Madison Rafah Journal

from the Palestine-Israel Action Group, Ann Arbor Friends Meeting
Links courtesy of Friends of Sabeel — North America (FOSNA)

The front of each of these Palestinian Loss-of-Land cards succinctly illustrates Israel’s expansion and West Bank settlement policies since 1948.

Three options are available for the back of the cards:

Option 1: No Taxes for Occupation: Postcard tells President Obama and Congress how our tax dollars are harming Palestinians.

Option 2: No Taxes for Settlements: U.S. taxes help Israel build illegal settlements on Palestinian land.

Option 3: Stop the Land Grab: Illustrates how Israeli settlements splinter the West Bank. Read Sharon’s plan!
(Read on …)

For the first time there is going to be a session on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict at Fighting Bob Fest, the annual Chautauqua in Baraboo featuring progressive speakers, networking opportunities, and entertainment. The Fest carries on the tradition of Robert “Fighting Bob” La Follette by providing a forum for progressive ideas on issues facing Wisconsin and the nation.

The Madison-Rafah Sister City Project is a co-sponsor of the Israeli/Palestinian workshop. We are preparing an educational and resource packet for all attendees, and will also have an information booth in the exhibition hall.

Israel/Palestine: A Progressive View

Robert La Follette opposed colonialism and U.S. imperialism and believed in the right of self-determination for all peoples. He wanted a U.S. foreign policy that met the highest ideals of America. The ongoing Israeli occupation of Palestinian land and Israel’s continued oppression of the Palestinians have increased anti-American sentiment in the Mideast and around the world. This session will assess the current situation on the ground between Israel and Palestine, examine U.S. policy, present a seldom-heard Palestinian perspective, and explore ways to arrive at a peaceful solution.

Moderator: Matthew Rothschild of The Progressive magazine. (Read on …)

Colombia Support Network, August 12, 2010

Colombia Support Network and the Madison-Rafah Sister City Project invite you to contact United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon to urge him to remove Alvaro Uribe-Velez from the panel of inquiry into the May 31, 2010 Israeli attack on the humanitarian flotilla to Gaza.

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon announced that he had named Colombia’s former President Alvaro Uribe-Velez to be the Vice-Chair of a U.N. Panel of Inquiry into the May 31 Israeli attack on a six-ship humanitarian flotilla bringing aid to Gaza. Alvaro Uribe is particularly unqualified to be a member of this commission, much less its Vice-Chair, for the following reasons:

1. His government presided over the murder of thousands of innocent non-combatants, many of them kidnapped and later killed by the military and presented as “guerrillas killed in combat.” This phenomenon became known as “false positives”, a “positive” being Colombian military lingo for a killed guerrilla. When a common grave with some 2,000 bodies was discovered next to a military base in the town of Macarena, Uribe’s response was to praise the military—likely responsible for these deaths—and criticize the human rights workers who brought the mass grave’s existence to light.

(Read on …)

Dear Members and Friends of MRSCP,

Once again, the Rachel Corrie Ramadan Soccer Tournament in Rafah is at hand. The organizers are again seeking donations to cover the cost of the tournament. MRSCP is making a donation to this event and encourages you to do the same.

Below is the appeal for the tournament, followed by an article about it from the Palestine Chronicle. We thank you for your support of this important activity.

Thanks,
Barb O.

Interfaith Peace Initiative, July 30, 2010

A compelling new list of “Global Actions to End the Israeli Occupation” is available through the Interfaith Peace Initiative at http://www.interfaithpeaceinitiative.com/globalactions.pdf. It demonstrates clearly that the era of ignoring Israel’s excesses and its abuse of human rights has ended. The world will no longer be silent. The tide has turned.

In 2009, the Interfaith Peace Initiative posted a 44-page list of actions by countries and organizations around the world designed to end the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land. On May 31, 2010, Israel’s military raid on the flotilla of ships carrying humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip generated widespread global anger and opposition. It was followed by marches, demonstrations, declarations and plans for new flotillas by many groups around the world. The list has been updated, and now fills 88 pages, including actions by businesses, governments, labor unions and religious and consumer organizations. Among these are many Jewish and Israeli groups. Readers may obtain more information about each action using links provided.

Throughout history, regimes built on oppression and apartheid have failed. If the determined and creative actions documented in the new list are sustained, Israel’s oppression of Palestinians cannot last. The Interfaith Peace Initiative wishes to celebrate the courage and initiative shown by countless individuals and organizations who have finally said, “Enough!” Special thanks should go to the committee of Ann Arbor Quakers who first initiated the list (piag_@mac.com) in the hope it would inspire others to action. The massive global surge of resolve reflected in the new report will hasten an end to Israel’s occupation so a just peace may finally prevail.