PSNA Newsletter No 91 - March 14 2023
14Poutū-te-rangi 2023
14 March 2023
Newsletter No 91
Kia ora koutou,
Israel Apartheid Week
THIS WEEK is Israel Apartheid Week. More details about the origin and background to the week can be found here. With Netanyahu’s far-right fascist government in place it’s more important than ever that we call out Israel as a racist apartheid state and bring pressure for our government and governments around the world to hold Israel accountable for its myriad crimes, including war crimes, against the Palestinians people living under Israeli occupation.
An important message you can send now with just a few clicks…
Post the four posters below on your social media pages like Facebook and Twitter etc THIS WEEK and mention that this is marking Israel Apartheid Week.
All the best – a prize mention in the next newsletter for the person who gets the most shares on FB, Twitter!!!
In case you are not sure what to do…
“Create an IAW” (Israel Apartheid Week) folder on the desktop of your computer
“Right click” on the poster in the newsletter and click “Save as picture”
Save the picture into the IAW folder on the desktop of your computer
Open your social media page, click on the image icon and upload the picture onto Facebook or Twitter etc
Poster 1 Who says Israel is an apartheid state?
Poster 2 Who is stealing Palestine?
Poster 3 What did Bishop Tutu say about Israel?
Poster 4 Are Israeli leaders Racist?
Get your “Apartheid Free Zone” sign
Also in this Israel Apartheid Week (13th to 27th March) you can purchase a small corflute sign to stick on your letterbox or your front fence (the signs are 20cm by 15cm) which declares your property to be an “apartheid free zone” – in other words you don’t purchase Israeli products or support Israel’s apartheid policies against Palestinians.
Get one for your letterbox for $5. Just deposit the money in:
Account Name: Palestine Solidarity Network
Account Number: 38 9015 0849542 00
and send an email to secretary@PSNA.nz with your address and we’ll send you one - or as many as you’d like for your neighbours and friends….
A rare event
It’s rare for the mainstream media to challenge Israeli lies but here the Washington Post calls out the lies of the Israel Defence Force in their killing of Palestinians.
Brother Peter Bray’s presentation
Brother Peter Bray finished his highly successful New Zealand tour last month with large audiences throughout the country. In case you missed his presentation in your area here is a video of his talk in Christchurch on 2 February.
When a picture paints a thousand words…
Opening Celebration of “Illumination - Islamic Art Exhibition”
We received this message inviting PSNA supporters to attend the Opening Celebration of Illumination - Islamic Art Exhibition by MW Calligraphy Art on March 18th at the Becroft Gallery - Lake House Arts Centre (37 Fred Thomas Drive, Takapuna, Auckland)
Here is more information about the event:
Don't miss this chance to be inspired at this one-of-a-kind Islamic Art exhibition in Auckland! Join us for an exclusive Artists Talk & unveiling of our new Islamic Art collection “Illumination”, showcased at Becroft Gallery - Lake House Arts Centre.
The works in this series seeks to truly resonate with Aotearoa. It incorporates a fresh and bright colour palette, and the use of Al-Sunbali script, a modern script with dynamic character. The series invites viewers to witness the beauty of Islamic Art and interpret it in their own way - as there are no language barriers with art.
During the event, you'll get the chance to chat with us, learn about our experience doing Islamic Art, and feast on authentic Mediterranean delicacies.
All are welcome to attend!
Free Entry
Exhibition Opening Celebration: Saturday 18th March 2023 (4pm)
Exhibition Dates: 18th March till 31st March 2023
Tuesday - Friday (9am - 2pm)
Sat - Sun (10am - 2pm)
Closed on Monday
Round the Bays goes round the world for Palestine
Auckland supporters got out the flags and got a huge positive response from the thousands of people taking part in the annual Round the Bays fun run.
Bravo!
Israel’s agents of international Chaos
This month an international group of journalists exposed two Israeli Companies, “Team Jorge” and Percepto, which offers online services of disinformation and misinformation campaigns for wealthy companies and clients and corrupt political leaders. They claim to have interfered in up to 30 elections around the world.
Two stories have appeared in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz here and here but these are paywalled. However it is covered by the Guardian here
Protesting the Israeli Ambassador
The Israeli Ambassador Ran Yaakoby is active around the country promoting positive messages about Israel’s apartheid system against Palestinians.
We are keen to be there whenever he speaks to protest and call out Israel’s racist apartheid policies.
If you find out any speaking engagements Ran Yaakoby has please let us know by texting 027 4 APARTHEID (0274272784) or email apartheid-israel@psna.nz
Israeli Ambassador Ran Yaakoby
Back in the 1980s the New Zealand Anti-Apartheid movement launched a campaign to close the South Africa consulate in Wellington. A critical part of this campaign was to target the South African Consul General with public protest whenever he turned up to promote apartheid. The campaign was successful with the government forcing the closure of the consul-general’s information service (its propaganda wing) In a fit of pique the South African government then closed its consulate entirely – a victory in the campaign to isolate South Africa’s apartheid regime.
In 2023 the Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa is launching a similar campaign to close apartheid Israel’s embassy in Wellington. We need our supporters everywhere to help by letting us know whenever Ran Yaakoby is to speak and we will be there to protest. Help to spread the poster above among family, friends and work colleagues.
If you see him on the street give him a piece of your mind.
We will not stand by while the racist Israeli government continues its brutal oppression of Palestinians.
Petition to Close the Israeli Embassy
If you haven’t signed our petition to close the Israeli embassy yet…
Scan and Sign here
Or Click and Sign here
“They called me a lioness”
Book review by Christchurch activist Lois Griffiths here
Important stories from the Web
General reading
Shrinking the Conflict: Debunking Israel’s New Strategy here
Israel’s “right to exist” challenged in expert testimonies here
The problem with Israel’s so-called crisis of democracy here
Israel-Gaza border sizzles in wake of West Bank escalation here
Israeli Knesset moves to adopt death penalty for Palestinian resistance here
The World Economic Forum has outed itself as anti-Palestinian here
The Palestinian Authority is a figleaf for Israeli apartheid – disband it here
A day in the life of a Gaza power cut here
We need to end colonialism, not defend Jewish democracy here
Is non-violence relevant for the Palestinian struggle here
Even with Palestinian children's art, Israel must make itself the victim here
Insight into Israel’s occupation and the lies that go with it here
Gaza reacts to Israeli West Bank onslaught and PA complicity here
United States
Should Biden’s new arms transfer policy apply to Israel? here
Criticizing Israel is suddenly the new order for liberal Zionists here
Israeli minister who called for Palestinian town to be erased set to address Washington Conference here
Biden’s policy on Israeli extremism is to kiss Netanyahu’s ass here
Michael Lynk: What does the US get out of shielding Israel from accountability here
BDS Campaigns
South African parliament downgrades Israel Embassy here
Could African Union push Israel into international isolation? here
Jewish calls for divestment from Israel are heralded by media exposing anti-Palestinian bias here
Israel’s brutality
Reminder: Dates for Palestine Solidarity in 2023
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)
16-18 Sep 40th anniversary of the Sabra and Shatila massacres
28 Sep Second Intifada - 28 Sept 2000 – 8 Feb 2005
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)