š Struggle
37) Use struggle to spread revolutionary consciousness and build organization.
38) Collectively determine what we want, and declare our demands.
39) Act as far as possible within our capacity, not either beyond or below our capacity.
40) Continuously strive to expand and consolidate our capacity and strength.
41) Assert our rights and our responsibilities.
42) Bring our revolutionary perspective into struggles already occurring.
43) Defend, support, and encourage our allies.
44) As opportunities arise, weaken the enemy and its ability to rule.
45) Obey the small laws. Donāt get taken out of the game for something unworthy.
46) For illegal acts, make sure you can trust your comrades with your life and the lives of everyone connected to you.
47) Avoid being distracted and diverted into symbolic action-for-actionās sake.
48) Donāt expect the enemy to act against its nature. It has no mercy and can not be reasoned with.
49) Turn every attack by the enemy into an opportunity to speak out, organize, and grow more powerful.
50) Be willing to work hard. Be smart. Be brave. Remember we are all in this together.
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37) Use struggle to spread revolutionary consciousness and build organization.
38) Collectively determine what we want, and declare our demands.
39) Act as far as possible within our capacity, not either beyond or below our capacity.
40) Continuously strive to expand and consolidate our capacity and strength.
41) Assert our rights and our responsibilities.
42) Bring our revolutionary perspective into struggles already occurring.
43) Defend, support, and encourage our allies.
44) As opportunities arise, weaken the enemy and its ability to rule.
45) Obey the small laws. Donāt get taken out of the game for something unworthy.
46) For illegal acts, make sure you can trust your comrades with your life and the lives of everyone connected to you.
47) Avoid being distracted and diverted into symbolic action-for-actionās sake.
48) Donāt expect the enemy to act against its nature. It has no mercy and can not be reasoned with.
49) Turn every attack by the enemy into an opportunity to speak out, organize, and grow more powerful.
50) Be willing to work hard. Be smart. Be brave. Remember we are all in this together.
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š1
Israel Is Illegitimate
For readers who may not be intimately familiar with English terminology, an oxymoron is a figure of speech by which contradictory terms are combined to form an expressive phrase or epithet such as cruel kindness and falsely true. (Itās derived from the Greek word oxymoros meaning pointedly foolish).
For my contribution to the De-legitimizing Israel series, Iām going to confine myself to one question and answer.
The question is: How can you de-legitimize something (in this case the Zionist state) when it is NOT legitimate?
Leaving aside the fairy story of Godās promise, (which even if true would have no bearing on the matter because the Jews who āreturnedā in answer to Zionismās call had no biological connection to the ancient Hebrews), the Zionist stateās assertion of legitimacy rests on the Balfour Declaration of 1917 and the UN General Assemblyās partition plan resolution of 1947.
The only real relevance of the Balfour Declaration is in the fact that it was an expression of both the willingness of a British government to use Jews for imperial purposes and the willingness of Zionist Jews to be used. The truth is that Britain had no right whatsoever to promise Zionism a place in Palestine, territory the British donot possess. (Palestine at the time was controlled and effectively owned by Ottoman Turkey). The Balfour Declaration did allow Zionism to say that its claim to Palestine had been recognised by a major power, and then to assert that the Zionist enterprise was therefore a legitimate one. But the legitimacy Britain conveyed by implication was entirely spurious, meaning not genuine, false, a sham.
Zionismās assertion that Israel was given its birth certificate and thus legitimacy by the UN General Assembly partition resolution of 29 November 1947 is pure propaganda nonsense, as demonstrated by an honest examination of the record of what actually happened.
In the first place the UN without the consent of the majority of the people of Palestine did not have the right to decide to partition Palestine or assign any part of its territory to a minority of alien immigrants in order for them to establish a state of their own.
Despite that, by the narrowest of margins, and only after a rigged vote, the UN General Assembly did pass a resolution to partition Palestine and create two states, one Arab, one Jewish, with Jerusalem not part of either. But the General Assembly resolution was only a non-binding proposal - meaning that it could have no effect, would not become binding, until and unless it was approved by the Security Council.
The truth is that the General Assemblyās partition proposal never went to the Security Council for consideration. Why not? Because the US knew that, if approved, and because of Arab and other Muslim opposition, it could only be implemented by force; and President Truman was not prepared to use force to partition Palestine.
So the partition plan was vitiated (became invalid) and the question of what the hell to do about Palestine - after Britain had made a mess of it and walked away - was taken back to the General Assembly for more discussion. The option favoured and proposed by the US was temporary UN Trusteeship.
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For readers who may not be intimately familiar with English terminology, an oxymoron is a figure of speech by which contradictory terms are combined to form an expressive phrase or epithet such as cruel kindness and falsely true. (Itās derived from the Greek word oxymoros meaning pointedly foolish).
For my contribution to the De-legitimizing Israel series, Iām going to confine myself to one question and answer.
The question is: How can you de-legitimize something (in this case the Zionist state) when it is NOT legitimate?
Leaving aside the fairy story of Godās promise, (which even if true would have no bearing on the matter because the Jews who āreturnedā in answer to Zionismās call had no biological connection to the ancient Hebrews), the Zionist stateās assertion of legitimacy rests on the Balfour Declaration of 1917 and the UN General Assemblyās partition plan resolution of 1947.
