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“Welcome to Palestine” initiative July 8-16 challenges Israel's air blockade
Mazin Qumsiyeh of Bethlehem believes this will be a "summer of change." One year after the Israeli attack on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla, during which the Israeli military killed nine Turkish passengers, Palestinian, Israeli, American and German activists met in Berlin: the focus for this coming summer is not only the Israeli blockade against Gaza, but also the one around the West Bank. On July 8 hundreds of activists – about 500 estimated so far — from all over the world will converge on Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport, and this time they will not lie about their reason for being there. They will openly and truthfully declare to the Israeli security that they are there to go to the West Bank to help the people there and participate in nonviolent solidarity actions.
Press Release بيان صحفي
(English, Arabic Below العربية تحت)
الرجاء تعميم. Please forward this version
Hundreds of Internationals and Hundreds of Palestinians Gear-up for July 8-16 activities
Some 40 Palestinian civil society organizations, popular resistance committees, and political factions announce the launching of the “Welcome to Palestine” initiative July 8-16 where hundreds of Internationals will work with hundreds of Palestinians for Peace. The hundreds of men, women, and children will arrive July 8 at the Lod Airport. The international community must recognize the basic human right to receive visitors from abroad and support the right of their own citizens to travel to Palestine without harassment. Where Israel works to isolate us, we invite all to join with us openly and proudly. We do not accept the attempts to keep us apart or to force us to speak less than with full honesty.
This July initiative comes in a planned series of events and follows similar events carried out in December under the slogan of "ending apartheid and ethnic cleansing." The week of activities starts on July 9 because that is the anniversary of the International Court of Justice ruling about the illegality of the Settlements and the apartheid wall in the occupied Palestinian Territories and the anniversary of the Palestinian Civil Society Call to Action: July 9 Ramallah area, July 10 Bethlehem area, July 11 North, July 12 Hebron and Jordan Valley, July 13 Neqab, July 14-15 Jerusalem.
The July “Welcome to Palestine” initiative will take participants (Palestinians and Internationals) to different parts of Palestine from the north to the Negev and highlight the power of nonviolence and peace building efforts. Visitors will be accommodated locally and will enjoy Palestinian hospitality and a program of networking, fellowship, and volunteer peace work in Palestinian towns and villages together with hundreds of local activists.
The full program of activities is available for credentialed media outlets. Volunteers and participants are needed and welcome. Some news stories that already appeared on this are linked below.
Contact: info [at] palestineJN.org
-----------------
English articles and stories on the event
http://dissidentvoice.org/2011/06/challenging-racism-by-israelis-on-every-fr
ont/
http://www.alternet.org/news/151491/activists_challenge_israel's_other_block
ade_by_air
بالعربيةArabic
http://www.maannews.net/arb/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=401703
http://www.palpress.co.uk/arabic/?action=detail&id=11945
http://www.iba.org.il/arabil/?entity=745786&type=1&topic=188
Other related websites/links
http://www.righttoenter.ps
http://www.palestinejn.org
http://bienvenuepalestine.com
For more information:
http://palestinejn.org/component/content/a...
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You perhaps need to be clearer about your demand because this comes across like a demand that Israel not exist.
Perhaps like you I also would like to see full and complete independence for the Palestinians of Gaza and the West Bank with their own state and in full control of (their side of) their borders. But like any other state on this planet that conveys no right to traverse a neighboring state. Not unless it can be claimed that this neighbor surrounds them ON ALL SIDES. If not, and rights of traversal or entry through would be a matter of negotiations and paying whatever "price" those negotiations resulted in.
Yes I understand, there might not be a convenient/economical way except through Israel but that reality does not convey a right. That is part of the plight of the Palestinians and the proce they are liekly to have to pay for independence.
Perhaps like you I also would like to see full and complete independence for the Palestinians of Gaza and the West Bank with their own state and in full control of (their side of) their borders. But like any other state on this planet that conveys no right to traverse a neighboring state. Not unless it can be claimed that this neighbor surrounds them ON ALL SIDES. If not, and rights of traversal or entry through would be a matter of negotiations and paying whatever "price" those negotiations resulted in.
Yes I understand, there might not be a convenient/economical way except through Israel but that reality does not convey a right. That is part of the plight of the Palestinians and the proce they are liekly to have to pay for independence.
ibnezra Joseph Dana
According to Israeli activists, Isr police are going to move 'air flotilla' passengers to the seldom used terminal one at Ben Gurion Airport
21 hours ago
According to Israeli activists, Isr police are going to move 'air flotilla' passengers to the seldom used terminal one at Ben Gurion Airport
21 hours ago
For more information:
http://twitter.com/ibnezra
"The international community
must recognize the basic human right to receive visitors from abroad and
support the right of their own citizens to travel to Palestine without
harassment. Where Israel works to isolate us, we invite all to join with us
openly and proudly. We do not accept the attempts to keep us apart or to
force us to speak less than with full honesty. "
"end apartheid and ethnic cleansing"
Where on earth does it say "end the the state of Israel," unless you are implying that Israel cannot exist except as an apartheid state that ethnically cleanses Palestinians?
Your points are fine and well about national borders but you seem to be oblivious to what's happening there now. Palestine is an occupied territory, not a sovereign state (yet). Currently, if international activists are honest at the airport about their intentions to travel to the West Bank when questioned down by Israelis, then they are denied entry into Israel or Palestine. Non-violent people sympathetic to the plight of the Palestinians have to lie at the airport, or anywhere they are stopped by the ever-present Israeli police state. This protest is to call attention to that and challenge it. Israel has no right to sort out visitors to Palestine based simply on political beliefs. It should be up to Palestinians to decide who they want to visit their land.
must recognize the basic human right to receive visitors from abroad and
support the right of their own citizens to travel to Palestine without
harassment. Where Israel works to isolate us, we invite all to join with us
openly and proudly. We do not accept the attempts to keep us apart or to
force us to speak less than with full honesty. "
"end apartheid and ethnic cleansing"
Where on earth does it say "end the the state of Israel," unless you are implying that Israel cannot exist except as an apartheid state that ethnically cleanses Palestinians?
Your points are fine and well about national borders but you seem to be oblivious to what's happening there now. Palestine is an occupied territory, not a sovereign state (yet). Currently, if international activists are honest at the airport about their intentions to travel to the West Bank when questioned down by Israelis, then they are denied entry into Israel or Palestine. Non-violent people sympathetic to the plight of the Palestinians have to lie at the airport, or anywhere they are stopped by the ever-present Israeli police state. This protest is to call attention to that and challenge it. Israel has no right to sort out visitors to Palestine based simply on political beliefs. It should be up to Palestinians to decide who they want to visit their land.
Should be at the consulate; Not on the weekend; if the weekend Union Square
Not noon that is Libya
Not noon that is Libya
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