======International Week of Solidarity Against the Apartheid Walls in Palestine & the Siege of Gaza ======The Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign will be taking part in this year's International Week of Solidarity called by the Palestinian Grassroots Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign (www.stopthewall.org). They have called on international activists to launch a week of global mobilisation against the walls of apartheid in Palestine from November 9th to 16th 2009. The IPSC intend to use this oppor- tunity to highlight the necessity of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, with specific reference to the ongoing role of Irish construction company CRH (formerly Cement Roadstone Holdings) in the building of the Apartheid Wall and illegal colonial settlements in the . In addition, we will also be highlighting the ongoing brutal medieval-style siege of Gaza and the devastating aftermath of 's winter offensive on the tiny coastal strip which left over 1,400 dead and thousands wounded and homeless. Our aim is to promote as many different voices showing solidarity with the Palestinian people as possible, and to raise awareness among mainstream Irish civil society of Israel's apartheid policies, the ongoing plight of Palestinians, and their heroic struggle to resist ethnic cleansing. As part of this week we have organised an island-wide itinerary of events including film screen- ings, public meetings, fundraisers and a National Demonstration in Dublin on 14th November.

What's on during the Week of Solidarity?

National Demonstration on Saturday 14th November in Dublin

On Saturday 14th November the IPSC will hold a National Rally Against Apartheid in Palestine & The Siege of Gaza. We are asking people to assemble at 2pm at the Spire on O'Connell Street and to bring banners, placards etc. The rally will be followed by at 4pm by a public meeting in The Teachers' Club, Parnell Square, Dublin 1. Speakers on the demo and at the public meeting will include Peter McLoone (General Secretary, IMPACT), Harry Browne (Journalist and Academic) Sameh Habeeb (Gazan blogger and journalist who reported prolifically during Israel's winter offensive), Caoimhe Butterly (Irish human rights activist), Evie Soli and Pete St. John Jones (international Bil'in activists), Derek Graham and John Hurson (Free Gaza Ireland) and Ger Cassidy (Viva Palestina). David Landy (IPSC Chair), John Dorman (IPSC Divestment Officer) and Freda Hughes (IPSC PRO) will also speak. For more information on our speakers please refer to the Speaker Profiles at the end of this brochure. Information Stalls The IPSC will be running a series of information stalls around the country in the following places - if you would like to find out more or help out on a stall, then please use the contact details provided. Dublin (Contact Martin - 087 9623624 - [email protected]) Limerick (Contact Sean - 087 2725300 - [email protected]) Maynooth (Contact Hassan - 085 7130114 - [email protected]) Film Screenings The IPSC are proud to present Irish Premiere screenings of the documentaries “Bassem Abu Rahmah: Story of a Martyr” and “Erased: Wiped off the Map”. We will also be screening the multi- award winning “Occupation 101: Voices of the Silenced Majority”. Finally, we are very proud to be able to present screenings of the IPSC’s first short film “CRH plc: Tear down the Wall”. CRH plc: Tear down the Wall: This short documentary, made by David Motterhead and Daniela Gross, is about the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign’s BDS campaign seeking CRH (the Irish construction materials giant) divestment from Israel and an end to their complicity with the oppression of the Palestinian people. The short six-minute film will be screened before all showings of the other films and meetings in our calendar.

Bassem Abu Rahmah - Story of a Martyr: Bassem Abu Rahmah was a non- violent anti-Apartheid Wall activist from the West Bank village of Bil'in. On April 17th 2009 he was murdered by the Israeli military when he was shot at point blank range in the chest with a tear gas canister. This film looks at the situation in Bil'in through the lens of Bassem's short life. This film will be screened around Ireland, and screenings will be followed by a discussion with Evie Soli and Pete St. John Jones, two International Soldiarity Movement activists who have been a part of the non-violent resistance movement in the West Bank village of Bil'in.

