PSNA Newsletter No 81 - October 11 2022
11 Whiringa-ā-nuku 2022
11 October 2022
Newsletter No 81
Kia ora koutou,
Last week 7-year-old Rayyan Yaser Suleiman died of heart failure after being chased by Israeli soldiers in the West Bank. The report is here.
After school on Thursday, Rayyan and his brothers were returning to their home in the village of Taqoua, east of Bethlehem, when Israeli soldiers began chasing them.
The boys were wanted for questioning over stone-throwing, but the chase, which went on for about three kilometres, ended with a heart attack for the frightened child after soldiers came to his home.
“When the soldiers arrived at the house, they started knocking on the door violently and shouting, demanding that Rayyan be handed over,” Yasser Suleiman, the boy’s father, told Middle East Eye.
“I opened the door and started explaining to them that Rayyan is a child no more than seven years old, but they insisted that I bring him to them,” he said.
Meanwhile, Rayyan, who had made it home, shook in fear as he listened to the soldiers. He ran quickly towards the back door of the house. When his father went to get him, he found him lying on the ground, unconscious.
A medical autopsy confirmed that Rayyan suffered a shock that led to his sudden heart attack. His family said that an otherwise healthy child was scared to death by Israeli soldiers.
Rayyan’s death is a small symbol of what life is like for Palestinian children and their families living under Israel’s brutal military occupation. (The BBC and other news outlets would typically describe Rayyan as a “Palestinian militant” – a label they would never give to a Ukrainian child throwing stones at Russian occupation soldiers)
It is also an example of the escalating Israeli oppression of Palestinians over recent months. We are not helpless – please act now.
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Something you can do now with just a few clicks…
Send this letter to the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and send a copy to your local MP.
j.ardern@ministers.govt.nz
n.mahuta@ministers.govt.nz
Kia ora Ms Ardern kōrua ko Ms Mahuta,
Israel has stepped up its brutal oppression of Palestinians in the last few months. This is symbolized in the situation of 7-year-old Rayyan Yaser Suleiman who died of heart failure after being chased by Israeli soldiers in the West Bank. The report of his death is here.
According to the United Nations, over the past three months in the Occupied West Bank alone, Israeli occupation forces have invaded Palestinian urban areas and refugee camps, killing more than 29 Palestinians including at least a dozen children, while 1,813 Palestinians, including 27 women and 194 children, have been injured. 1206 injuries were due to tear gas while 202 were injured by live ammunition. More than a dozen Palestinians have been killed over the past week in these raids.
Israel has dramatically expanded its “administrative detention” whereby Palestinians are held indefinitely without charge or trial, for years on end. They are not permitted to see the evidence against them, if such evidence exists. The number on administrative detention has now reached 800 – 20% of the total Palestinian prisoner population.
The Israeli police and army have even begun to arrest former prisoners, those who have been released after serving sentences, holding them without charge or trial as a “preventative measure”.
Reports of Israeli torture of prisoners, mistreatment, isolation, overcrowding, and deliberate medical neglect are well documented by human rights groups. These problems have been exacerbated by Israel’s latest round of brutality.
Israel’s ethnic cleansing of Palestinians continues with the latest abuses occurring at Masafer Yatta in the South Hebron Hills. Here there are eight Palestinian villages under immediate threat with the occupation army backing up Israeli settlers in direct violent attacks on Palestinian farmers and their families. The government has spoken out in defense of Masafer Yatta but it must speak out consistently.
Israel has stepped up attacks on the six Palestinian civil society organisations it designated as “terrorist” last year – a designation not recognized by anyone outside Israel. These attacks include harassment of staff, seizure of equipment and records and stripping offices of records, computers and equipment.
The purpose of declaring these groups “terrorist was to silence and isolate the groups, evade accountability for Israeli war crimes and human rights violations and to pressure donors to defund the organisations”.
The establishment of illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian land is also escalating along with associated violent attacks on Palestinian farmers and residents, by Israeli settlers, backed up by the Israeli military, killing of Palestinian farmers along with destruction of Palestinian farm equipment and property. These attacks have grown more common with the onset of the olive harvest season.