The only real relevance of the Balfour Declaration is in the fact that it was an expression of both the willingness of a British government to use Jews for imperial purposes and the willingness of Zionist Jews to be used. The truth is that Britain had no right whatsoever to promise Zionism a place in Palestine, territory the British donot possess. (Palestine at the time was controlled and effectively owned by Ottoman Turkey). The Balfour Declaration did allow Zionism to say that its claim to Palestine had been recognised by a major power, and then to assert that the Zionist enterprise was therefore a legitimate one. But the legitimacy Britain conveyed by implication was entirely spurious, meaning not genuine, false, a sham.
Zionismās assertion that Israel was given its birth certificate and thus legitimacy by the UN General Assembly partition resolution of 29 November 1947 is pure propaganda nonsense, as demonstrated by an honest examination of the record of what actually happened.
In the first place the UN without the consent of the majority of the people of Palestine did not have the right to decide to partition Palestine or assign any part of its territory to a minority of alien immigrants in order for them to establish a state of their own.
Despite that, by the narrowest of margins, and only after a rigged vote, the UN General Assembly did pass a resolution to partition Palestine and create two states, one Arab, one Jewish, with Jerusalem not part of either. But the General Assembly resolution was only a non-binding proposal - meaning that it could have no effect, would not become binding, until and unless it was approved by the Security Council.
The truth is that the General Assemblyās partition proposal never went to the Security Council for consideration. Why not? Because the US knew that, if approved, and because of Arab and other Muslim opposition, it could only be implemented by force; and President Truman was not prepared to use force to partition Palestine.
So the partition plan was vitiated (became invalid) and the question of what the hell to do about Palestine - after Britain had made a mess of it and walked away - was taken back to the General Assembly for more discussion. The option favoured and proposed by the US was temporary UN Trusteeship.
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It was while the General Assembly was debating what do that Israel unilaterally declared itself to be in existence - actually in defiance of the will of the organised international community, including the Truman administration.
The truth of the time was that Israel, which came into being mainly as a consequence of Zionist terrorism and pre-planned ethnic cleansing, had no right to exist and, more to the point, could have no right to exist unless ā¦.. Unless it was recognised and legitimized by those who were dispossessed of their land and their rights during the creation of the Zionist state. In international law only the Palestinians could give Israel the legitimacy it craved.
As it was put to me many years ago by Khalad al-Hassan, Fatahās intellectual giant on the right, that legitimacy was āthe only thing the Zionists could not take from us by force.ā
The truth of history as summarised briefly above is the explanation of why, really, Zionism has always insisted that its absolute pre-condition for negotiations with more than a snowballās chance in hell of a successful outcome (an acceptable measure of justice for the Palestinians and peace for all) is recognition of Israelās right to exist. A right, it knows, it does not have and will never have unless the Palestinians grant it.
It can be said without fear of contradiction (except by Zionists) that what de-legitimizes Israel is the truth of history. And that is why Zionism has worked so hard, today with less success than in the past and therefore with increasing desperation, to have the truth suppressed.
Israel Is Illegitimate
#FreePalestine
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The truth of the time was that Israel, which came into being mainly as a consequence of Zionist terrorism and pre-planned ethnic cleansing, had no right to exist and, more to the point, could have no right to exist unless ā¦.. Unless it was recognised and legitimized by those who were dispossessed of their land and their rights during the creation of the Zionist state. In international law only the Palestinians could give Israel the legitimacy it craved.
As it was put to me many years ago by Khalad al-Hassan, Fatahās intellectual giant on the right, that legitimacy was āthe only thing the Zionists could not take from us by force.ā
The truth of history as summarised briefly above is the explanation of why, really, Zionism has always insisted that its absolute pre-condition for negotiations with more than a snowballās chance in hell of a successful outcome (an acceptable measure of justice for the Palestinians and peace for all) is recognition of Israelās right to exist. A right, it knows, it does not have and will never have unless the Palestinians grant it.
It can be said without fear of contradiction (except by Zionists) that what de-legitimizes Israel is the truth of history. And that is why Zionism has worked so hard, today with less success than in the past and therefore with increasing desperation, to have the truth suppressed.
Israel Is Illegitimate
#FreePalestine
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On World Press Freedom Day our thoughts are with the many journalists who suffer severe consequences for their work
In particular we think of our own Julian Assange, detained for more than 13 years and facing a 175 year sentence if extradited to the US for revealing war crimes #FreeAssangeNOW
In particular we think of our own Julian Assange, detained for more than 13 years and facing a 175 year sentence if extradited to the US for revealing war crimes #FreeAssangeNOW
LETTER FROM JULIAN #ASSANGE TO THE KING OF ENGLAND
To His Majesty King Charles III,
On the coronation of my liege, I thought it only fitting to extend a heartfelt invitation to you to commemorate this momentous occasion by visiting your very own kingdom within a kingdom: His Majestyās Prison Belmarsh.
You will no doubt recall the wise words of a renowned playwright: āThe quality of mercy is not strained. It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven upon the place beneath.ā
Ah, but what would that bard know of mercy faced with the reckoning at the dawn of your historic reign? After all, one can truly know the measure of a society by how it treats its prisoners, and your kingdom has surely excelled in that regard.
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To His Majesty King Charles III,
On the coronation of my liege, I thought it only fitting to extend a heartfelt invitation to you to commemorate this momentous occasion by visiting your very own kingdom within a kingdom: His Majestyās Prison Belmarsh.
You will no doubt recall the wise words of a renowned playwright: āThe quality of mercy is not strained. It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven upon the place beneath.ā
Ah, but what would that bard know of mercy faced with the reckoning at the dawn of your historic reign? After all, one can truly know the measure of a society by how it treats its prisoners, and your kingdom has surely excelled in that regard.
