This year the 9th of July is a bitter day for Palestinians. The Occupation Army besieges Gaza, massacres its people and attacks its infrastructure. The ghettos of the West Bank take shape as the Apartheid Wall edges closer to completion and the Palestinian exodus from Jerusalem has begun. Over 9000 Palestinians rot in Israeli prison cells whilst Palestinians who remain on their 1948 lands do so under the subjugation of the most vicious and discriminatory Apartheid system.
The brief euphoria of two years ago, following the ruling of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the Wall, is a distant memory. As the Palestinian people prepare to march to the UN offices, they know that no governments or international organizations have taken up this most recent verdict to halt the escalation of the Occupation in Palestine.
Our hopes thus rest with the people themselves, to accelerate boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) to isolate Apartheid Israel and punish it for the war crimes it pursues against us. We look to our supporters, amongst the millions of justice seeking people across the world that are engaged in pushing forward solidarity actions and restoring some dignity to international law.
See a (incomplete) list of actions below.
Others are also set to take to the streets in the coming days.
Belgium
A large number of Belgium organizations have united to call for a rally in front of the Foreign Affairs Ministry calling for an end to Israeli crimes and the enforcement of international law.
Date: 6th of July
Time: 12.30 am â 2 pm
Place : Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 15, rue des Petits Carmes, 1000 Bruxelles
Organizers: lâAssociation Belgo-palestinienne, Centre National de Coopération au Développement (CNCD), CoCab, Coordination Nationale d’Action pour la Paix et la Démocratie (CNAPD), Mouvement International de la Réconciliation et l’Internationale des Résistant-e-s à la Guerre (MIR-IRG), Service Civil International (SCI), Solidarité Socialiste, Union des Progressistes Juifs de Belgique (UPJB), Vrede.
Brazil
Brazilian activists are escalating their efforts in solidarity with the Palestinian people. The Brazilian organizations have a particular target: the signing of a Free Trade Agreement between the Mercosur countries (which includes Brazil) and Israel. To sign the online petitions go to: https://www.petitiononline.com/pal2006/petition.html
Canada
The Coalition for Justice and Peace in Palestine (CJPP) has organized a rally in solidarity with the Palestinian people, reminding their government of its obligations according to international law and the ICJ decision.
Date: Saturday, 8th of July
Time: 1 pm
Place: Avenue du Parc, Montréal
âBreak the siege on the Palestinian peopleâ is the slogan of the rally and march that activists in Vancouver are promoting in support of Palestinian rights and against the ongoing Israeli crimes and violations of human rights and international law.
Date: Saturday 8th of July
Time: 1:00pm
Place: Vancouver Art Gallery-Robson Side (Hornby & Robson, Vancouver)
Catalunya
Around 350 people filled the central Plaza San Jaume in Barcelona to protest against the Zionist aggression on the Palestinian people and to ask for the immediate implementation of international law.
Chile
Solidarity activists have organized rallies, press conferences and are collecting signatures urging their parliament to withdraw their ambassador from Tel Aviv.
France:
Demonstrators had gathered in Strassbourg in front of the EU parliament as MPs met inside to discuss statements on Palestine. The protestors held signs encouraging boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS); adherence to international law, and for an end to the destruction of Palestine. The press covered the event and at least one member of the Parliament, Karl Wurst, took notes from discussions with demonstrators. By passers spontaneously expressed their solidarity.
Date: Wednesday, 5th of July
Place: In front of the European Parliament
Greece
Intifada, the Greek association of solidarity with the Palestinian people has called for a rally and demonstration to the embassies of USA and Israel. The association condemns the Occupationâs latest attacks and states: âIn this difficult period Palestinians are facing, the so called even handed policies âlike those implemented by the government of ND and PASOK in our country- in fact allow Israel to continue their murderous operations. Today, international solidarity needs to express in every possible way, that there is only one way forward: to stop immediately the attempted genocide.â
Date: Tuesday, 11th of July
Time: 7.pm
Place: Rally in the Park of Freedom (Hall of Music)
The Hellenic Federation of University Teachers’ Associations, POSDEP, has answered the call from their Palestinian colleagues from universities in the Gaza Strip. It has issued a statement clearly condemning the Israeli invasion, demanding such attacks stop and calling for the international academic community to act in every expedient way, so that Israel will immediately end the catastrophe that it inflicts on Palestine.
