spring2010 palestine NEWS 1 £2.00 / €2.00 ISSN 1477-5808 Spring 2010 Where do they stand? INSIDE: Vote for justice Lowkey speaks out Surfing in Gaza Refugee magazine Nicolette Petersen Maha Rahwanji Rada Daniell Nidal Al Azza page 3 page 8 page 13 page 15 Palestine Solidarity Campaign Box BM PSA London WC1N 3XX tel 020 7700 6192 email [email protected] web www.palestinecampaign.org 2 palestine NEWS spring2010 Contents 3 General election – Make Palestine the issue Nicolette Petersen examines how to make your vote count 4 Jail terms for Gaza protestors Ben Soffa reports on a series of excessive punishments 5 Ban Settlement Goods campaign Betty Hunter announces the vital joint TUC-PSC campaign launch 6 Egyptian complicity in the siege of Gaza Issandr El Amrani on why his country aids Israel 8 Lowkey: supporting Palestine is an honour Maha Rahwanji questions the hip hop artist and PSC patron 10 Ronnie Kasrils says the moment is ripe Victoria Brittain talks to the veteran South African campaigner Cover image: Mulberry Design 11 $2bn stolen by Israel from Palestinians Back page picture taken by Jonathan Cook looks into how workers are cheated Tariq Musleh, 15, from Aqabat 12 Israeli prisons as revolutionary universities Jabr Camp, for Our Voice Political prisoner Khaled al-Azraq describes the struggle to get educated magazine. See article, p15. 13 Surfing in Gaza ISSN 1477 - 5808 Rada Daniell meets Gazans enjoying the sea — plus news on freedom flotillas Also in this issue... 14 Breaking the silence — new testimonies page 16 Israeli women soldiers speak out about their service 15 Voice of refugee youth Nidal Al Azza reports on a new magazine produced in the camps 16 Trade unionists see the reality of occupation Pete Bevis reflects on the recent trade union delegation 17 Universal jurisdiction Jeremy Corbyn updates the news on lawfare 18 Swearing “loyalty” to Zionism Isabelle Humphries investigates increasing pressure on Arab Israelis Rachel Corrie’s parents take Israel to court 19 In Brief Protests on Brown and Cameron being patrons of JNF, US support for Israel endangers American lives, 250 new amputees in Gaza, Christian worshippers attacked, and more… If you want to contact a member 23 Crackdown on internationals of the Executive Committee or Ben White examines how volunteers, academics and journalists are targeted the PSC office, here is a list of those with particular areas of 24 Criminalisation of protest Reports on Scottish PSC in court, plus news of boycotts, meetings, fund-raising… responsibility. Contact via PSC. 26 Global days of action Chair – Hugh Lanning The second worldwide boycott day, plus more BDS news Deputy Chair – Kamel Hawwash General Secretary – Betty Hunter 27 Campus Watch Trade Unions – Bernard Regan Fiona Edwards reports on a new drive to involve students Parliamentary Affairs – 28 Arts and Reviews Nicolette Petersen Rich Wiles’ Behind the Wall, Anthony Julius’ History of Anti-Semitism, Ramzy Baroud’s My Father Publications – Hilary Wise was a Freedom Fighter, Paul McGeough’s Kill Khalid, Norman Finkelstein’s This Time We Went Too Campaigns – Ben Soffa Far, Sharyn Lock’s Gaza Beneath the Bombs, plus a Handbook for Young People and a new CD Trade Union Liaison – Nick Crook, Simon Dubbins palestine NEWS Palestine Solidarity Campaign Students – Fiona Edwards, Khaled Al Mudallal A Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) publication. Campaigning against the oppression and Director of Campaigns – PSC does not necessarily agree with all opinions dispossession suffered by the Palestinian people expressed in the magazine. Sarah Colbourne E-mail: [email protected] Supporting the rights of the Palestinian Branches, members – people and their struggle to achieve these Martial Kurtz The editorial team rights including the Right of Return in line with Editor: Gill Swain Communications – UN resolution 194 Ruqayyah Collector Deputy editor: Hilary Wise Victoria Brittain, Chris Cox, Ben White, Isabelle Administration – Steve Sibley Promoting Palestinian civil society in the Humphries, Maha Rahwanji interests of democratic rights and social justice Design and layout Mulberry Design Opposing Israel’s occupation and its aggression against neighbouring states Check out If you would like to contribute or respond to one our website of the articles in this issue please write to: Opposing anti-semitism and racism, including The Editor, Palestine News, Box BM PSA, the apartheid and Zionist nature of the Israeli www.palestinecampaign.org London WC1N 3XX state spring2010 EDITORIAL palestine NEWS 3 Make your vote count Labour Friends of Palestine and the Middle East, Phyllis Starkey By Nicolette Petersen (Milton Keynes South West, 4010), Gerald Kaufman (Manchester Gorton, 5808), Richard Burden (Birmingham Northfield, 