Further details of this Israeli apartheid behaviour can be found in the latest United Nations Bulletin report on Palestinian rights here and the recent statement from the Palestinian Return Centre to the UN here
Aotearoa New Zealand’s government must take action against Israel for its racist policies and brutal oppression, it’s ethnic cleansing and land annexations, its murderous brutality and abuses of Palestinian human rights. We have called out similar abuses by Russia. We must do the same for Israel.
Palestinians are suffering under the longest military occupation in modern history and deserve the government’s wholehearted support. Hypocrisy should never the guiding principle of foreign policy.
Please respond quickly. The situation we have described here needs immediate action and urgent intervention from Aotearoa New Zealand.
Looking the other way is not an option.
Nā,
<your name>
<your city>
PSNA National Meeting last weekend - 8/9 October in Christchurch
Some of the delegates at the PSNA National meeting in Christchurch last weekend
The meeting was a great success. Through workshops and plenary discussions we have developed several new initiatives and strengthened our approach in existing campaigns. We had delegates from Gore to Auckland, New Plymouth to Napier!
We had excellent input via Zoom from Palestine – Milena Ansari from Addameer, Manal Shqair from Stop the Wall and Sami Hurraini from Masafer Yatta in particular.
A few of the most important developments from the meeting are:
Strengthening the campaign to get the Aotearoa New Zealand government to sign on to a UN investigation into Israeli apartheid and to reinstitute the United Nations Special Committee against Apartheid.
Pressure on our government to keep speaking out about ethnic cleansing at Masafer Yatta and abuses of Palestinian human rights
Beginning a campaign against Israel’s “administrative detention” policies
Planning to get a trade union delegation from NZ to visit Gaza and the Occupied West Bank and get a Palestinian trade representative to NZ
Beginning an “apartheid-free zone” campaign where supporters put an a A5 corflute sign on their letterboxes declaring their property to be an “apartheid free zone” and calling for a “boycott of Israeli apartheid”. This will grow into a campaign where we approach city councils etc to declare themselves to be “apartheid free zones”
We have a new bumper sticker!
$5 P and P. Email secretary@PSNA.nz
The Annual David Wakim Memorial Lecture
is on later this week. David Wakim was a stalwart of the Palestine solidarity movement – see more details on the poster below.
It’s apartheid! What now…? The fight for justice in Palestine
Haneen Zoabi
This webinar will feature prominent speakers including the first female Palestinian Member of the Knesset, Haneen Zoabi, Palestinian politician and prominent community activist, Dr Basel Ghattas, independent journalist and best-selling author, Antony Loewenstein, and APAN Vice-President, Nasser Mashni.
When: Wednesday, 19th October, 10pm New Zealand (8:00 pm Sydney)
Where: Online
Register for the Webinar here
Investigating Aotearoa New Zealand trade with Israel
We are looking for a keen researcher…
New Zealand has significant trade with Israel – see the tables below – and we want to drill down and get the names of companies involved with this trade. e.g Searching to find the most likely NZ companies which trade with Israel (based on the information below). We want the email address and any other details of the companies so that we can contact them. We will use the information to encourage these companies to end their trade relationships with Israel.
If you can help please email: bronwensummers@gmail.com
Palestine Solidarity Conference in Australia
If you are going to be in Australia over the new years you might be interested in what will be an excellent conference for Palestine solidarity. PSNA will be represented but the more people from Aotearoa New Zealand who can attend the better! More details are here.
UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights
of the Palestinian People
A PDF of the latest report of this important United Nations Committee is here
United Nations - Investigate and dismantle Israeli apartheid
In a previous newsletter we asked supporters to send a note to the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister asking the Aotearoa New Zealand government to support a United Nations investigation into Israeli apartheid. If you missed the chance you can find the letter to send here.
Every communication to the government on this counts.