This film will be receiving its Irish Premiere screenings in the following locations: Cork - UCC, Room G20, Western Gateway Building - Mon 09-11-2009 @ 1pm* Dublin - The Pearse Centre, 27 Pearse St - Tue 10-11-2009 @ 7.30pm Maynooth - Physics Hall, NUIM South Campus - Wed 11-11-2009 @ 6.30pm Galway - NUIG, The Space, Aras Na Mac Leinn - Thur 12-11-2009 @ 7pm Belfast - The Workshops Collective, 1a Lawrence St, BT7 1LE - Fri 13-11-2009 @ 7pm** Limerick - The Absolute Hotel, Sir Harry's Mall - Sun 15-11-2009 @ 7.30pm * Evie and Pete will not be at this screening ** Ger Cassidy of Viva Palestina will also speak at this screening Erased: Wiped off the Map: On December 19, 2008 a group belonging to International Solidarity Movement, deparated from Cyprus bound for Palestine. Their objective was to break through the Israeli blockade on the Gaza strip. They were the last group of foreigners that were able to enter in the territory. None of them dreamt what they were going to live through in the following weeks.

This film will be receiving its Irish Premiere screenings in the following locations: Limerick - The Absolute Hotel, Sir Harry's Mall - Wed 11-11-2009 @ 7.30pm Dublin - Connolly Books/ New Theatre - Sun 15-11-2009 @ 3pm (in association with the Progressive Film Club) Occupation 101 - Voices of the Silenced Majority: A multi-award winning 2006 documentary on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The film focuses on the effects of the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and dis- cusses events from the rise of Zionism to the Second Intifada. It includes inter- views with scholars, religious leaders, humanitarian workers, and NGO repre- sentatives.

This film will be screened in the following locations: Galway - NUIG, The Space, Aras Na Mac Leinn - Thur 05-11-2009 @ 6pm Maynooth - NUIM, Students Union Building, Room 3/4 - Tue 10-11-2009 @ 6pm

Public Meetings

Ger Cassidy of Viva Palestina and Alan Lonergan and Jenny Graham of the will be speaking at public meetings. They will be tak- ing part in the international siege breaking convergence on Gaza that will coincide with the anniversary of Israel's 2008/09 winter attack on the besieged coastal strip. Meetings will take place in the followings locations: Kilkenny - Club House Hotel - Wed 11-11-2009 @ 8pm Derry - TBC - Thur 12-11-2009 - see www.ipsc.ie for future details Belfast - The Workshops Collective, 1a Lawrence St, BT7 1LE - Fri 13-11-2009 @ 7pm* ** * Alan and Jenny will not be at these meetings ** Evie Soli and Pete St. John-Jones will also speak at this meeting (see above for details) John Hurson of Free Gaza and John Dorman, IPSC Divestment Officer will be speaking in Tullamore. John Hurson will be talking about Quinn Cement’s pledge to endorse and suport the Free Gaza Movement bring construction supplies into Gaza. John Dorman will speak about about the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign’s BDS campaign seeking CRH (the Irish con- struction materials giant) divestment from Israel and an end to their complic- ity with the oppression of the Palestinian people. Tullamore - Fergie’s Bar (upstairs), Market Sq - Fri 13-11-2009 @ 7pm

Fundraisers in Dublin

On Thursday 12th November 2009, we will be holding a Fundraiser Pub Quiz. It will start at 8pm in Brokers Bar on Dame Street (near the Central Bank Plaza), Dublin 2. Cost for entry is €10 per person, with teams of 4 to 5 people maximum. Please come along (and bring your friends!) and support the work of the IPSC in our struggle for justice for the Palestinian people. We depend on your support! (And don't worry, it won't be a quiz made up of just questions about the Middle East!)

