============================================ 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 opportunity 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 West Bank. In addition, we will also be highlighting the ongoing brutal medieval-style siege of Gaza and the devastating aftermath of Israel’s winter offensive on the tiny coastal strip which left over 1,400 Palestinians 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 screenings, public meetings, fundraisers and a National Demonstration in Dublin on 14 th November. What’s on during the Week of Solidarity? National Demonstration on Saturday 14 th November in Dublin On Saturday 14 th 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. Speakers on the demo and at the public meeting will include Peter McLoone (General Secretary, IMPACT), Sameh A. 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 (Free Gaza Ireland) and Ger Cassidy (Viva Palestina). David Landy (IPSC Chair) and John Dorman (IPSC Divestment Officer) will also speak. More TBC. 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 ”. 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 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 – TBC (check website for future details) – Fri 13-11-2009 @ Limerick – The Absolute Hotel, Sir Harry’s Mall – Sun 15-11-2009 @ 7.30pm * Evie and Pete will not be at this screening Erased: Wiped off the Map: On December 19, 2008 a group belonging to International Solidarity Movement (I.S.M.), 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 : An 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 discusses events from the rise of Zionism to the Second Intifada. It includes interviews with scholars, religious leaders, humanitarian workers, and NGO representatives. 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 Free Gaza Movement will be speaking at public meetings. They will be taking 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 in the following locations have been confirmed: Kilkenny – Club House Hotel – Wed 11-11-2009 @ 8pm Derry – TBC – Thur 12-11-2009 @ * Belfast – Launch Street Workshop – Fri 13-11-2009 @ 7pm* * Alan and Jenny will not be at these meetings Fundraisers 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. - MAP HERE 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. Speakers’ 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. Senator David Norris , formerly a university lecturer, is renowned as a political and human rights activist both in Ireland and internationally. He has been an unerring supporter of Palestinian rights and was nominated for the European Human Rights Prize. 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 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, Iraq. 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 been an activist in Nablus and Jerusalem, and 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 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.