Upcoming Events: Local
Every Saturday 11.30-1.30pm: OXFORD PSC STALL in Cornmarket by St Michael at Northgate church:
thoughtstorage.wordpress.com/2011/12/17/the-nativity-display-with-a-twist/011
The OPSC Saturday street stall on Cornmarket Street is one of the main ways we use for raising the issue of Palestine with the public at large. It is an important activity for offering information leaflets to the public, inviting them to join PSC or leave their email for Oxford PSC updates. Generally we are there 11:30 to 13:30. Always a minimum of two people on shift. Please consider volunteering for a shift: it’s an opportunity to meet other PSC members, those wanting information and occasionally those wishing to challenge our views, even volunteering for one shift a year would help. Please email ali at OPSCstall@gmail.com if you're able to help.
Please support the weekly stall on Saturdays by volunteering for one shift, for example we desperatly need help to cover the 19th May.
PS ... If you can only do an hour or so, then that’s good too, email us for information and turn up on the day. Thank you to all who volunteered for vacant slots Any help is much appreciated. Cheers, Ali
And from Pam: Stall info
Dear all just to let you know that I have left copies of the new petition on Palestinian Child Prisoners in the stall bag today, along with a copy of the Defence for Children international-Palestine report "Bound Blindfolded and Convicted" (This is in a ring binder but it should be
obvious what it is). I will leave the report for the stall while we have the petition (needs to be back by the start of June - I'm happy to organise this) Do encourage people to look at the report - or point out bits to them if they need convincing. There's a table early on - about 3 or 4 pages in all.
Tuesday 24th April (new date)Planning Meeting. Oxford Ramallah Friendship Association
Oxford Town Hall, St Aldates, Oxford 7:00 – 8:45. All Welcome.
http://www.oxford-ramallah.org/
From Sir Iain Chalmers: Following the successful Gaza event held on 9th December at Oxford Brookes University, we are delighted to let you know that we are hosting a talk from Dr Izzeldin Abuelaish in May. Please find details below:
Building the Bridge for Humanity with Dr Izzeldin Abuelaish
Daughters for Life Foundation Friday 4th May 2012, 6 pm
at Oxford Brookes University, Gipsy Lane, Oxford. OX3 0BP
Izzeldin Abuelaish is a Palestinian doctor whose three daughters were killed during the incursion into Gaza in January 2009. He was born in an impoverished refugee camp in Palestine and as a doctor was determined to treat all patients equally, regardless of ethnic origin. He was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010. Izzeldin Abuelaish will talk about his life, the foundation he has established in memory of his daughters (www.daughtersforlife.com) and his hope for future peace between Israel and Palestine. His memoir, I Shall Not Hate, tells the story of his remarkable life and his continued quest for peace.Entry fee payable in advance: £10 (£5 for Brookes' students)Proceeds will be divided between the Daughters for Life Foundation and the Brookes’ Gaza Project. To register please go to
www.brookesalumni.co.uk/abuelaish Sir Iain Chalmers
Sir Iain Chalmers adds: At an event to be chaired by David Sanderson at Oxford Brookes University at 6 pm on Friday 4 May (details below), Dr Izzeldin Abuelaish will speak about the way he has reacted to the killing of three of his daughters and a niece during an Israeli tank attack on his home in Gaza in January 2009. After Izzeldin’s presentation, Dr Ghada Karmi, who interviewed him last year at the South Bank Centre at the launch of his book ‘I shall not hate’, will discuss his forgiving approach to his loss, which many people find problematic.
David adds that the problem is not in forgiveness but in forgiveness as an alternative to challenging the overwhelming power of one side in the conflict. Dr Izzeldin’s attitude to Israel as a state has been strongly challenged by many Palestinians including some of our local supporters. I think we need to welcome honest debate in our ranks and not be upset by disagreements.
Shakespeare in Oxford All 37 of Shakespeare's plays have been translated into 37 different languages and are being performed at The Globe Theatre in London for the Cultural Olympiad. This is one of them.
Richard II from Ramallah, Palestine at Oxfam HQ, Cowley on Mon 7th May at 5pm (Palestinian Arabic) Tickets can be booked at the Box office at Creation: 01865 766266, www.creationtheatre.co.uk
AGM 8 MAY
We are pleased to invite you to the Annual General Meeting of Oxford PSC at 7.30pm on Tuesday 8 May 2012 at the Town Hall, St Aldates,
Oxford. All supporters are welcome to attend but only PSC members may submit motions, vote on resolutions or stand for office.
Membership forms will be available at the meeting for those who are not already members but who wish to join and fully participate in the meeting.
Our guest speaker will be Joe Odell who spent 3 months in Abu Dis, working for the Camden Abu Dis Friendship Association, teaching
English in local schools, writing reports on the political situation and interviewing Palestinians about their lives in the West Bank.
If you would like to submit a motion to the meeting please email it to us at oxfordpsc@yahoo.com by Tuesday 24 April. Motions will be circulated
to members in advance of the meeting or posted on our website.