Important stories from the Web
Mourners attend the funeral of 17-year-old Palestinian Mahdi Ladadweh on 8 October 2022, who was killed by Israeli forces near Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. More details here
APAN Study tours to Palestine – express interest here
US government walks back calls for investigation of 7-year-old’s death here
US Court Rules Hezbollah Must Pay $111 Million for Actions in 2006 War here
How Israel practices apartheid here
British apology sought for atrocities and crimes against Palestine here
The “anti-semitism” campaign to undermine Jeremy Corbyn here (Al Jazeera investigation)
Yair Lapid and the two-state fraud here
30 Palestinian prisoners launch hunger strike here
Palestine in the Elizabethan era: Will Britain atone for its sinful policies here
National Press Club to honour Shireen Abu Akleh here
Big win at the Sydney festival here
Open letter to American Jewish intellectuals here
Decolonising the Palestinian imagination here
Stop trade with illegal Israeli settlements here
Anti-boycott laws are a dystopian nightmare here
The case of Hafez Huraini is a perfect example of Israeli apartheid here
To all who care about humanity and the planet’s future here
Israel begins unlawful trial of the heroes of Freedom Tunnel here
Bilboa prison break: Triumph of the will to freedom here
Israel kills four Palestinians in Jenin as “Break the Wave” onslaught continues here
Israeli forces and settlers attack mosques in occupied West Bank since start of year here
7-year-old Palestinian boy dies in Occupied West Bank here
“It’s time you report the truth” (Western media coverage of Middle East) - here
Chemist Warehouse “makes Aliyah” with Israel here
Mondoweiss’s monthly poetry selection here
Claims of anti-semitism for using the #freepalestine hashtag here
Our Vision for Liberation
This is an outstanding book which documents what liberation looks like from Palestinian viewpoints.
A book review by Christchurch-based Lois Griffiths is here
It is presented by outstanding Palestinian author and activist Ramzy Baroud (who toured Aotearoa New Zealand several years back) and renowned Israeli historian Ilan Pappe. It is a not-to-be-missed publication!
We have purchased 50 copies for PSNA supporters and we are selling these at $35 per copy to cover our costs. To get your copy simply deposit $35 in our bank account here:
Account name: PALESTINE SOLIDARITY NETWORK
Account number: 38-9015-0849542-00
And then email secretary@PSNA.nz with your address and we will get your copy in the mail! Looking forward to hearing from you!
Reminder: Dates for Palestine Solidarity in 2022
Israel apartheid week has been added to the dates for likely local and national Palestine solidarity activity this year.
28 Mar – 4 Apr Israel Apartheid Week
30 Mar Land Day Palestine
5 Apr Palestinian Childs Day
9 Apr Deir Yassin massacre - Irgun Terrorism - 107-120 Palestinian men, women and children massacred
17 Apr Palestinian Prisoners Day
11 May World Kufiya Day
15 May Nakba Day – marking the mass ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from Palestine in 1948
5 Jun Nakba Day - Start of 1967 War - Land Grab – Invasion of Jerusalem, West Bank, Gaza, Egypt and Syria - 5 June 1967 – 10 June 1967
20 Jun Attack on Gaza - 6–21 May 2021 (2 weeks and 1 day)
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16-18 Sep 40th anniversary of the Sabra and Shatila massacres
28 Sep Second Intifada - 28 Sept 2000 – 8 Feb 2005
8/9 October PSNA National Meeting in Christchurch
2 Nov Balfour Declaration
29 Nov United Nations - International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People
8 Dec First Intifada - 8 Dec 1987 – 13 Sept 1993
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 PSN Bay of Islands (Email)
Whangarei PSN Whangarei (Facebook)
Auckland PSN 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 PSN Palmerston North (Email)
New Plymouth PSN Taranaki (Facebook)
Wellington PSN Wellington (Email)
Nelson Te Tau Ihu (Nelson) Palestine (Facebook)
Christchurch PSN Christchurch (Facebook)
Dunedin Dunedin for Justice in Palestine (Facebook)
Invercargill PSNA Invercargill (Email)