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Your Majestyās Prison Belmarsh is located at the prestigious address of One Western Way, London, just a short foxhunt from the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich. How delightful it must be to have such an esteemed establishment bear your name.
It is here that 687 of your loyal subjects are held, supporting the United Kingdomās record as the nation with the largest prison population in Western Europe. As your noble government has recently declared, your kingdom is currently undergoing āthe biggest expansion of prison places in over a centuryā, with its ambitious projections showing an increase of the prison population from 82,000 to 106,000 within the next four years. Quite the legacy, indeed.
As a political prisoner, held at Your Majestyās pleasure on behalf of an embarrassed foreign sovereign, I am honoured to reside within the walls of this world class institution. Truly, your kingdom knows no bounds.
During your visit, you will have the opportunity to feast upon the culinary delights prepared for your loyal subjects on a generous budget of two pounds per day. Savour the blended tuna heads and the ubiquitous reconstituted forms that are purportedly made from chicken. And worry not, for unlike lesser institutions such as Alcatraz or San Quentin, there is no communal dining in a mess hall. At Belmarsh, prisoners dine alone in their cells, ensuring the utmost intimacy with their meal.
Beyond the gustatory pleasures, I can assure you that Belmarsh provides ample educational opportunities for your subjects. As Proverbs 22:6 has it: āTrain up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.ā Observe the shuffling queues at the medicine hatch, where inmates gather their prescriptions, not for daily use, but for the horizon-expanding experience of a ābig day outā ā all at once.
You will also have the opportunity to pay your respects to my late friend Manoel Santos, a gay man facing deportation to Bolsonaroās Brazil, who took his own life just eight yards from my cell using a crude rope fashioned from his bedsheets. His exquisite tenor voice now silenced forever.
Venture further into the depths of Belmarsh and you will find the most isolated place within its walls: Healthcare, or āHellcareā as its inhabitants lovingly call it. Here, you will marvel at sensible rules designed for everyoneās safety, such as the prohibition of chess, whilst permitting the far less dangerous game of checkers.
Deep within Hellcare lies the most gloriously uplifting place in all of Belmarsh, nay, the whole of the United Kingdom: the sublimely named Belmarsh End of Life Suite. Listen closely, and you may hear the prisonersā cries of āBrother, Iām going to die in hereā, a testament to the quality of both life and death within your prison.
But fear not, for there is beauty to be found within these walls. Feast your eyes upon the picturesque crows nesting in the razor wire and the hundreds of hungry rats that call Belmarsh home. And if you come in the spring, you may even catch a glimpse of the ducklings laid by wayward mallards within the prison grounds. But donāt delay, for the ravenous rats ensure their lives are fleeting.
I implore you, King Charles, to visit His Majestyās Prison Belmarsh, for it is an honour befitting a king. As you embark upon your reign, may you always remember the words of the King James Bible: āBlessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercyā (Matthew 5:7). And may mercy be the guiding light of your kingdom, both within and without the walls of Belmarsh.
Your most devoted subject,
Julian Assange
#FreeAssangeNOW
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It is here that 687 of your loyal subjects are held, supporting the United Kingdomās record as the nation with the largest prison population in Western Europe. As your noble government has recently declared, your kingdom is currently undergoing āthe biggest expansion of prison places in over a centuryā, with its ambitious projections showing an increase of the prison population from 82,000 to 106,000 within the next four years. Quite the legacy, indeed.
As a political prisoner, held at Your Majestyās pleasure on behalf of an embarrassed foreign sovereign, I am honoured to reside within the walls of this world class institution. Truly, your kingdom knows no bounds.
During your visit, you will have the opportunity to feast upon the culinary delights prepared for your loyal subjects on a generous budget of two pounds per day. Savour the blended tuna heads and the ubiquitous reconstituted forms that are purportedly made from chicken. And worry not, for unlike lesser institutions such as Alcatraz or San Quentin, there is no communal dining in a mess hall. At Belmarsh, prisoners dine alone in their cells, ensuring the utmost intimacy with their meal.
Beyond the gustatory pleasures, I can assure you that Belmarsh provides ample educational opportunities for your subjects. As Proverbs 22:6 has it: āTrain up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.ā Observe the shuffling queues at the medicine hatch, where inmates gather their prescriptions, not for daily use, but for the horizon-expanding experience of a ābig day outā ā all at once.
You will also have the opportunity to pay your respects to my late friend Manoel Santos, a gay man facing deportation to Bolsonaroās Brazil, who took his own life just eight yards from my cell using a crude rope fashioned from his bedsheets. His exquisite tenor voice now silenced forever.
Venture further into the depths of Belmarsh and you will find the most isolated place within its walls: Healthcare, or āHellcareā as its inhabitants lovingly call it. Here, you will marvel at sensible rules designed for everyoneās safety, such as the prohibition of chess, whilst permitting the far less dangerous game of checkers.
Deep within Hellcare lies the most gloriously uplifting place in all of Belmarsh, nay, the whole of the United Kingdom: the sublimely named Belmarsh End of Life Suite. Listen closely, and you may hear the prisonersā cries of āBrother, Iām going to die in hereā, a testament to the quality of both life and death within your prison.
But fear not, for there is beauty to be found within these walls. Feast your eyes upon the picturesque crows nesting in the razor wire and the hundreds of hungry rats that call Belmarsh home. And if you come in the spring, you may even catch a glimpse of the ducklings laid by wayward mallards within the prison grounds. But donāt delay, for the ravenous rats ensure their lives are fleeting.
