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Wrexham: Standing in solidarity with Gaza & protesting Barclays Bank

vg | 18.07.2014 08:00 | Anti-militarism | Palestine | Terror War | Wales | World

As Israel continues to shower death and destruction on the oppressed Palestinians in occupied Gaza, it's hard to know what to do, how to resist. My inbox is full of forwarded Stop the War Coalition emails advertising their disingenuously entitled Gaza Emergency Appeal, highlighted in red 'emergency' lettering at the top of their website. Clicking through reveals that the emergency in the StWC camp is funding their own activities and keeping their London office staffed.

Protesting at the Israeli Embassy is a great idea if you live within striking distance or feel motivated to make the journey, with or without the help of Stop the War's 'Gaza Emergency' fund. If not, how about something closer to home? Every High Street has a Barclays...

Image A5 flyer (2 up for printing at A4) - application/pdf 302K

Image A5 flyer (1 up) - application/pdf 268K


















More photos in this flickr set.


Exposing Barclays Bank

We handed out hundreds of flyers (above, and attached as pdf files), concentrating on Barclays customers. Most were happy to take the information and most said they were unaware of the connections between Barclays Bank, Israel and the arms trade. Some were quite upset and one woman told us she'd be changing her house insurance which is with Barclays when it comes up for renewal next month. No one entering or leaving Barclays or using its cash machines outside was left in any doubt about the atrocities the bank is actively supporting.


Donations for Gaza

Round the other side of the stall we had a small coffin that we've used many times over the years and which unfortunately continues to be an appropriate prop, alongside a bucket for donations. In a couple of hours we collected £55. This will be sent to the Welfare Association's Palestine Emergency Appeal which, unlike the Stop the War Coalition's effort, does offer direct support to Gaza:

Gaza is already suffering from chronic medical and fuel shortages and now with the continued Israeli onslaught on Palestinian communities, the numbers of people killed and injured are rising rapidly, leaving hospitals in Gaza in crisis and in urgent need of support.

Welfare Association is working to

Provide fuel for hospitals and ambulances (Approx. £1.50 / litre)
Restock urgently needed medical and pharmaceutical supplies
Provide first aid kits (Approx. £35 / kit)

Hospital supplies are severely depleted. Please help us to support those wounded and seriously injured in Palestine.


Stand up for Gaza on Saturday 19 July from midday

We will be in the same place on Hope Street, Wrexham from midday on Saturday. Please join us if you can.

For those of you not in Wrexham, there are Barclays Banks and other companies that invest in Israel all over the place. If you want more information, then this Corporate Watch publication Targeting Israeli Apartheid (free download here) is a good place to start.

vg

Comments

Hide the following 2 comments

Two wrongs don't make a right

18.07.2014 18:56

As we all know two wrongs don't make a right and what the Israeli state, the now representative body of Jewish people worldwide, is engaged in is systematic terror and slaughter of other human beings.

Yes six million people were murdered in the camps after being forced out of their homes, terrorised and treated like cattle - dehumanised, many of them Jewish, but does this really give credence to treating other people in the same way?

I'm sure history will view the Holocaust as an appalling low in 20th century human relations, but I also believe the consistent genocide of young people and women in Gaza by the Jewish people will be equally viewed historically as yet another holocaust inflicted on innocent people who found themselves in a position where they couldn't defend themselves. All the while the profiteers, the capitalists, the ruling class, increase their wealth and power...

Enough is enough

Cut the bullshit

23.07.2014 14:40

Huge national demonstrations whether around war, Gaza, the poll tax or apartheid in South Africa are an important part of building political momentum and do cost money in terms of leaflets, sound equipment, placards etc. so fundraising is legitimate, the Palestine Solidarity Campaign also put out an emergency appeal for donations to cover the cost of the demonstration and current campaigning activities. I imagine offices of both organisations have been stretched seriously and flooded with calls and emails so a paid staff as well as volunteers is also legitimate.

We don't need to just need to send charitable donations to Gaza we need to ramp up the pressure on our government to withdraw support for Israel's actions and impose an arms embargo. Effective national campaigns need funding to do their work.

While you have some point, having a look at the StWC website that the graphic could lead people to think that it is a link to a page to make a charitable donation, the text is very clear where the money goes to, and this kind of fundraising is perfectly legitimate - and neccessary.

I should also mention that my local Stop the War group as well as sending out an emergency request for donations to help us cover the cost of running buses for people who wanted to demonstrate at the Israeli embassy as we are on a shoestring. We have also done collections for Middle East Childrens Alliance at our demonstrations, benefit gigs for relevant charities and raise hundreds including twice a few thousand quid to send humanitarian aid as part of two Viva Palestina convoys to break the siege of Gaza. So maybe cut the bullshit and let's focus on the real enemy...

Welsh Stop the War Activist