News
1. International support for victory over Israeli tourism posters
2. UCU passes policy supporting BDS
3. UN fact finding mission to Gaza – Amnesty on Israeli war crimes
4. Israel refuses to accept Obama’s demands on settlements
5. Israeli plans to illegalise Nakba commemorations, and impose ‘loyalty’ tests
6. Israeli settlements – ‘political dynamite’
7. Israel’s theft of Palestinian water
8. Groundbreaking report out on Israeli Apartheid
9. Analysis on Abbas’ new government
10. Fundraising bike ride from Montpellier in Bristol to Montpellier in France
11. Palestinian rights deserve Anglican action

Action
1. 3-5 July – PSC sponsored walk, Dartmoor
2. 11 July – PSC National Education Conference, Birmingham

1. International support for victory over Israeli tourism posters
We have had emails from people across the world congratulating all those who worked to remove the Israeli tourism ad, and its attempt to wipe Palestine off the map, from London Underground sites – so many thanks to all of you!
We have been told by CBS Outdoor that all the adverts would be taken down during the course of this week, but have had complaints that some are still up – if you see a poster, please do complain to CBS Outdoor and Transport for London, and copy the PSC into your complaint.

Please email or phone:
1. Transport for London:
Email: enquiries@tube.tfl.gov.uk
Tel: 0845 330 9876
2. CBS Outdoor Ltd 
Email: richard.ashman@cbsoutdoor.co.uk
Tel: 020 7482 2863

The story had significant media coverage, including the BBC and Guardian:
www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/may/22/
israel-underground- ads-occupied-territories-map

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/8063435.stm

2. UCU passes policy supporting BDS
The University lecturers’ union, UCU, voted overwhelmingly at its conference this week to support BDS
A number of motions were passed on 27 May at the UCU’s conference, including one from the UCU National Executive which condemned the Israeli military attacks on Gaza, and others that agreed to disseminate the report of the President of UCU Scotland, who had recently taken part in the STUC visit to Palestine, for “recognition of the democratically elected Gaza government”, for Israel to be tried for human rights violations, and for the British government to ban “arms sales and economic support to Israel”. Congress also voted overwhelmingly for an amendment which affirmed support “for the Palestinian call for a boycott, disinvestment and sanctions campaign” despite a statement from the General Secretary that on legal advice this amendment would be treated as being “void and of no effect” if carried.

However, the UCU also voted to urge “branches to discuss prior to Congress 2010 the Palestinian call for a boycott, disinvestment and sanctions campaign”. 

This support for BDS follows support at conferences of the Scottish TUC, FBU and PCS, and is a sign of the growing support for the movement for boycott, sanctions and divestment.

Dr Amjad Barham, president of the Palestinian Federation of Unions of University Professors and Employees (PFUUPE), addressed conference, and wrote in the Guardian before the debate urging British lecturers to back a boycott in support of the Palestinians’ struggle for justice:
www.guardian.co.uk/education /2009/
may/ 26/why-boycott- israeli-universities

3. UN fact finding mission to Gaza – Amnesty on Israeli war crimes
Between 1-5 June, a fact-finding mission from the UN will be in Gaza, ‘with a mandate to “investigate all violations of International Human Rights Law and International Humanitarian Law that might have been committed at any time in the context of the military operations that were conducted in Gaza during the period from 27 December 2008 and 18 January 2009, whether before, during or after.”’
www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/special
session/9/docs/Public_Advance_Notice.pdf
Meanwhile, Amnesty International accused Israel of repeatedly violating the rules of armed conflict during its war on the Gaza Strip.

According to Haaretz, “Israeli forces repeatedly breached the laws of war, including by carrying out direct attacks on civilians and civilian buildings and attacks targeting Palestinian militants that caused a disproportionate toll among civilians,” the human rights watchdog said in its annual report.’
www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1088912.html

4. Israel refuses to accept Obama’s demands on settlements
‘Increasingly fractious relations between the US and Israel hit a low unseen in nearly two decades yesterday after the Jewish state rejected President Obama’s demand for an end to settlement construction in the West Bank, and the president responded by suggesting that Israeli intransigence endangers America’s security.’
www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/may/28/barack-
obama-jewish-settlements-israel-palestine-relations