6454), here isn’t a Palestine supporter who isn’t desperate for a Christine Russell (Chester, 915), Rob Marris (Wolverhampton and political surge on this subject. Working in parliament, I see and South West, 2879), Shahid Malik (Dewsbury, 4615), Andy Slaughter hear MPs speak passionately about the rights of Palestinians. (Ealing Acton and Shepherds Bush, 5520), Mark Durkan (Foyle, TSimilarly, I tolerate those who choose to turn a blind eye to 5957), Karen Buck (Regent’s Park and Kensington North, 7131), Dai Israel’s atrocious behaviour and lobby on its behalf. Davies (Monmouth, 4572), Simon Hughes (Southwark North and All parties have lukewarm policies on Palestine, at best. Yet, as Bermondsey, 5406), Adam Holloway (Gravesham, 654). Israel’s arrogance increases, inspiring such appalling behaviour Lib Dem Friends of Palestine’s Sarah Teather (Brent East, 2712) as Operation Cast Lead and the assassination of Mahmoud Al will have to fight it out with Labour’s Dawn Butler so activists might Mabhouh via the cloning of British passports, want to see how Butler’s position on Palestine more MPs are speaking up from across the compares. George Galloway is standing in Poplar parties. We need to do everything within our and Limehouse against Jim Fitzpatrick (majority power to bring about more of that. of 7129). Simon Danczuk is a candidate for Around 140 MPs are leaving parliament and Rochdale which the Lib Dems hold with majority many boundary changes will advantage the of 442. Simon visited the West Bank on a study Tories as well as parties like the Greens, UKIP tour and remains keen to do all he can to raise and even the BNP. We need to be particularly Palestinian issues. vigilant against the latter two; there is no room in Read the Jewish Chronicle on line and look a peaceful world for racism. at websites that will show you who not to vote For every hard working pro-Palestinian for: Conservative / Lib Dem / and Labour Friends MP who is leaving Parliament there is a of Israel list Andrew Gwynne MP (Chair) Louise parliamentary candidate to be elected, and Ellman, Glenis Willmott (vice chairs) and many it is your job to make a tactical decision that more. The Director of Labour Friends of Israel, incorporates both their, and their party’s views Luciana Berger, was selected from an all-women on Palestine — no easy task unless they’ve short list for Liverpool Wavertree. signed the PSC pledge. If you live in a marginal So, there is a lot of work to be done and seat then your vote is even more important. no clear cut answers. If you’re not going to be This government exhibits a distinct lack of around to vote, organise a proxy or postal vote. interest in the plight of the Palestinians (seen Voting is a must. Not voting in democratic elections is about as most recently in the recent UN abstention on the Goldstone Report). irresponsible as finding oneself in the midst of a group of pro-Israeli That said, I’ve every reason to believe that the Tories would be pro- people and not challenging their viewpoint. Get to it: and make your active against Palestine, and that is different. vote count! Despite making much noise about doing so, Labour did not change the law on Universal Jurisdiction, preferring to procrastinate. But from what I hear, I believe the Tories are likely to amend the current UJ laws fairly swiftly should they gain a majority. “Not voting in democratic elections The Tories have much more financial support from the Israeli Lobby than any of the other parties so don’t be fooled by is about as irresponsible as finding individual politicians — you have to consider both party policy and personal promise. A candidate who is more ambitious than oneself amongst pro-Israelis and not principled is unlikely to adhere to a verbal commitment when it comes to choosing between a ministerial career or supporting the challenging their viewpoint” Palestinians. Historically, Labour plays a more active role in defending human The PSC pledge is to: rights, but when you see someone like Andrew Dismore doing a grand job as Chair of the Human Rights Select Committee in Call on Israel to end its violations of international law, including parliament, while also holding the position of Vice Chair of Labour ending its illegal occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Friends of Israel, it helps to be a little better informed. Oppose any attacks on universal jurisdiction and support bringing Find out more by visiting the websites which have candidate alleged Israeli war criminals to justice information. Make PSC’s website your starting point as we are Work to end the siege on Gaza inviting candidates to sign up to our pledge (see below). Call on the government to ban the import of settlement goods There are several candidates who