World Palestine Newswire Archive

In the early hours of Thursday morning, Mohammed Khatib of the Popular Struggle Co-ordination Committee was arrested in his Bi’lin home. In the latest in a series of similar arrests, Israeli soldiers stormed the house and took Khatib on charges of incitement. ‘Incitement materials’ were reportedly taken from his home. Solidarity activists were forcibly prevented from approaching the scene.

Israeli Border Police assaulted ten Palestinian labourers in the early hours of Sunday morning. The men were seized on the Palestinian side of the Al-Zaiem crossing, attempting to reach the construction site they work at in East Jerusalem.

A 1,000 word report of December 31st (Hogmanay) 2009 in Parliament Square, London. The other Parliament Square (in Edinburgh) is also featured. 20 photos are included.

"Expectations were too high". "We overestimated our ability". Time magazine’s interview with the President made for grim reading, unless you’re Israeli. Obama’s claim that "divisions within their societies" made "meaningful conversation...very hard" can be taken as a significant climb-down from the bold stance taken in Cairo.

2009 began with a determined effort from Israel to destroy their enemies in Gaza, claiming the lives of 500 children in the process. It must have been an irritation to the military that they could not so easily wipe out the journalists, activists and relief workers who made their atrocities public. As a new year dawns, it is these voices of conscience who are becoming an endangered species.

The following article and image has been nicked from Bristol ABC and includes a call for more/better defendant & prisoner support. Full article with links is here  http://bristolabc.wordpress.com/2010/01/19/bristol-edo-decommissioner-elijah-smith-a-prisoner-of-war-for-one-year/

Elijah (James) Smith has now been locked up on remand for one year, ever since his arrest last 18 January 2009 after the EDO/MBM ITT factory in Brighton was trashed by 6 campaigners from Bristol.

On the first anniversary of the end of the Israeli war against Gaza, Smash EDO activists in Brighton organised a demonstration against arms manufacturer EDO MBM/ITT who made some of the weapons that killed 1417 Palestinians, mainly the elderly, women and children, during the three-week assault. Pictures Copyright (C) Peter Marshall, 2010, all rights reserved

Discussion with former BBC & ITN Foreign Correspondent Alan Hart aired last week on BCfm. The conflict in Israel/Palestine seems to be just about the most divisive in the world. This discussion marks the return of those who participated in the Gaza convoy.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For info call 07754135290 or email  smashedopress@riseup.net,

Saturday 16 January 2010: First anniversary commemoration of the 1417 victims of the 2009 Israeli military incursion into Gaza, held in London's Trafalgar Square.

Today at midday, despite sporadic rain showers and a chilly local climate, about forty people gathered in Cambridge Market Square to mark the one year anniversary of the last military blockade of Gaza.

Our comrades at SMASH EDO have announced the location of their Remember Gaza demo... plus, Gaza convoy finally allowed in after being held at port and attacked by Egyptian police, legal observer arrested at Smash EDO Carnival Against the Arms Trade finally overturns charges, European Court rules Section 44 stop 'n search illegal, the Christmas period has seen no let up for migrants in the squats and camps of Calais, and more...

During a visit to Ramallah a year ago while the Israeli bombardment of Gaza was underway, I shared my fears with a close Palestinian friend. "It may sound insane, but I think the Israelis' real objective is to see them all dead."

The farce of the climate change summit in Copenhagen affirmed a world war waged by the rich against most of humanity. It also illuminated a resistance growing perhaps as never before: an internationalism linking justice for the planet earth with universal human rights, and criminal justice for those who invade and dispossess with impunity. And the best news comes from Palestine.

Press release: LSE students commemorate the attacks on Gaza last winter.

For three weeks in January 2009, the bombs rained down on Gaza. At the end of Israel's brutal bombing campaign and ground offensive over 1400 Palestinians had been murdered, including 314 children.

Here in Brighton EDO MBM/ITT manufacture some of the weapons components that devastated so many lives. All over the world thousands of people watched appalled at the carnage on the streets of Gaza. Thousands marched and raged at the destruction of peoples' homes and lives. On January 18th 2010, the anniversary of the final day of Operation Cast Lead, we will come together to remember the people of Gaza.

We will not allow those who supported their pain and profited from their suffering to go unchallenged. We will not let this genocide be forgotten. On the first anniversary after their deaths, we will rise up. We will take to the streets. We will remember...

www.smashedo.org.uk/remember-gaza.htm

Smash EDO Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday 14th January 2010

Contact Chloe Marsh or Andrew Beckett on 07754135290 or email
 smashedopress@riseup.net

Climbing the Apartheid Wall

BRITISH GAZA PROTESTORS IMPRISONED

TO SHOOT AN ELEPHANT

The “To shoot an elephant” team calls for a Global Screening-Global Screaming Day for Gaza on January 18^th , 2010

The 18^th of January 2010 is the first anniversary of the end to the bombing by Israel of the Gaza Strip; an attack which began on the 27^th of December 2008, and lasted until the 18^th of January 2009, and in which 1,412 Palestinians lost their lives. The documentary /To shoot an elephant/ is an eye witness account from within the Gaza Strip of what occurred during those days. This direct and privileged narration becomes a tool with which we can confront the Israeli propaganda about what really happened there and the silence of the international community.