PSNA Newsletter No 36 - December 15, 2020
15 December 2020
Newsletter No 36
Kia ora
A big thank you to all our supporters in 2020!
Thank you for your support and encouragement throughout 2020.
We are finishing the year stronger and better organised than we started and that is thanks to you – our supporters.
A heartfelt Thank You to everyone.
The year ended with a stunning celebration of the Palestinian struggle at the United Nations International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People event in Auckland on 29 November. It was organised by PSNA working alongside the Palestine Community of New Zealand. There was a wonderful turnout from the Palestinian community and a wide range of groups spoke in solidarity with the struggle. We had poetry, songs, a Dabka dance group and ended the evening with a rousing rendition of the marvellous anthem “We are all Palestinians”, written by Kia Ora Gaza’s Roger Fowler and performed by Unity Pacific’s Tigilau Ness (Pictured below).
Thank you all!
The event can be watched on our website here - https://www.psna.nz/un-day-of-solidarity
We are looking forward to continuing to build public support for the Palestinian struggle in 2021 and building public pressure for positive changes in policy towards Palestine.
Which brings us to the best Xmas present for 2020
Why not get a copy of the marvellous song “We are all Palestinians” for a friend or family member for XMAS? It is on Unity Pacific’s Blackbirder Dread album which is available on itunes or Spotify. Alternatively, you can buy a copy of the actual CD for $25 (plus $5 P&P) from Tigilau Ness. Just email tness@slingshot.co.nz with your address and transfer $25 (plus postage) to
Account Name: Mr T Ness
Account Number: 02-0192-0512827-083
Here is a picture of the Blackbirder Dread album cover:
Looking back at a few of the highlights from 2020…
Our two on-line protests featuring Palestinian speakers from GAZA and the Occupied Palestinian Territories…
The many letters we all wrote to MPs and ministers…
Countering anti-Palestinian and anti-Arab racism from the Israel Institute’s Dr David Cumin…
Our National Day of Action against annexation on 4 July with 10 centres organising protests…
Our protest outside parliament on the final sitting day of the old parliament (the coldest, wettest, windiest protest many of us have ever experienced) …
Pressure to get changes in government policy towards Palestine from our new Minister of Foreign Affairs Nanaia Mahuta… this is a work in progress…
The marvellous artwork from Palestinian artist Samar Ghattas who shared her work with people in New Zealand. Here is one of Samar’s pieces about Palestinians crippled by Israeli sniper fire.
PSNA National Chair John Minto’s talk at the David Wakim Memorial Lecture about the pro-Israeli lobby “Telling lies about Palestine”
The 29 November fabulous celebration of the United National International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People in Auckland.
Screening of “Imprisoning a Generation” around the country…
Looking ahead to 2021…
We are planning our first face to face national meeting in Auckland in late March – probably the weekend 27/28 March so pencil this into your 2021 diary. More details in our first 2021 newsletter.
Waitangi 2021
We are planning a presence with a stall, banners, flags, leaflets etc at Waitangi this year on 5th and 6th February. We are co-ordinating transport and accommodation from Auckland at minimal cost to supporters keen to join us for the event. Can you come? If so please email secretary@PSNA.NZ
A heartfelt appeal from Gaza…
We received this heartfelt appeal from Basman Alashi last week. Basman works in the elderly care sector in Gaza and was one of the Palestinian speakers on our first virtual protest with Gaza early this year.
We are taking this appeal up with the New Zealand government but the need is urgent and we reproduce the appeal here just as we received it.
Dr Basman Alashi tends patients at al-Wafa Nursing Home
In the name of Allah the Merciful
My dear brothers & sisters
Peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah
This is an Urgent Appeal
Given the need for oxygen in Gaza’s hospitals to care for Covid-19 patients
The ministry of health is using full production stations ... El-Wafa Hospital and the Elderly Center used to receive from Ministry of Health the amount needed to cover their oxygen demand ...
Now, after the pandemic, the need for oxygen concentrators are urgent for elders and patients.
The elderly center needs 3 oxygen concentrators for daily need.
These devices are life-saving.
The price of one is US$700.
The Muslim is in the aid of his Muslim brother .. and whoever relieves the suffering of his brother, Allah will lift the epidemic from him.
Oh Allah, lift the epidemic from all nations ...