I implore you, King Charles, to visit His Majestyās Prison Belmarsh, for it is an honour befitting a king. As you embark upon your reign, may you always remember the words of the King James Bible: āBlessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercyā (Matthew 5:7). And may mercy be the guiding light of your kingdom, both within and without the walls of Belmarsh.
Your most devoted subject,
Julian Assange
#FreeAssangeNOW
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DR Congo floods: Digging through mud to find relatives.
More than 400 people have died following floods and landslides that hit two villages in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo last week.
The Congolese Red Cross volunteers do not have body bags.
They are having to pile up the bodies wrapped up in blankets in the villages of Bushushu and Nyamukubi in South Kivu province.
Residents of Nyamukubi stand amidst rubble after heavy flooding in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, on May 6, 2023
More than 400 people have died following floods and landslides that hit two villages in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo last week.
The Congolese Red Cross volunteers do not have body bags.
They are having to pile up the bodies wrapped up in blankets in the villages of Bushushu and Nyamukubi in South Kivu province.
Residents of Nyamukubi stand amidst rubble after heavy flooding in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, on May 6, 2023
Take Action for the 75th Anniversary of the Nakba
For centuries, the Palestinian people had been living in vibrant towns and cities in Palestine. But in 1948, Israeli militias forced over 75% of the native Palestinian population out of their homes and off their land. Palestinian people call this the āNakba,ā an Arabic word meaning ācatastrophe.ā
Only the Nakba never ended. Itās still happening now, as the Israeli apartheid state continues to ethnically cleanse the Palestinian people again and again. Right now, Israel is bombing Palestinian families in Gaza, killing at least 33 Palestinian people in this latest massacre this week.
This month, on May 15, 2023, we commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Nakba, honoring our martyrs and ancestors and uplifting the steadfast spirit of Palestinian resistance.
Take action now! See below for actions you can take, resources, and even posters you can print to take with you to the streets. Use the #Nakba75 hashtag on social media.
1. Join a protest or event
Protests:
Join one of these planned actions! This is a list of all the actions weāre aware of in the U.S. These actions are organized by groups including the Palestinian Youth Movement, the US Palestinian Community Network, American Muslims for Palestine, and other organizations working toward Palestinian liberation. Follow the Palestinian Youth Movement on Instagram for more.
Tucson, AZ: May 15, 5 PM. Congress St. & 4th Ave. and Rally at the Federal Building.
Los Angeles, CA: May 13, 12 PM. Pershing Square.
San Francisco, CA: May 13, 2 PM. 518 Valencia St.
Davis, CA: May 15, 12 PM. West Quad of UC Davis.
Santa Barbara, CA: May 15, 11 AM. Storke Tower at UCSB.
Washington, DC: May 14, 1 PM. Washington Monument.
Tampa, FL: May 13, 5 PM. Fowler & N 56th St.
Boston, MA: May 15, 5 PM. Cambridge City Hall.
Dearborn, MI: May 13, 2 PM. Starting at the Arab American National Museum parking lot.
Raleigh, NC: May 13, 2 PM teach-in and 3 PM rally. Moore Square.
Brooklyn, NYC, NY: May 13, 2 PM. 72nd & 5th Ave in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.
Manhattan, NYC, NY: May 14, 12 PM. Times Square.
Manhattan, NYC, NY: May 15, 10 AM. Dag Hammarskjƶld Plaza.
White Plains, NY: May 15, 4 PM. Starting at the downtown White Plains fountain.
Portland, OR: May 21, 1:30 PM. Rally and Palestine Festival. SW Park Ave & SW Madison St.
Philadelphia, PA: May 13, 12:30 PM. Rittenhouse Square.
Pittsburgh, PA: May 15, 4:30 PM. Federal Building.
Austin, TX: May 14, 12 PM. Texas Capitol.
Dallas, TX: May 12, 5 PM. Civic Garden.
Houston, TX: May 15, 4 PM. Banner drop at 59 Sheperd Exit.
Seattle, WA: May 13, 12 noon. Cal Anderson Park, North Lawn.
Milwaukee, WI: May 13, 12 noon. The Orange Sunburst Sculpture (The Calling).
Commemorations, Art Exhibits, & Community Gatherings:
Orange County, CA: May 18, 6 PM. āNakba 75 Commemoration with Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandelaā (Santa Ana High School).
Sacramento, CA: May 13, 6-9 PM. āNakba Commemoration at Second Saturday Art Walkā (First United Methodist Church of Sacramento courtyard).
San Francisco, CA: May 19, 6 PM. āNakba 75 Commemoration with Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandelaā (San Francisco State University Knuth Hall ā Creative Arts Building).
Boulder, CO: May 13, 11 AM-5 PM. āPalestinian Cultural Day at the Museum of Boulderā (Museum of Boulder at Tebo Center).
Washington, DC: May 11-May 19. āCommemoration of 75 Years of the Nakba at Museum of the Palestinian Peopleā series of events.
Washington, DC: May 13, 11 AM. āNakba 75 Conveningā (George Washington University).
Atlanta, GA: May 13, 1 PM. āNakba 75 Panel: Reclamation and. Resistanceā (Alif Institute).
Chicago, IL: May 20, 7 PM. āNakba 75 Commemoration with Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandelaā (Chicago Teachers Union).
Chicago, IL: May 26, 11:30 AM. āThe 2nd Annual Palestine Flag Raising Ceremonyā (Richard J. Daley Center).
Detroit, MI: May 20-June 17, with opening reception starting May 20 at 5:30 PM. āPalestine: Commemorating Al Nakbaā art show (33 East Adams).