The following officers will be elected at the AGM for the coming year:
Chair,
Secretary/branch organiser
Treasurer
Membership secretary
Student liaison officer
Trade union liaison officer
Communications/Website coordinator
Stall coordinator
The meeting will also elect committee members to work with the officers on campaigns and activities. Please think about standing for one of these positions or as a committee member. All officer posts can be job shared. If you would like more information about what is involved please contact us. Also if there are other ways you would particularly like to be involved e.g. helping with publicity or press liaison.
We look forward to seeing you on 8 May.
Sunday 13th May, 7.30pm at the Friends Meeting House, 43, St. Giles, Oxford
Oxford Quakers are very pleased to be hosting a talk by Maxine Kaufman-Lacusta, about her recent book
'Refusing to be Enemies: Palestinian and Israeli Non-Violent Resistance to the Israeli Occupation', a compilation of essays and interviews with over a hundred Palestinian and Israeli activists and advocates of non-violent initiatives to stop the occupation and achieve a just and lasting peace in the region.
Maxine is a Quaker Jewish peace and human rights activist who lived in Jerusalem from 1987-1994, and has re-visited the region numerous times since. In March/April this year, as a delegate of Independent Jewish Voices - Canada, she took part in the Global March to Jerusalem and other non-violent local initiatives in Palestine and Israel (including the Bil'in International Conference). As well as talking about her book, she will share her personal experiences of the current situation and recent developments. 'Refusing to be Enemies' can be seen as an act of resistance in itself, but Maxine gives many more examples of non-violent actions by Palestinians, Israelis and the international solidarity movement which continue to challenge and resist the military/settler occupation of Palestinian land.
Entry is free and there will be refreshments and home-made cake. Paperback copies of 'Refusing to be Enemies' will be available to buy at a discounted price.
More information about the book and Maxine's recent visit to Palestine and Israel can be found on her blog
http://refusingtobeenemiesthebook.wordpress.com
Friends of Sabeel UK
CONFERENCE AND ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
‘Embracing Justice – Sharing Jerusalem’
Saturday 19th May 2012
10.00 - 4.00 (AGM: 4.30-5.30)
Speakers
Naim Ateek, Director Sabeel Jerusalem
Mark Braverman, Author
At
Church Mission Society
Watlington Road
Oxford
OX4 6BZ
£20 per person including lunch
Limited places available: early application advised
Further details from
Friends of Sabeel UK, c/o CMS, Watlington Road, Oxford, OX4 6BZ
Tel: 01865 787420
email: info@friendsofsabeel.org.uk
Upcoming Events: UK/International
News:
'How BBC views Gaza through Zionist looking glass'
http://electronicintifada.net/content/how-bbc-views-gaza-through-zionist-looking-glass/11158
For the latest news from Palestine see http://www.maannews.net/eng/Default.aspx
From Seyda:
I feel very privileged and fortunate to have been accepted by the
Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions to participate in this summer's Rebuilding Project of Beit Arabiya and ICAHD's Peace Centre.
We were all shocked on hearing the sad news of house demolitions which took place on 23rd January when Israeli authorities demolished Beit Arabiya ( home belonging to Arabiya Shawamreh, her husband Salim and their seven children, a Palestinian family) and structures in the East Anata al- jahalin Bedouin community, displacing 52 people including 29 children.
On 1st July, the rebuilding will commence for the fifth time by 30 international peace activists and volunteers. Salim and Arabiya and their children want their new home to be used not only as a peace centre but also as a presentation space, telling visitors about the displacement of the Palestinian people as well as the influence of civil society in striving to create a more just otcome. ICAHD are determined that the 2012 summer rebuilding project will be the most significant to date since 2003. " We want the 2012 ICAHD summer rebuilding camp to demonstrate, more than ever, international outrage over Israeli's cruel policy and the growing solidarity among individuals and organisations who believe that the oppression and displacement of the Palestinian people must end."
In order to facilitate the rebuilding work ICAHD relies on volunteers, groups, and international peace activists to engage in their local communities, professional bodies, religious communities, trade unions etc.. and raise the funds for the building materials ( all other expenses and fees are met by the participants ).
I hope to raise a minimum target of £666 by 30th June 2012. To assist the Shawamreh family and ICAHD to make this project a reality, please could you forward your donations ( however small ) to Caroline Raine , the treasurer for Oxford Palestine Solidarity Campaign who has kindly offered to take this role on my behalf.
Cheques payable to Oxford Palestine Solidarity Campaign. 71 Church Cowley Road, Oxford. OX4 3JS
Thanking you in advance for your support. For further info on ICAHD you can go to
www.icahduk.org. Please feel free to contact me if you'd like to know more about the rebuilding project
seydacooke@virgin.net
Victoria has sent me some photos of our local Veiola demonstations which I can forward to you on request.
Below is a link to the film released by the Palestinian Centre for
Human Rights to mark Prisoners Day 2012
Palestinians behind Bars:Prisoners without Human Rights
http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=FL0Ox0sH8XgPLL-7-A7XqPQg&feature=player_detailpage&v=GRktA3KSsKs
There is some footage of Hana Shalabi the hunger striker from Jenin
recently released but deported to Gaza
PSC Weekly update here
http:// http://ymlp.com/z2ILrr including new petition on Palestinian prisoners.
