaad Lunat, +351938349206,
**z.lunat@googlemail.com**
In US: Nancy Mancias, 1 (415) 342-6409,
**codepink.nancy@gmail.com*
*
*
*International Campaign in Support of the **Gaza** Freedom March*
Thousands of Unison Actions Assembled around the World
*(Worldwide)*
A massive mobilization between December 27, 2009 and January 1, 2010 with
candlelight vigils, concerts, marches, demonstrations, art installations and
movie screenings will assemble all over the world to send a clear message to
world leaders: end the siege on Gaza.
To tackle the blockade against Gaza, grassroots activists are moving quickly
and acting in unison for an absolutley crucial time. Dec. 27 will mark one
year since the Israeli attack and invasion of the Gaza Strip. Although the
Israeli tanks have left, the complete closure of the borders continues.
In order to unite the public to influence public leaders behind the Gaza
Freedom March goals, solidarity action organizers harnessed the power of the
internet to coordinate a global week of actions. There will be actions at
many places around the world: France, United Kingdom, Turkey, Ireland,
Germany, Spain, United States, Afghanistan, Australia, Belgium, Switzerland,
Sweden, Jordan, Canada, Israel/Palestine, Poland, Denmark, and Greece.
On December 31, 2009, more than 1,400 citizens from across the world will
travel to Cairo to join the Gaza Freedom March. This historic non-violent
action has been organized by The International Coalition to End the Illegal
Siege of Gaza. Its objective is to draw international attention to the siege
and blockade of Gaza which are illegal under international law.
According to the United Nations, the most recent invasion left 1,400
Palestinian civilians dead, thousands injured and hundreds of thousands
homeless, many of whom still live in tents. Many more are living in the
ruins of their houses or with relatives. It is now one year later, and no
progress has been made. In fact the situation is more dire than ever.
Hospitals lack many medicines and supplies to provide even routine medical
care. Building materials so desperately needed after the last winter's
invasion by Israel are not permitted into Gaza.
Israel's blockade of Gaza is a flagrant violation of international law that
has led to mass suffering. The U.S., Egypt and the rest of the international
community are complicit. The law is clear. The conscience of humankind is
shocked. Yet, the siege of Gaza continues.
For more information about the Gaza Freedom March global actions visit:
http://www.gazafreedommarch.org/solidarity.
* *
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1137056.html
Danger: Popular struggle
By Amira Hass
Haaretz : December 23, 2009
There is an internal document that has not been leaked, or perhaps has not
even been written, but all the forces are acting according to its
inspiration: the Shin Bet, Israel Defense Forces, Border Police, police, and
civil and military judges. They have found the true enemy who refuses to
whither away: The popular struggle against the occupation.
Over the past few months, the efforts to suppress the struggle have
increased. The target: Palestinians and Jewish Israelis unwilling to give up
their right to resist reign of demographic separation and Jewish supremacy.
The means: Dispersing demonstrations with live ammunition, late-night army
raids and mass arrests. Since the beginning of the year, 29 Palestinians
have been wounded by IDF snipers while demonstrating against the separation
fence. The snipers fired expanding bullets, despite an explicit 2001 order
from the Military Adjutant General not to use such ammunition to break up
demonstrations. After soldiers killed A'kel Srour in June, the shooting
stopped, but then resumed in November.
Since June, dozens of demonstrators have been arrested in a series of
nighttime military raids. Most are from Na'alin and Bil'in, whose land has
been stolen by the fence, and some are from the Nablus area, which is
stricken by settlers' abuse. Military judges have handed down short prison
terms for incitement, throwing stones and endangering security. One union
activist from Nablus was sent to administrative detention - imprisonment
without a trial - while another activist is still being interrogated.
For a few weeks now, the police have refused to approve demonstrations
against the settlement in Sheikh Jarrah, an abomination approved by the
courts. On each of the last two Fridays, police arrested more than 20
protesters for 24 hours. Ten were held for half an hour in a cell filled
with vomit and diarrhea in the Russian Compound in Jerusalem.
Israel also recently arrested two main activists from the Palestinian
organization Stop the Wall, which is involved in research and international
activity which calls for the boycott of Israel and companies profiting from
the occupation. Mohammad Othman was arrested three months ago. After two
months of interrogation did not yield any information, he was sent to
administrative detention. The organization's coordinator, Jamal Juma'a, a
47-year-old resident of Jerusalem, was arrested on December 15. His
detention was extended two days ago for another four days, and not the 14
requested by the prosecutor.
The purpose of the coordinated oppression: To wear down the activists and
deter others from joining the popular struggle, which has proven its
efficacy in other countries at other times. What is dangerous about a
popular struggle is that it is impossible to label it as terror and then use
that as an excuse to strengthen the regime of privileges, as Israel has done
for the past 20 years.
The popular struggle, even if it is limited, shows that the Palestinian
public is learning from its past mistakes and from the use of arms, and is
offering alternatives that even senior officials in the Palestinian
Authority have been forced to support - at least on the level of public
statements.
Yuval Diskin and Amos Yadlin, the respective heads of the Shin Bet security
service and Military Intelligence, already have exposed their fears. During
an intelligence briefing to the cabinet they said: "The Palestinians want to
continue and build a state from the bottom up ... and force an agreement on
Israel from above ... The quiet security [situation] in the West Bank and
the fact that the [Palestinian] Authority is acting against terror in an
efficient manner has caused the international community to turn to Israel
and demand progress."
The brutal repression of the first intifada, and the suppression of the
first unarmed demonstrations of the second intifada with live fire, have
proved to Palestinians that the Israelis do not listen. The repression left
a vacuum that was filled by those who sanctified the use of arms.
Is that what the security establishment and its political superiors are
trying to achieve today, too, in order to relieve us of the burden of a
popular uprising?
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