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For centuries, the Palestinian people had been living in vibrant towns and cities in Palestine. But in 1948, Israeli militias forced over 75% of the native Palestinian population out of their homes and off their land. Palestinian people call this the āNakba,ā an Arabic word meaning ācatastrophe.ā
Only the Nakba never ended. Itās still happening now, as the Israeli apartheid state continues to ethnically cleanse the Palestinian people again and again. Right now, Israel is bombing Palestinian families in Gaza, killing at least 33 Palestinian people in this latest massacre this week.
This month, on May 15, 2023, we commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Nakba, honoring our martyrs and ancestors and uplifting the steadfast spirit of Palestinian resistance.
Take action now! See below for actions you can take, resources, and even posters you can print to take with you to the streets. Use the #Nakba75 hashtag on social media.
1. Join a protest or event
Protests:
Join one of these planned actions! This is a list of all the actions weāre aware of in the U.S. These actions are organized by groups including the Palestinian Youth Movement, the US Palestinian Community Network, American Muslims for Palestine, and other organizations working toward Palestinian liberation. Follow the Palestinian Youth Movement on Instagram for more.
Tucson, AZ: May 15, 5 PM. Congress St. & 4th Ave. and Rally at the Federal Building.
Los Angeles, CA: May 13, 12 PM. Pershing Square.
San Francisco, CA: May 13, 2 PM. 518 Valencia St.
Davis, CA: May 15, 12 PM. West Quad of UC Davis.
Santa Barbara, CA: May 15, 11 AM. Storke Tower at UCSB.
Washington, DC: May 14, 1 PM. Washington Monument.
Tampa, FL: May 13, 5 PM. Fowler & N 56th St.
Boston, MA: May 15, 5 PM. Cambridge City Hall.
Dearborn, MI: May 13, 2 PM. Starting at the Arab American National Museum parking lot.
Raleigh, NC: May 13, 2 PM teach-in and 3 PM rally. Moore Square.
Brooklyn, NYC, NY: May 13, 2 PM. 72nd & 5th Ave in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.
Manhattan, NYC, NY: May 14, 12 PM. Times Square.
Manhattan, NYC, NY: May 15, 10 AM. Dag Hammarskjƶld Plaza.
White Plains, NY: May 15, 4 PM. Starting at the downtown White Plains fountain.
Portland, OR: May 21, 1:30 PM. Rally and Palestine Festival. SW Park Ave & SW Madison St.
Philadelphia, PA: May 13, 12:30 PM. Rittenhouse Square.
Pittsburgh, PA: May 15, 4:30 PM. Federal Building.
Austin, TX: May 14, 12 PM. Texas Capitol.
Dallas, TX: May 12, 5 PM. Civic Garden.
Houston, TX: May 15, 4 PM. Banner drop at 59 Sheperd Exit.
Seattle, WA: May 13, 12 noon. Cal Anderson Park, North Lawn.
Milwaukee, WI: May 13, 12 noon. The Orange Sunburst Sculpture (The Calling).
Commemorations, Art Exhibits, & Community Gatherings:
Orange County, CA: May 18, 6 PM. āNakba 75 Commemoration with Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandelaā (Santa Ana High School).
Sacramento, CA: May 13, 6-9 PM. āNakba Commemoration at Second Saturday Art Walkā (First United Methodist Church of Sacramento courtyard).
San Francisco, CA: May 19, 6 PM. āNakba 75 Commemoration with Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandelaā (San Francisco State University Knuth Hall ā Creative Arts Building).
Boulder, CO: May 13, 11 AM-5 PM. āPalestinian Cultural Day at the Museum of Boulderā (Museum of Boulder at Tebo Center).
Washington, DC: May 11-May 19. āCommemoration of 75 Years of the Nakba at Museum of the Palestinian Peopleā series of events.
Washington, DC: May 13, 11 AM. āNakba 75 Conveningā (George Washington University).
Atlanta, GA: May 13, 1 PM. āNakba 75 Panel: Reclamation and. Resistanceā (Alif Institute).
Chicago, IL: May 20, 7 PM. āNakba 75 Commemoration with Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandelaā (Chicago Teachers Union).
Chicago, IL: May 26, 11:30 AM. āThe 2nd Annual Palestine Flag Raising Ceremonyā (Richard J. Daley Center).
Detroit, MI: May 20-June 17, with opening reception starting May 20 at 5:30 PM. āPalestine: Commemorating Al Nakbaā art show (33 East Adams).
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Detroit, MI Online: May 11, 7 PM. āNakba 75: Impact & Resilience Across Generationsā (Virtual Discussion).
Minneapolis, MN: May 16, 7 PM. āNakba 75 Commemoration with Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandelaā (Cowles Auditorium, Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota).
Northfield, MN: May 13, 1 PM. āCommemorating the 75th Anniversary of Palestineās 1948 Catastropheā (Bridge Square) and āArt: A Window to Palestineā exhibit during the month of May (Northfield Arts Guild, Up Gallery).
Kansas City, MO: May 20, 6 PM. āCommemoration of the 75th Anniversary of the Nakbaā (Islamic Society of Kansas City gymnasium)ā.
St. Louis, MO: May 15, 6 PM. āTeach-In on U.S. and Local Military Funding and Abolitionā (3147 S. Grand Blvd).
Paterson, NJ: May 14, 1 PM. āPalestine Way Street Festival.ā
Albuquerque, NM: May 16, 6:30 PM. āAl Nakba: The Palestinian Catastropheā Al Jazeera documentary film screening and discussion (Nahalat Shalom).
