PSNA Newsletter No 59 - November 9, 2021
9 Whiringa-ā-rangi 2021
9 November 2021
Newsletter No 59
Kia ora Palestinian Human Rights Supporter
Apartheid – wrong for South Africans, wrong for Palestinians!
Covid has forced us to cancel the northern meetings in Auckland, Whangarei, Rawene and Kerikeri for the 40th anniversary tour but the Auckland event will now be livestreamed on Zoom on Sunday 14th November, 4pm. The link to the event is here.
Something you can do right now – share the event on social media.
The link to the event is here.
Or check the PSNA Facebook events page here.
Israel scuttles for cover under US apron strings
Israel’s outrageous attack on six Palestinian human rights organisations by labelling them “terrorist” has backfired badly around the world, but not with the New Zealand government unfortunately. Under fierce international attack the racist, apartheid state has flown its representatives to Washington to explain the designation and seek cover under US apron strings.
Thanks to everyone who wrote to Labour MPs on this issue from our last newsletter. Feedback has been positive. This issue is being considered by the Labour government but only a principled, public response from the government will be acceptable.
The 6 targeted organisations are:
Addameer for Prisoner Support - Read their statement
Al-Haq Organization - Read their statement
Bisan Center for Research and Development
Defense for Children International-Palestine - Read their statement
The Union of Agricultural Work Committees
The Union of Palestinian Women’s Committee
We can all help by sharing on social media a series of posters (one of them is above) which you can find in this google drive folder here – go to the English folder for the posters you can share online.
Israeli sniper murders 15-year-old Palestinian boy – this week!
Mohammad Amjad Salem Da’das, murdered this week by an Israeli sniper. This is the type of war crime Israel is trying to suppress by designating groups such as Defence for Children International-Palestine, which has publicised Mohammad’s killing, as a “terrorist” group. DCI exposes Israeli brutality against Palestinians and Palestinian children in particular. More details here.
John Lyons in conversation with Bob Carr – free online event – Thursday 11 November 8.30pm (NZ time)
John Lyons recently published a book describing the nasty attacks on Australian media from the pro-Israel lobby. Bob Carr is a former Labour Premier for New South Wales and Australian Foreign Minister under Julia Gillard. Bob was a speaker (via Zoom) at our Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa national meeting earlier this year. It will be a great conversation. The link to this event is here.
“Out on the edge of darkness there rides a peace train”
The solidarity convoy of 27 ambulances has finally arrived in the besieged Gaza Strip.
There have been all sorts of holdups but the fleet of ambulances has passed through the Rafah crossing from Egypt into Gaza. The ambulances have been distributed to their allotted health-care providers around the Gaza strip to provide desperately-needed medical assistance for the hard-pressed Palestinian population of Gaza. New Zealanders donated generously and $35,000 was raised here by Kia Ora Gaza for the “peace train” to assist the Palestinian people of the blockaded Gaza strip. Funding for a further 10 ambulances has been raised and these will be leaving Jordan soon for Gaza. More details are here.
United Nations International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People
Monday 29 November, 7.30pm to 9pm, online – see poster below – more details with online link will be in next newsletter.
Online via Zoom on Sunday 7 November 2021.
Three important releases from the United Nations Human Rights Council in the past two weeks
Stories from the Web
1. Social media kit for Palestinian solidarity here
2. Liberal Zionism and the two-state delusion here
3. Houston contractor sues in Texas over state BDS ban here
4. Israel calls the fight for Palestinian rights “terror” and so turns reality on its head here
5. Ramzy Baroud: West failing to back up its condemnations of Israel with action here
6. Vermont Episcopalians condemn Israeli apartheid here
7. Queer film festival for Palestine announces 10-day programme here
8. Sheikh Jarrah residents reject oppressive agreement with settlers here
9. Palestinian rights activists hacked by Israeli firm NSO group here
10. Palestinian NGOs designated as terrorist call for support here
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
We are happy to provide a receipt upon request (however, we are not a registered charity so this is not tax-deductible)
In Occupied Palestine daily newsletter – an invitation to subscribe from Leslie Bravery
Because of mainstream news media complicity, daily headlines and commentary only occasionally ever mention the relentless Israeli violence in Palestine, not even the frequent air strikes!
However, daily news and statistics regarding the violence Palestinians are forced to live under are regularly reported on in the “In Occupied Palestine daily newsletter”, sourced and compiled for easy reading and correlation chiefly from the Palestinian Monitoring Group's daily situation reports.
The In Occupied Palestine daily newsletter continues to be circulated, by email, worldwide to subscribers only, as it has been over the last two decades.
Please contact lesliebravery@icloud.com if you also wish to become a subscriber.
Merchandise for sale
We have Merchandise you can buy including T-shirts from our website.
Go here - https://www.psna.nz/shop
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)
Human rights for Uyghur refugees - In line with our support for human rights for the people of Palestine we have added our name to the petition in support of human rights for Uyghur refugees so they can be included in the government’s refugee quota. PSNA members who wish to also sign this petition can do so here - https://our.actionstation.org.nz/petitions/open-letter-let-s-show-compassion-to-the-uyghur-community
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)