So far, 1.2 million Iraqis have lost their lives since the US invasion (the largest genocide on earth in this five year period). http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/iraq/iraqdeaths.html
This is the fourth anniversary of an historic ruling by the International Court of Justice on the Apartheid wall. Al-Haq human rights organizations stated that "On 9 July 2004, at the request UN General Assembly, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued an Advisory Opinion on “The Legal Consequences of the Construction of a Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.” The ICJ found the construction of the Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), its associated regime of movement restrictions, land confiscation and property destruction, as well as the Israeli settlements in the OPT, to be in breach of customary international law. Furthermore, the ICJ declared that the facts on the ground created by continued construction of the Wall would be 'tantamount to de facto annexation.' The Advisory Opinion therefore held that Israel must cease construction of the Wall, dismantle those parts already constructed in the OPT, and provide remedies to the affected Palestinian civilians. At the same time, the ICJ outlined the legal responsibility of the international community, declaring that it must not recognise or assist in maintaining the illegal situation created by the Wall, and must consider further actions to bring that situation to an end." On this anniversary, which happens to also be (not coincidentally) the third anniversary of the Palestinian Civil Society Call for BDS against Israel, the Palestinian BDS National Committee (BNC)* launched the Global BDS Movement Website at http://www.bdsmovement.net and Palestinians demonstrated in two villages in the West Bank. To act: Hang up on Motorolla, a campaign initiated by the US Campaign to End the Occupation http://www.hanguponmotorola.org/ (Good news, US specific) Our success at the National Assembly. Read about it:bApproval of mass action, independence from political parties and Support for Palestinian rights as integral to the movement and calls for boycotts, divestment and sanctions "A Damned Good Assembly" http://www.counterpunch.org/heller07092008.html (US Specific event) In Chicago Starting Thursday: Green Party National Convention. I will be conductinga workshop titled "The 60th Anniversaries of the Palestinian Catastrophe (Nakba) and the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights: The Green Party's Response" 10:45-Noon FGriday, in Clark 3 Rm., The Palmer House Hilton, 17 East Monroe Street, Chicago, IL 60603, 1 877 865 5321 and 312-726-7500 Details at: http://www.greenparty2008.org (BTW, Stan forgot to mention that Arab and Muslim Americans led and two were elected to the new Administrative Committee) Mazin Qumsiyeh http://justicewheels.org Attend the August 8 Palestine Conference, see http://palestineconference.org *BNC Member organizations include: Council of National and Islamic Forces in Palestine General Union of Palestinian Workers Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions Palestinian NGO Network (PNGO) Federation of Independent Trade Unions Union of Arab Community Based Associations (ITTIJAH) Palestine Right of Return Coalition Occupied Palestine and Golan Heights Initiative General Union of Palestinian Women Union of Palestinian Farmers Grassroots Palestinian Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign (STW) Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel National Committee to Commemorate the Nakba Civic Coalition for the Defence of Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem _________________________________________________________________ It’s a talkathon – but it’s not just talk. http://www.imtalkathon.com/?source=EML_WLH_Talkathon_JustTalk
