--- [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> Date: Wed, 08 Sep 2004 15:12:38 -0400
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: Fwd: Back from the West Bank -
> Organizing Talks on Israel/Palestine
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
> Hi there. I thought you should see this --
> Patrick is a good presenter. Highly
> knowledgable and a calm presence in any
> situation. He has extensive experience
> living, working and being an activist in
> Palestine. If you can organize a visit
> by/with him, that would be a great thing.
>
> Best,
> Jonathan
> --
> "We have changed the world, and we wonder why
> things won't stay the same." Les
> Lanyon
>
>
>
>
>
> ----- Forwarded message from
> [EMAIL PROTECTED] -----
> Date: Mon, 06 Sep 2004 11:33:49 -0400 (EDT)
>
> Dear Friends,
>
> I'm back in New York City after four months in
> the West Bank with the
> International Solidarity Movement (ISM)
> supporting Palestinians in non-violent
> resistance to Israel's occupation. In the West
> Bank I joined with villages
> protesting against Israel's Apartheid Wall,
> participated in a twenty day
> protest march
> along the path of the Wall from Jenin in the
> northern West Bank to Jerusalem,
> and documented the daily impacts of the
> occupation in the northern West Bank.
>
> On the ground there are a number of major
> developments to report on:
> The Wall is Strengthening Israeli Control over
> the West Bank: Where the wall
> has been built in the northern West Bank, it
> has solidified Israeli control
> over the land and daily lives of Palestinians.
> Cutting Palestinians off from
> their land has led to economic collapse.
> Requiring difficult to obtain Israeli
> permits for Palestinians to pass through gates
> in the Wall and access their
> land has increased the cost of resisting the
> occupation for Palestinians.
> Nonetheless, in the districts of Salfit,
> Ramallah and Jerusalem where Wall
> contruction has been slowed by popular
> resistance and court cases, Palestinians
> remain
> determined to stop the Wall (a right recently
> affirmed by the International
> Court of Justice).
> Israeli Settlements Are Expanding at A Dramatic
> Pace: Israeli settlements are
> being built and expanded at an even more rapid
> pace than ever throughout the
> West Bank on Palestinian land, leading to daily
> changes in the landscape.
> Israeli Military Assault on Palestinians
> Continues: The Israeli military
> maintains a constant presence in villages,
> cities and on roads throughout the
> West
> Bank and Gaza, harassing, imprisoning and
> killing Palestinians as they
> attempt to carry on their daily lives. Many
> Israeli military actions seem to
> have
> little real relationship with "Israeli
> security." During the five and a half
> month period between the last two Palestinian
> suicide bombings (March 14 and
> August 31), 436 Palestinians were killed by the
> Israeli military.
> No Change in Political Status Quo: Under the
> pressure of the constant Israeli
> military onslaught, Palestinian society is
> fragmenting, with growing internal
> conflicts and chaos. Although there are some
> cracks in Israeli support for
> occupation, there is no indication of any major
> shifts in Israeli policy.
>
> Why Bother, It's Hopeless ? Given the
> competition between Bush and Kerry to
> each be seen as even more supportive of the
> right-wing Sharon government, it's
> more important than ever that we get accurate
> information out to the American
> public about what is happening on the ground in
> Israel and Palestine and about
> the impacts of US policies there. Eventually
> our collective efforts will
> lead to a change.
>
> I'm now working to organize talks in the
> northeast, from Vermont to
> Washington, DC. I prefer to co-present with
> others who have recently visited
> Israel
> and Palestine. A number of friends are ready
> to join me. Please contact me by
> e-mail if you are interested in organizing an
> event.
>
> I hope to hear back from you,
>
> Pat
>
> ----- End forwarded message -----
>
---------------------------------
Dear Friends,
I'm back in New York City after four months in
the West Bank with the International Solidarity
Movement (ISM) supporting Palestinians in
non-violent resistance to Israel's occupation.
In the West Bank I joined with villages
protesting against Israel's Apartheid Wall,
participated in a twenty day protest march along
the path of the Wall from Jenin in the northern
West Bank to Jerusalem, and documented the daily
impacts of the occupation in the northern West
Bank.
On the ground there are a number of major
developments to report on:
The Wall is Strengthening Israeli Control over
the West Bank: Where the wall has been built in
the northern West Bank, it has solidified Israeli
control over the land and daily lives of
Palestinians. Cutting Palestinians off from
their land has led to economic collapse.
Requiring difficult to obtain Israeli permits for
Palestinians to pass through gates in the Wall
and access their land has increased the cost of
resisting the occupation for Palestinians.
Nonetheless, in the districts of Salfit, Ramallah
and Jerusalem where Wall contruction has been
slowed by popular resistance and court cases,
Palestinians remain determined to stop the Wall
(a right recently affirmed by the International
Court of Justice).
Israeli Settlements Are Expanding at A
Dramatic Pace: Israeli settlements are being
built and expanded at an even more rapid pace
than ever throughout the West Bank on Palestinian
land, leading to daily changes in the landscape.
Israeli Military Assault on Palestinians
Continues: The Israeli military maintains a
constant presence in villages, cities and on
roads throughout the West Bank and Gaza,
harassing, imprisoning and killing Palestinians
as they attempt to carry on their daily lives.
Many Israeli military actions seem to have little
real relationship with "Israeli security."
During the five and a half month period between
the last two Palestinian suicide bombings (March
14 and August 31), 436 Palestinians were killed
by the Israeli military.
No Change in Political Status Quo: Under the
pressure of the constant Israeli military
onslaught, Palestinian society is fragmenting,
with growing internal conflicts and chaos.
Although there are some cracks in Israeli support
for occupation, there is no indication of any
major shifts in Israeli policy.
Why Bother, It's Hopeless ? Given the competition
between Bush and Kerry to each be seen as even
more supportive of the right-wing Sharon
government, it's more important than ever that we
get accurate information out to the American
public about what is happening on the ground in
Israel and Palestine and about the impacts of US
policies there. Eventually our collective
efforts will lead to a change.
I'm now working to organize talks in the
northeast, from Vermont to Washington, DC. I
prefer to co-present with others who have
recently visited Israel and Palestine. A number
of friends are ready to join me. Please contact
me by e-mail if you are interested in organizing
an event.
I hope to hear back from you,
Pat
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