The IPSC, in association with Seomra Spraoi Re-Sessions, is hosting a Palestinian Night. The event will take place on Friday 13th November, at 8pm in Seomra Spraoi, 10 Belvedere Court (near Mountjoy Square), Dublin 1. On the night there will be Palestinian food, Palestinian and Arab music (from folk to electronica to hip hop) and craic galore. This is a bring your own booze event, and the cost of entry is just a suggested donation of €5. This may or may not include a free shot of Palestinian Arak while stocks last. Thanks to the Friday Night Re-Sessionistas for hosting. Speaker Profiles

Peter McLoone is the General Secretary of the IMPACT trade union. Peter was part of the ICTU delegation that visited Palestine in November 2007. In May 2008, IMPACT passed a resolution supporting the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign which Peter spoke strongly in favour of. Harry Browne is a Lecturer in the School of Media, Dublin Institute of Technology, as well as an activist and journalist. He worked in The Irish Times for 12 years. His account of the 'Shannon Five' anti-war activists entitled Hammered by the Irish was published in 2008. He has served on the steering committees of both the Irish Anti-War Movement and Anti- War Ireland. Sameh Habeeb is a Gazan journalist, blogger, photographer and human rights worker. He reported prolifically and bravely during the Israeli onslaught in Dec 2008 /Jan 2009. He now lives in London where he is studying, continues to edit the Palestine Telegraph e-newspaper and is a spokesperson for the European Campaign to End the Siege of Gaza. Caoimhe Butterly is a renowned human rights activist and Gaza Coordinator for the Free Gaza Movement. She often visits Gaza to do human rights monitoring, assist with relief efforts, and work on project development with Free Gaza and other groups. She has also been a human rights worker in Zimbabwe, Chiapas, Guatemala and . Evie Soli and Peter St. John-Jones are two International Solidarity Movement activists (Norwegian and English) who have lived in Bil'in and been a part of the non-violent resistance movement against the Apartheid Wall there. Pete has also been an activist in Nablus and Jerusalem, while Evie has been an activist in Hebron and Jerusalem. Derek Graham is a director of the Free Gaza Movement. He was the first mate on board FG boats "Dignity" and "Spirit of Humanity". He was recently kidnapped by Israeli forces while trying to deliver much needed aid to Gaza. He was a member of the reserve defense forces in Ireland for 21 years. Jenny Graham is the wife of Free Gaza International Director Derek Graham who was kidnapped in Gazan waters while sailing the Spirit of Humanity in July 2009. Jenny will travel to Gaza on the next mission and plans to stay for six months to carry out humanitarian work

John Hurson comes from Tyrone. He travelled to Gaza in a Rocwell Water truck last Febuary as part of the Viva Palestina Convoy. He is currently working on an excellent campaign with Quinn Cement which allows people to donate building supplies to Gaza which he will bring with him on the next Free Gaza mission in late December. Alan Lonergan is from Mayo and will sail on the next Free Gaza mission which will include an Irish boat. He is a Free Gaza Ireland Coordinator and previously entered Gaza in October 2008 with the Free Gaza Movement.

Ger Cassidy is originally from Tralee. He has been active for five years with various Irish based Palestinian causes and this May was in Palestine for the first time. He decided, along with others, to form Viva Palestina Cork in order to send essential supplies to the people of Gaza. Their convoy will leave Ireland on December 1st bound for Gaza. David Landy is the Chairperson of the IPSC. He was an organiser of the public letters from Irish academics in 2006 and 2009 calling for a moratorium of EU funding of Israeli universities. He has written on Zionism and on British Jewish opposition to Israel, and is currently teaching in the Department of Sociology in Trinity College. John Dorman is an architect, originally from Sligo. He has been the IPSC's Divestment Officer since May this year during which time he has been prolific in his campaign work on Amdocs, Veolia and CRH. John recenlty visited the West Bank for the first time.

Freda Hughes is a teacher and PhD student in Education. She is currently the IPSC's Public Relations Officer and Events Coordinator having recently stepped down as Acting National Chairperson. Her work involves both grassroots activism and political lobby work. ======For more information about any of these events please contact us at 01 6770253, [email protected] or [email protected] ======

======International Week of Solidarity Against the Apartheid Walls in Palestine & the Siege of Gaza www.ipsc.ie www.stopthewall.org ======