Cleveland, OH: May 17, 7 PM. āNakba 75 Commemoration with Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandelaā (Cleveland State University, Ronald Berkman Hall).
Providence, RI: May 13, 3 PM. āFarha film screeningā (Rochambeau Library).
Houston, TX: May 14, 5 PM. āThe Nakba: A Historical Commemorationā (Arab American Cultural & Community Center).
Milwaukee, WI: May 13, 6:30 PM. āNakba 75 Commemoration with Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandelaā (Turner Hall).
Online: May 21, 2 PM CT. āNakba 75: Remembering the Voicesā for the Voices from the Holy Land online film salon.
Online: May 12, 1 PM ET. āPalestinian Collective Memory: 75 Years of Nakba and Resistanceā from the Palestine-Global Mental Health Network.
*Know of other protests and events that youād like included on this list?
**Tweet pictures and videos of your Nakba Day actions using #Nakba75.
Palestine will be free!
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Minneapolis, MN: May 16, 7 PM. āNakba 75 Commemoration with Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandelaā (Cowles Auditorium, Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota).
Northfield, MN: May 13, 1 PM. āCommemorating the 75th Anniversary of Palestineās 1948 Catastropheā (Bridge Square) and āArt: A Window to Palestineā exhibit during the month of May (Northfield Arts Guild, Up Gallery).
Kansas City, MO: May 20, 6 PM. āCommemoration of the 75th Anniversary of the Nakbaā (Islamic Society of Kansas City gymnasium)ā.
St. Louis, MO: May 15, 6 PM. āTeach-In on U.S. and Local Military Funding and Abolitionā (3147 S. Grand Blvd).
Paterson, NJ: May 14, 1 PM. āPalestine Way Street Festival.ā
Albuquerque, NM: May 16, 6:30 PM. āAl Nakba: The Palestinian Catastropheā Al Jazeera documentary film screening and discussion (Nahalat Shalom).
Cleveland, OH: May 17, 7 PM. āNakba 75 Commemoration with Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandelaā (Cleveland State University, Ronald Berkman Hall).
Providence, RI: May 13, 3 PM. āFarha film screeningā (Rochambeau Library).
Houston, TX: May 14, 5 PM. āThe Nakba: A Historical Commemorationā (Arab American Cultural & Community Center).
Milwaukee, WI: May 13, 6:30 PM. āNakba 75 Commemoration with Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandelaā (Turner Hall).
Online: May 21, 2 PM CT. āNakba 75: Remembering the Voicesā for the Voices from the Holy Land online film salon.
Online: May 12, 1 PM ET. āPalestinian Collective Memory: 75 Years of Nakba and Resistanceā from the Palestine-Global Mental Health Network.
*Know of other protests and events that youād like included on this list?
**Tweet pictures and videos of your Nakba Day actions using #Nakba75.
Palestine will be free!
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BREAKING: Thousands of people march in London for #Nakba75 to show support for the Palestinian's pursuit of freedom and justice. šµšø #FreePalestine
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The United States of America has accused South Africa of supplying weapons and ammunition to Russia.
South Africa has also accused the United States of America of supplying weapons and ammunition to Ukraine.
South Africa has also accused the United States of America of supplying weapons and ammunition to Ukraine.
Israeli media says 1234 missiles have been fired from Gaza since the start of the escalation
āNakbaā commemoration elicits racism from right-wing Zionists, silence from the liberals
āThe Palestinians are addicted to an endless cycle of ānakbasāā the Jewish News Syndicate tells us. This celebration of Israelās founding describes the country as āever-miraculousā for Jews and never mentions Palestinian history. This podcast by Dan Senor and Daniel Gordis also overlooks the Nakba in hailing Israelās foundationā āmagical,ā āmythical,ā āsomething that defies imagination,ā āan unbelievable story,ā Gordis exultsā in which a Jewish state is born three years after Auschwitz.
Some day my communityās refusal to acknowledge Palestinian history will be a source for mortification (I believe), but on this anniversary itās clear that any mention of the Nakba makes American Jewish leadership extremely uncomfortable.
When a Jewish academic brought up the Nakba at a Center for Jewish History event commemorating Israelās founding, there were boos and cries of āShameā from the New York audience. That conference also hosted Einat Wilfā an Israeli āliberalā but a Nakba denier, who wrote a year ago that āthe Nakba was the failureā of Arab armies to defeat Zionism after Israel established itself on May 14, 1948. (This is a misrepresentation of Palestinian history.)
Liberal Zionists in the U.S. are not much better than Wilf. They largely ignore the Nakba. For instance, a J Street official celebrating Israelās 75th birthday mentioned the āoccupationā but left out the Nakba, and then recommended this video aimed at American Jews, which declares of the recent protests in Israel: āWe are literally fighting for our survival, not just as a democracy, but as the homeland for the entire Jewish people.ā
That is the Zionist credo, of course. But if you sanctify Israel as the homeland for Jews everywhere, itās hard to accept the fact that when the state was formed, Israeli leaders sought a large Jewish majority, and in order to achieve that they pursued policies of ethnic persecution/cleansing, which have not ended.
Not surprisingly, those Jews in the U.S. who have a strong stance on the Nakba are anti-Zionist. āIn Israel, as well as in the U.S., the Nakba is often disregarded or denied altogether. Instead, the focus is on the creation of Israel as a haven for Jews, completely ignoring the mass dispossession of the Palestinian people,ā writes Donna Nevel of Jews Say No and Jewish Voice for Peace.