May God reward you with goods
TO SEND YOUR DONATION FASTER AND SECURED, PLEASE GO TO THE LINK BELOW:
http://en.elwafa.ps/elderly?donate
Best Regards,
Basman Alashi
Executive Director
El Wafa Medical Rehab & Specialized Surgery Hospital
El Wafa Elderly Nursing Home
P.O.Box 1051
Gaza, Palestine 99999
http://www.elwafa.ps/
A poem
All your armies. All your fighters,
All your tanks and all your soldiers,
Against a boy holding a stone,
Standing there all alone,
In his eyes I see the sun,
In his smile I see the moon,
And I wonder I only wonder,
Who is weak and who is strong,
Who is right and who is wrong,
And I wish -- I only wish,
That the truth has a tongue.
(Qasem Qasem 2000)
Demand the release of Khitam Saafin
Khitam Saafin, president of the Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees, has been jailed without charge or trial by the Israeli occupation under an indefinitely renewable six-month administrative detention order. She is a well-known international advocate for Palestinian women and freedom and justice for the Palestinian people. She has spoken around the world about the struggle of Palestinian women, including at the World Social Forum, and served as chair of the Global Women’s March Palestine.
You can support her release here.
Golriz Ghahraman speaks out for Palestine
Foreign Affairs spokesperson for the Green Party, Golriz Ghahraman, spoke at two events, in Wellington and Auckland in support of the Palestinian struggle on 29 November, UN International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
Here is a report from the Wellington event.
J-Link calling for recognition of Palestine
We were unable link to Margalit Toledano, Senior Lecturer in Management Communication at Waikato University, for our UN International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People event on 29 November. Margalit has sent us this statement from J-Link she was going to present at the event.
Merchandise for Sale
2021 Palestine calendars for sale here
Kaffiyeh 110 x 110 $44 + postage
For any of these email bronwensummers@gmail.com or phone 03 55 00 132 txt 0220850161
Alternatively, you can buy merchandise including T-shirts from our website
Are you able to donate a cup of coffee a month to the campaign?
We will need some serious money to make our campaign as effective as possible. For example, we will need somewhere in the vicinity of $25,000 to bring speakers to New Zealand over the next year and organise large public meetings to help spread the message.
You can help. Are you able to donate a cup of coffee a month to the campaign? In other words, can you afford to make an automatic payment of $5 per month to support the Palestinian struggle? (If you can afford more that would be great!)
Our account details are:
Account name: Palestine Solidarity Network
Account number: 38-9015-0849542-00
Or Pay Pal account: admin@palestinesolidaritynz.net
We are happy to provide a receipt upon request (however, we are not a registered charity so this is not tax-deductible)
More ways you can get involved
Forward this Newsletter – If you know people who may be interested in this movement, please forward this Newsletter to them.
Join in local activities in your area monthly Rallies - In Auckland at 2.00 pm on the first Saturday of every month. Please consider doing the same in your community. Contact Secretary@PSNA.nz if you would like to know where and how to get Flags and Banners
Help set up a Students for Justice in Palestine groups on your campus
Tell Your MP your opinions on Divestment and Sanctions of Israel.
Write Letters to Newspapers – Call Talkback Radio
Keep in touch with the campaign on social media
o NZ Palestine Solidarity Network website: https://www.PSNA.nz
o NZ Palestine Solidarity Network Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/671376706283605/
o NZ Palestine Solidarity Network email: Secretary@PSNA.nz
The Palestine Human Rights Campaign produces the In Occupied Palestine newsletter. It is a regular daily newsletter on the daily situation in Palestine, compiled by Leslie Bravery and emailed to subscribers. If you would also like to become a subscriber, please contact Leslie at “lesliebravery @ icloud .com” (remove the spaces to use as an email address) for further information.
Keep Updated on our Facebook pages and websites (listed below)
PSNA Groups
PSNA National Committee
Website: www.PSNA.nz
Chair - John Minto: Chair@PSNA.nz
Secretary - Neil Scott: Secretary@PSNA.nz
Regional Groups
Bay of Islands PSNA Bay of Islands (Email)
Whangarei PSNA Whangarei (Facebook)
Auckland PSNA Auckland – Tamaki Makaurau (Website)
Hamilton Palestine Human Rights Campaign Waikato (Facebook)
Tauranga Tauranga Moana 4 Palestine (Facebook)
Napier/Hastings Aotearoa Standing with Palestine (Facebook)
Palmerston North PSNA Palmerston North (Email)
New Plymouth PSNA New Plymouth (Email)
Wellington PSNA Wellington (Email)
Nelson Te Tau Ihu (Nelson) Palestine (Facebook)
Christchurch PSNA Christchurch (Facebook)
Dunedin Dunedin for Justice in Palestine (Facebook)
Invercargill PSNA Invercargill (Email)