Indonesia
Demonstrations in Jakarta as well as lobbying efforts have ensured the Indonesian government together with the national tennis federation have decided to cancel a tennis match scheduled with their Israeli counterparts in protest over the Zionist aggressions.
Italy
Pisa
âStop the continuous Israeli military attacks and the systematic destruction of Palestinian life and societyâ was the slogan under which the rally in front of the leaning tower in Pisa was held. Flags were displayed around the landmark as activists distributed flyers.
Date: Thursday, 6th of July
Time: 6pm
Place: Piazza dei Miracoli, Pisa
Organizers: comunità palestinese di Pisa – il Circolo ARCI agorà – il Forum Contadino – La Rete dei Comunisti, Pisa – l’Ass. comunista Pianeta Futuro – il PRC Essere Comunisti – il gruppo Jagerstatter per la nonviolenza – il PRC federazione di Pisa – i Verdi per la pace, Pisa – lo Spazio Antagonista Newroz – l’Associazione Cooperazione Nord Sud “Il chicco di senape”
Florence
Activists are calling for an evening of solidarity with the Palestinian people denouncing the war crimes of the Occupation and Europeâs shameful embargo on the Palestinian people. The activists demand the Wall to fall and the end of military agreements between Israel and Italy.
Date: Saturday, 8th of July
Time: 8.30 pm
Place: Centro Popolare Autogestito Firenze sud in via Villamagna 27/a
Organizers: Forum Palestina e Coordinamento toscano solidarietà con la Palestina (Cpa Fi-sud, Circolo ARCI Agorà di Pisa, Comitato lucchese di solidarietà con l’Intifada, Comitato a sostegno della resistenza del popolo palestinese – Versilia, Associazione Wael Zweiter – per la protezione del popolo palestinese-MS, Gruppo di sostegno per uno stato palestinese -MS e Carrara, Cecina Social Forum)
Rome
A series of Italian social justice and solidarity organizations are launching a campaign under the slogan: âPalestine: No walls, no silenceâ. The Campaign is aimed at raising awareness about the Occupationâs ongoing crimes and to find ways to get the message out in the media as well as influencing Italian foreign policy.
Date: 7th of July (opening event)
Time: 8 pm â 12 pm
Place: Piazza Farnesina, Rome
Luxembourg:
17 social justice organisations from Luxembourg have signed a common communiqué to remember the 2nd anniversary of the ruling of International Court of Justice against the Wall, whilst asking European governments to pressure Israel to respect and implement of international law.
On Saturday July 8th the organisations will have a information stand in the heart of the capital Luxembourg City.
Netherlands:
The Dutch Palestine Committee has called two demonstrations to stop Israelâs war on Palestinians.
Date: Friday, 7th of July
Place: Amsterdam [Spui] 12.45 am – 1.45 pm
Den Haag/ Scheveningen [Boulevard] 3 pm â 7pm
Spain
Spanish organizations have united to call for a rally under the slogan âPalestina: No to European complicity!â The coalition of organizations calls for Peace, justice and Freedom for Palestine and, in particular, for the suspension of the Association Agreement between Europe and the Occupation, the immediate end to the military siege on the Palestinian people, the withdrawal of all tanks and troops and the release of detained ministers, members of the Palestinian Legislative Council and the thousands of Palestinians taken hostages and currently in Israeli prisons.
Date: Wednesday, 12th of July
Time: 7.30 pm
Place: Palace of the European Commission, Pº Castellana nº46. Metro Rubén DarÃo.
Organizers: CCOO, UGT, IU, Foro Social de Madrid, USO, STES, PCE, Asociación de la Comunidad Hispano-Palestina âJerusalénâ, ACSUR- Las Segovias , Comunidades Cristianas Populares , CEAR , Comité Oscar Romero , CSCA , Paz con Dignidad, Espacio Alternativo, Plataforma âPalestina Ahoraâ , ONG âPaz Ahoraâ.