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āThe Palestinians are addicted to an endless cycle of ānakbasāā the Jewish News Syndicate tells us. This celebration of Israelās founding describes the country as āever-miraculousā for Jews and never mentions Palestinian history. This podcast by Dan Senor and Daniel Gordis also overlooks the Nakba in hailing Israelās foundationā āmagical,ā āmythical,ā āsomething that defies imagination,ā āan unbelievable story,ā Gordis exultsā in which a Jewish state is born three years after Auschwitz.
Some day my communityās refusal to acknowledge Palestinian history will be a source for mortification (I believe), but on this anniversary itās clear that any mention of the Nakba makes American Jewish leadership extremely uncomfortable.
When a Jewish academic brought up the Nakba at a Center for Jewish History event commemorating Israelās founding, there were boos and cries of āShameā from the New York audience. That conference also hosted Einat Wilfā an Israeli āliberalā but a Nakba denier, who wrote a year ago that āthe Nakba was the failureā of Arab armies to defeat Zionism after Israel established itself on May 14, 1948. (This is a misrepresentation of Palestinian history.)
Liberal Zionists in the U.S. are not much better than Wilf. They largely ignore the Nakba. For instance, a J Street official celebrating Israelās 75th birthday mentioned the āoccupationā but left out the Nakba, and then recommended this video aimed at American Jews, which declares of the recent protests in Israel: āWe are literally fighting for our survival, not just as a democracy, but as the homeland for the entire Jewish people.ā
That is the Zionist credo, of course. But if you sanctify Israel as the homeland for Jews everywhere, itās hard to accept the fact that when the state was formed, Israeli leaders sought a large Jewish majority, and in order to achieve that they pursued policies of ethnic persecution/cleansing, which have not ended.
Not surprisingly, those Jews in the U.S. who have a strong stance on the Nakba are anti-Zionist. āIn Israel, as well as in the U.S., the Nakba is often disregarded or denied altogether. Instead, the focus is on the creation of Israel as a haven for Jews, completely ignoring the mass dispossession of the Palestinian people,ā writes Donna Nevel of Jews Say No and Jewish Voice for Peace.
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Rabbi Brant Rosen also put the Nakba at the center of his reflections on Israelās founding: ā[T]he over 700,000 Palestinians refugees who were forcibly displaced from their homes and forbidden to return were decidedly not included as part of the newly established nation.ā
Jewish Voice for Peace is taking an active part in Nakba Day events, and puts Nakba education at the center of its work.
But those voices are exceptional. Even leading leftwing groups like IfNotNow and Jews for Economic and Racial Justice donāt put much emphasis on the Nakba.
And establishment organizations are way worse. In celebrating Israelās 75th birthday last week, one liberal Zionist organization after another left the Nakba out.
The New Israel Fund sent out a map of Israel to its mailing list, covered with pro-Israel slogans.
Yossi Alpher at Americans for Peace Now described Israelās achievements after 75 years and simply erased the Nakba. The downside of the past 75 years, he says, is āthe unresolved conflict with the Palestinians, failure to achieve universal recognition of the countryās capital Jerusalem, failure to achieve recognized borders,ā etc.
Nakba was also a hushed whisper in the Progressive Israel Networkās announcement of an āenergizing gatheringā for Israelās 75th: āThe creation of the State of Israel represents one of the most profound and important achievements of Jewish history, even as the day means something very different for Palestinians,ā it said. So the Nakba was an achievement?
Nakba is, at best, obliquely mentioned in this J Street celebration of Israelās 75th anniversary of independence in late April. Some statements in that post amount to Nakba denial.
For instance, Rabbi John L. Rosove, a chair of J Streetās rabbinic cabinet, said reestablishing Israel was āa herculean task.ā And offered this Hollywood version of that period:
As time passes, however, it is easy for us in the 21st century to forget or to take for granted how very difficult it was for the early Zionist pioneers and stateās founders to settle the land, protect themselves, renew Hebrew into a modern language, welcome immigration waves, build cities, towns, kibbutzim, and moshavim, hospitals and universities, forge cooperative relationships with surrounding Arab villages and Bedouin camps, and redefine what it means to be Jewish in the modern era.
Another chair of that committee, Rabbi Andrea London, acknowledged that the Palestiniansā ādisplacement from their homelandā began with the Balfour Declaration of 1917ā very euphemistic. London left out the word Nakba, preferring to focus on the occupation.
On this 75th anniversary of the foundation of the State of Israel, we need to open our minds to the Palestinian perspective and recognize our role in enabling Israelās entrenchment of the Occupation and persecution of the Palestinians.
Today Tlaib leads seven Congresspeople sponsoring a Nakba commemoration billā all familiar names to us in the Palestinian solidarity community. But U.S. politicians are generally obedient to the Israel lobby; even progressive congresspeople are no better than the liberal Zionist line.
Look at this letter from Reps. Anna Eshoo and Jamie Raskin to Israeli protesters celebrating the 75th anniversary of Israelās founding and hailing it as a āvibrant democracy.ā Palestinians are barely mentioned in that letter.
While Democratic Majority for Israel tweeted out this billboard, which is surely accurate with respect to Democratic presidents, and then quoted then-Senator John Kennedyās slavish speech to Israel lobbyists in 1960 as he was running for president.
Democratic Majority for Israel celebrates uniform Democratic presidents' support for Israel in May 2023.
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Jewish Voice for Peace is taking an active part in Nakba Day events, and puts Nakba education at the center of its work.
