For Immediate Release
Kampania Palestyna
www.kampania-palestyna.pl


Polish Palm Tree Dons Palestinian Scarf Against Government Meeting in
Occupied Jerusalem

Thursday February 24th 2011

Today, Palestinian and Polish activists tied a giant traditional
Palestinian scarf (Kuffeyah) around the iconic Palm sculpture in
Jerusalem Avenue, central Warsaw.

The palm, which dominates Warsaw's city-scape and appears on post-cards
was created by Polish artist Joanna Rajkowska. Rajkowska is known for
her advocacy for Palestinian human rights and work in the occupied West
Bank city of Jenin.

The action is a response to the top-level meeting between Israel and
Poland, taking place not in Israel's diplomatic capital Tel-Aviv but
Jerusalem – the Eastern part of which is recognised by the EU and United
Nations as occupied territory. East Jerusalem's Palestinian residents
have been subject to a violent eviction campaign by Israeli-state
sponsored settlers and home demolitions for decades.

The meeting between the two governments includes Prime Ministers
Benjamin Netenyahu and Donald Tusk as well as senior representatives
from the Ministries of Culture, Defence, Intelligance and Foreign
Affairs.

Poland, often described as Israel's unofficial ambassador in Europe,
seeks to upgrade military, research and development, and cultural ties
with Israel.

Human Rights activists of the Polish Solidarity Campaign with Palestine
have called the meeting a normalisation of occupation and apartheid. It
has also said that Israeli companies operating in Poland such as Egged,
Eden, Elbit, and Rafael and the majority Israeli construction company
owned ASBUD are aiding and abetting war crimes and that their contracts
should be cancelled until they cease to perpetuate Israel's illegal
occupation.

Artist and creator of the Palm Joanna Rajkowska said:

“The Palm has always been on the side of those who are absent, deprived of their voice or spoken for by others who have no legitimacy to do so.

She has been a Jewish woman, a nurse, and a victim of climate change and
right-wing governments in Poland.

This time she is the voice of opposition to the illegal annexation of
Jerusalem and Israel's ethnic cleansing of Palestine which the Polish
government appears to encourage.

The Palm has always been and always will be a voice speaking up for all
emancipatory and liberation movements. In this turbulent time for the
Middle Meast, the Palm firmly stands on the side of radical democracy.”

In July 2011 Poland will take over presidency of the European Union.


Contact

Ewa Jasiewicz 511 162 549 (Kampania Palestyna) Polish, English, Arabic
Ala Qandil 533 277 207 (Kampania Palestyna) Polish, English, Arabic

For photographs see www.kampania-palestyna.pl

Notes

This was an action entirely planned and carried out by Polish and
Palestinian women activists

Italy and Germany are the only other countries to have had such meetings
in Jerusalem.

Since 1967, around 2,000 homes have been demolished in East Jerusalem.
According to official statistics, from 2000 – 2008 the Israeli
authorities demolished more than 670 East Jerusalem homes. The number of
outstanding demolition orders is estimated at up to 20,000. (Source,
Israeli Committee Against Home Demolitions)

Between 2001 and 2009, 37 percent of all settlement housing units in the
occupied Palestinian territory were located in East Jerusalem, reports
the EU. (UNHCR January 2011)

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton reiterated last week that "the
EU does not recognize" the annexation of East Jerusalem by Israel,
meaning structural changes to the territory are illegal under
international law. (Ibid)

Palestinian human rights organisations: Aldameer, Addameer, Al Haq,
Defence for Children International, Jerusalem Centre for Legal Aid and
Human Rights, Al Mezan Centre for Human Rights, Ramallah Centre for
Human Rights, Womens Centre for Human Rights and Counselling, and Ensan
Centre for Human Rights have sent a joint letter calling on the Polish
Government to undertake its' responsibilities to abide by EU and
international law.

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Jeff Halper of the Israeli Committee Against
Home Demolitions, Donna Baranski Walker, Awarded Medal of Gratitude by
Poland in 2010 and founder of the Rebuilding Alliance, and Israeli
academics and lawyers have also written to the Polish government to
contest the Jerusalem meeting. See www.kampania-palestyna.pl for more
details

Joanna Rajkowska's quote original quote in Polish:

Palma zawsze była po stronie tych, którzy są nieobecni, pozbawieni głosu
lub w imieniu których głos zabierają – bezprawnie - inni. Była Żydówką,
pielęgniarką, ofiarą globalnego ocieplenia i rządów prawicy w Polsce.

Tym razem jest głosem sprzeciwu wobec bezprawnej aneksji Jerozolimy i
prowadzonej przez Izrael czystki etnicznej w Palestynie, które polski
rząd zdaje się popierać. Palma zawsze była i będzie głosem w sprawie
wszelkich ruchów wolnościowych i emanypacyjnych. W tym gorącym dla
Bliskiego Wschodu czasie palma twardo stoi po stronie radykalnej
demokracji.