South Africa
South African Palestinian Solidarity Campaign along with other solidarity organizations are to hold a press conference to discuss the Gaza situation. Participants at the conference will include Willie Madisha (president of COSATU), Eddie Makue (general secretariat of the South African Council of Churches), Ali Halimeh (Palestinian Ambassador to South Africa), Virginia Tilley (academic and author), Dr Abu ‘Ala (Gaza University Teachers’ Association, on a telephonic link from Gaza), as well as members of South Africa’s solidarity movements. Participants will state their positions on the Gaza situation and discuss plans to support the Palestinian people by calling for the withdrawal of South Africa’s ambassador from Israel and the implementation of a boycott and sanctions campaign against Israeli apartheid. âThis was our call to the world during our struggle against apartheid in South Africa; Palestinians are now calling on the world to do the same in support of their struggle.â
Date: Monday, 10th of July
Time: 2.30 pm
Place: Johannesburg, Tenth floor of Cosatu House, 1, Leyds Street, Braamfontein
Organizers: PSC SA
United Kingdom
The Palestine Solidarity Campaign has organized a demonstration outside the
British Foreign Office to underline their ongoing campaign âHelp Margaret Beckett see the Light!â that invites the British public to send the UK Foreign minister candles and tea lights.
Date: Wednesday, 12th July
Time: 5.30pm – 7.00pm
Place: in front of the Foreign Office, London
War on Want organizes a peopleâs tribunal to present their report âProfiting from the Occupationâ and to indict the multinationals that continue to break international law and human rights by trading with the Occupation.
Date: Sunday, 9th of July
Time: 11 am â 6 pm
Place: Auditorium, Amnesty International 17-25 New Inn Yard, London EC2A 3EA
United States
New York
A broad coalition of solidarity and social justice organizations have called for a rally in front of the UN in New York. The protest is to condemn the latest attacks of the Occupation against the Palestinian people. A group of organizations will present a letter to the Security Council and to Secretary-General Kofi Annan demanding an end to Israeli aggression and calling upon the international community to protect the lives of Palestinians.
Date: Thursday, 6th of July
Time: 4.30pm
Place: 1st Avenue E and 47th St, Manhatten by Dag Hammarskjold Park â Few blocks from the United Nations)
Organizers: The New York Chapter of the National Council of Arab-Americans, the International Solidarity Movement, the New York Campaign for Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions, The Arab American Muslim Federation, the International Socialist Organization, the Troops Out Now Coalition, the International Action Center, and ADC New York.
Community organizers called for a Day of Action In Defense of Palestine and held an awareness raising event in New York. The activists have formed several groups to hand out leaflets in front of the mosques at the end of the Friday prayers and by the local church. Activists then gathered and walked through Bay Ridge, Brooklyn with leaflets and free black armbands as symbols of solidarity with Palestinians. They collected money for medical and nutritional supplies to Gaza while sharing ideas on what the community can do next to support the struggle.
Date: Friday, 7th of July
Time: 1.30 pm
Place: 7111 5th, Bay Ridge, New York
Organizers: Al Awda in Bay Ridge
Los Angeles
Responding to the recent Israeli military incursion in Gaza and crisis resulting from aid cuts to the Palestinian people, activists called upon all people of conscience to join a protest demanding “Justice for Palestine!” in Los Angeles.
Date: Friday, 7th of July,
Time: 2pm â 5pm
Place: Westwood Federal Building, 11000 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles
Organizers: Muslim American Society Freedom Foundation; A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition, including member groups Free Palestine Alliance and Palestinian American Women’s Association; and National Council of Arab Americans, Council on American-Islamic Relations, Muslim Public Affairs Council, Islamic Circle of North America and Shura Council of Southern California, Al-Awda Los Angeles.
San Francisco
Palestine activists are calling for a rally to protest the Israeli onslaught on the Palestinian people in front of the Israeli consulate. The day after, the 4th Annual Al Awda Convention at San Francisco State University will start.
Date: Thursday, 13th of July
Time: 4:30 pm
Place: Consulate Of Israel, 456 Montgomery St. San Francisco.
Atlanta
Activists in Atlanta, to protest the siege on Gaza and the Occupation, called an Emergency Demonstration in Solidarity with Palestine.
Date: Wednesday, 5th of July 5th
Time: 4:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Place: Across the street from the Israeli consulate, 1100 Spring Street, Atlanta, GA