But those voices are exceptional. Even leading leftwing groups like IfNotNow and Jews for Economic and Racial Justice donāt put much emphasis on the Nakba.
And establishment organizations are way worse. In celebrating Israelās 75th birthday last week, one liberal Zionist organization after another left the Nakba out.
The New Israel Fund sent out a map of Israel to its mailing list, covered with pro-Israel slogans.
Yossi Alpher at Americans for Peace Now described Israelās achievements after 75 years and simply erased the Nakba. The downside of the past 75 years, he says, is āthe unresolved conflict with the Palestinians, failure to achieve universal recognition of the countryās capital Jerusalem, failure to achieve recognized borders,ā etc.
Nakba was also a hushed whisper in the Progressive Israel Networkās announcement of an āenergizing gatheringā for Israelās 75th: āThe creation of the State of Israel represents one of the most profound and important achievements of Jewish history, even as the day means something very different for Palestinians,ā it said. So the Nakba was an achievement?
Nakba is, at best, obliquely mentioned in this J Street celebration of Israelās 75th anniversary of independence in late April. Some statements in that post amount to Nakba denial.
For instance, Rabbi John L. Rosove, a chair of J Streetās rabbinic cabinet, said reestablishing Israel was āa herculean task.ā And offered this Hollywood version of that period:
As time passes, however, it is easy for us in the 21st century to forget or to take for granted how very difficult it was for the early Zionist pioneers and stateās founders to settle the land, protect themselves, renew Hebrew into a modern language, welcome immigration waves, build cities, towns, kibbutzim, and moshavim, hospitals and universities, forge cooperative relationships with surrounding Arab villages and Bedouin camps, and redefine what it means to be Jewish in the modern era.
Another chair of that committee, Rabbi Andrea London, acknowledged that the Palestiniansā ādisplacement from their homelandā began with the Balfour Declaration of 1917ā very euphemistic. London left out the word Nakba, preferring to focus on the occupation.
On this 75th anniversary of the foundation of the State of Israel, we need to open our minds to the Palestinian perspective and recognize our role in enabling Israelās entrenchment of the Occupation and persecution of the Palestinians.
Today Tlaib leads seven Congresspeople sponsoring a Nakba commemoration billā all familiar names to us in the Palestinian solidarity community. But U.S. politicians are generally obedient to the Israel lobby; even progressive congresspeople are no better than the liberal Zionist line.
Look at this letter from Reps. Anna Eshoo and Jamie Raskin to Israeli protesters celebrating the 75th anniversary of Israelās founding and hailing it as a āvibrant democracy.ā Palestinians are barely mentioned in that letter.
While Democratic Majority for Israel tweeted out this billboard, which is surely accurate with respect to Democratic presidents, and then quoted then-Senator John Kennedyās slavish speech to Israel lobbyists in 1960 as he was running for president.
Democratic Majority for Israel celebrates uniform Democratic presidents' support for Israel in May 2023.
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Kennedy spoke to the Zionists of America convention in New York, and his remarks are charged with Nakba denial. Kennedy was running to Richard Nixonās right on Israel and, urging a āreconsideration of the Arab refugee problem,ā he left out Palestinian refugees in relating Israelās creation:
I returned in 1951 to see the grandeur of Israel. In 3 years this new state had opened its doors to 600,000 immigrants and refugees. Even while fighting for its own survival, Israel had given new hope to the persecuted and new dignity to the pattern of Jewish life.
That official denial of the Nakba does not end.
When Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued a statement celebrating 75 years of Israelās existence, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) promptly amended him: āWhat he failed to mention, however, was that Israel was founded through the Nakba: when Israeli forces ethnically cleansed at least 700,000 Palestinians, expropriated their land and property, demolished over 500 villages, and banned refugees from returning to their homes. 75 years later, there remains a lot of work to do in educating Canadians about this catastrophe.ā
Today at least, the left is taking on these mythologies and trying to raise awareness. Rashida Tlaib staged a commemoration of the Nakba at the Capitol to an overflow crowd, an event enabled by Senator Bernie Sanders. And some inside the Jewish community are paying attention.
#Nakba75
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I returned in 1951 to see the grandeur of Israel. In 3 years this new state had opened its doors to 600,000 immigrants and refugees. Even while fighting for its own survival, Israel had given new hope to the persecuted and new dignity to the pattern of Jewish life.
That official denial of the Nakba does not end.
When Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued a statement celebrating 75 years of Israelās existence, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) promptly amended him: āWhat he failed to mention, however, was that Israel was founded through the Nakba: when Israeli forces ethnically cleansed at least 700,000 Palestinians, expropriated their land and property, demolished over 500 villages, and banned refugees from returning to their homes. 75 years later, there remains a lot of work to do in educating Canadians about this catastrophe.ā
Today at least, the left is taking on these mythologies and trying to raise awareness. Rashida Tlaib staged a commemoration of the Nakba at the Capitol to an overflow crowd, an event enabled by Senator Bernie Sanders. And some inside the Jewish community are paying attention.
#Nakba75
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As we approach the 75th anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba (catastrophe) we call on our supporters worldwide to join us in solidarity by taking 5 actions to help #EndIsraeliApartheid.
āOne of the most important relationships weāll have is the relationship we have with our mothers.ā
#HappyMothersDay
#HappyMothersDay
The 75th anniversary of Al Nakba (the catastrophe) in 1948, when Zionist terrorist gangs began to carry out massacres, ethnic cleansing and the seizure of Palestinian land to create the state of Israel.
Join Us 15th May 2023
#Nakba75
Join Us 15th May 2023
#Nakba75