5. Israeli plans to illegalise Nakba commemorations, and impose ‘loyalty’ tests
Rachel Shabi writes in the Guardian: ‘Life for Palestinian citizens of Israel, always a testing experience, seems to be getting more precarious of late. This is a section of society that, since Israel’s creation, spent 20-odd years under direct military rule and thereafter continued to be treated as second rate and a potential fifth column. Recently, Arab-Israelis, the identity-blurring label for this 20% sector of the population, have had to contend with threats that they must swear loyalty to a Jewish and Zionist state as a precondition of citizenship. Now, Israel’s ministerial committee has approved a draft law that would ban the commemoration of Nakba day in Israel. The day marks the dispossession of some 700,000 to 800,000 Palestinians who fled or were forced out of their homes in 1948. Arab-Israelis remember Nakba day with demonstrations in Israel – but if the proposed law goes through parliament, such action would result in a three-year prison sentence.’
www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/
2009/may/28/israel-palestine-nakba-day

6. Israeli settlements – ‘political dynamite’
‘In an important article in the Israeli liberal daily Haaretz, Uri Blau revealed that over the past four years, the defence ministry carried out a secret survey of settlements. Blau said that one of the reasons for conducting the survey was to be ready to “contend with legal actions brought by Palestinian residents, human rights organisations and leftist movements challenging the legality of construction in the settlements and the use of private lands to establish or expand them”.
The data, stated, Blau, was “political dynamite” and was suppressed by Defence Minister Ehud Barak. It was “dynamite” not because of what it revealed about expropriations – which Peace Now has faithfully tried to document – but because it showed that construction in the “vast majority of settlements – about 75 per cent – has been carried out without the appropriate permits or contrary to the permits that were issued”.’
www.jordantimes.com/?news=17053

7. Israel’s theft of Palestinian water
‘Access to water is fundamental to life and perhaps the most basic human right. For Palestinians living under occupation, it is yet another human right which is controlled by Israel. The human right to water refers to domestic needs, however by denying Palestinians access to water, the Israeli government is also denying the human right to food which incorporates water for agriculture, and the human right to sanitation… According to the recent World Bank report, Assessment of Restrictions on Palestinian Water Sector Development… Gaza and parts of the West Bank suffer “chronic” water-related humanitarian crises.’
www.palestinemonitor.org/spip/spip.php?article962

8. Groundbreaking report out on Israeli Apartheid
A new report from South Africa’s Human Sciences Research Council looks in detail at how Israel practices Apartheid in the Occupied Palestinian Territories – research by leading international lawyers on this matter makes this a must-read for everyone. The report, ‘Occupation, Colonialism, Apartheid’ is at www.hsrc.ac.za/DG.phtml
9. Analysis on Abbas’ new government
MIFTAH has written an analysis on this: ‘New Government Faces Challenges on all Fronts’: www.miftah.org/Display.cfm?DocId=19663&CategoryId=10

10. Fundraising bike ride from Montpellier in Bristol to Montpellier in France
Mo and friends will be cycling on Sunday 31st May and are intending to cover the 900 miles in about a month, raising funds for PSC and MAP.
Please either consider sponsoring Mo, or doing something similar yourself!
Find out more about the cycling trip on the Facebook page:
www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=72921642352
To donate please use the following link:
www.palestinecampaign.org/Index5b_
donate.asp?m_id=1&l1_id=3&l2_id=23
then choose the “Montpellier Fundraising Bike Ride” option. All donations received will be shared equally between PSC and MAP.

11. Palestinian rights deserve Anglican action
Ben White writes: ‘At the 14th Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) meeting, held in Jamaica earlier this month, a resolution on the Middle East was passed, criticising the Israeli occupation. An original version of the resolution was originally submitted by the Anglican Peace and Justice Network (APJN), but as the language was felt by some to be too “strong”, a new resolution was put forward and adopted.’
www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2009
/may/21/palestinian-anglican-israel-resolution

Events
1. 3-5 July – PSC sponsored walk, Dartmoor
Sign up now to join us on the sponsored walk – a unique opportunity to talk to other activists, get fit and raise money for the PSC at the same time!
For more details, contact the PSC office.
2. 11 July – PSC National Education Conference, Birmingham
This will be a great opportunity – with a fantastic range of speakers. Book your ticket now! Online booking is now available:
www.palestinecampaign.org/store/index2.
asp?origin=UK&m_id=1&l1_id=22&l2_id=49 

The Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) aims to raise public awareness about the occupation of Palestine and the struggle of the Palestinian people. PSC seek to bring pressure on both the British and Israeli government to bring their policies in line with international law. PSC is an independent, non-governmental and non-party political organisation with members from communities across the UK. Join PSC today!

Palestine Solidarity Campaign
Box BM PSA
London
WC1N 3XX
Tel:   020 7700 6192
Fax:  020 7609 7779
Email: info@palestinecampaign.org
Web: www.palestinecampaign.org