Mon, Jan 21, 2008 08:45 AM
In 1962, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. issued a joint statement with Chief Albert Lutuli, President of the African National Congress (ANC) and Nobel Peace Prize winner, entitled "Appeal for Action against Apartheid."
In the appeal, King and Lutuli argue that an international boycott is necessary to bring down South Africa's apartheid regime. "The apartheid republic is a reality today only because the peoples and governments of the world have been unwilling to place her in quarantine."
King and Lutuli strongly believed that international civil society had a crucial role to play in bringing this about. "Translate public opinion into public action by explaining facts to all peoples, to groups to which you belong, and to countries of which you are citizens until AN EFFECTIVE INTERNATIONAL QUARANTINE OF APARTHEID IS ESTABLISHED."
Were Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. still alive today, there is no doubt that his commitment to racial equality and social justice would have compelled him to join Palestinian civil society, the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation, and many other groups to call for campaigns of boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) against Israel and corporations that profit from Israel's human rights abuses against Palestinians.
As part of our commitment to BDS, the US Campaign is embarking on a national boycott of Motorola. Soon to come: resources, organizing materials and other helpful information to help launch this important campaign to end Motorola's profiting from human rights abuses in Palestine. If you or your group is interested in becoming involved in the Motorola campaign, please contact Suha Dabbouseh, National Organizer, at 202-332-0994 or organize@endtheoccupation.org for more information.
Just as King protested apartheid in South Africa, so too must we carry on his torch by protesting U.S. support for Israel's apartheid policies against Palestinians. Later this year, the US Campaign will be organizing a national anti-apartheid speaking/organizing tour. If you or your organization is interested in helping to organize a stop on the US Campaign's anti-apartheid tour, please contact Suha Dabbouseh, National Organizer, at 202-332-0994 or organize@endtheoccupation.org.
In the meantime, the US Campaign is endorsing and helping to publicize two events in February on the same anti-apartheid theme, which we hope that our member organizations and individual supporters will take part in.
ISRAEL APARTHEID WEEK, FEBRUARY 3-10, 2008
Events will be taking place throughout the United States, Canada, Palestine, South Africa, and more! Find out how to get involved and organize an event in your city by clicking here.
THE MOVEMENT AGAINST APARTHEID IN PALESTINE, 2008 U.S. NATIONAL SPEAKING TOUR & FILM SCREENING, FEBRUARY 1-MARCH 4
Mansour Mansour, a Palestinian from Biddo, is a member of Northwest Jerusalem Popular Committee and the Biddo Popular Committee. He studied radio broadcasting at Bir Zeit University and helped organize protests against the checkpoints that are preventing many students from reaching their universities. He is also Executive Director of Biddo Community Development, a not for profit organization aimed at enhancing the lives of children and adults through education and employment. With the organization he conducts weekly workshops with youth and adults promoting the experience of non-violence as a means to resisting occupation. He was also Campaign Coordinator and non-violent trainer with the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) since 2004. Among his responsibilities of coordinating an ISM presence in regions throughout the occupied Palestinian Territories he is also responsible for administering the training for international members. Biddo has succeeded through active non-violence to push the construction of the Apartheid Wall back to the 1967 Green Line.
Shai Carmeli Pollak is a prominent director, screenwriter, and cinematographer. He has made an award winning documentary in late 2006, called Bil'in Habibti, about his involvement in the struggle of the village of Bil'in against the Apartheid Wall. He addresses the political non-violent struggle there, what the struggle means for the village and his growing friendships with the Palestinians in the village. The movie won best documentary in the Jerusalem film festival and has since been screened all over the world. Since the movie was made Bil'in has also won a court victory, where they ruled that the wall should be moved so that farmers have access to their farm land. Shai can talk about his experience as an Israeli in solidarity with Palestinians and screen parts of his movie or the whole thing depending on the organizer's preference.
TOUR DATES
New York, NY
Feb-1-08
Boston, MA
Feb-02-08
Philadelphia, PA
Feb-03-08
Washington, DC
Feb-4-08
Raleigh, NC
Feb-05-08
Pittsburgh, PA
Feb-08-08
Cleveland, OH
Feb-09-08
Detroit, MI
Feb-10-08
Ann Arbor, MI
Feb-11-08
Chicago, IL
Feb-13-08
Houston, TX
Feb-16-08
Austin, TX
Feb-17-08
Seattle, WA
Feb-19-08
Olympia, WA
Feb-20-08
Denver, CO
Feb-22-08
Boulder, CO
Feb-23-08
Las Angeles, CA
Feb-27-08
Berkeley, CA
Mar-1-08
Oakland, CA
Mar-1-08
San Fran, CA
Mar-2-08
End of Tour
Mar-4
For more info, please contact Project Coordinator Raad Amer at freepalestine1980@gmail.com
US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation
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