BDS National Committee (BNC), Occupied Palestine, 26 February 2009 â The fifth international Israeli Apartheid Week (IAW) â occurring in over 40 cities in Palestine and worldwide â will be held across the West Bank from 2-8 March 2009.
***image2***This is the second year of IAW in the West Bank, and will feature lectures, film screenings, art and photography exhibits, cultural events and demonstrations aimed at deepening the apartheid analysis of Israel, and to gather support for the growing local-Palestinian and international movement for Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) until Israel complies with international law.
The theme of this yearâs IAW is âStanding United with the Peopleâs of Gazaâ a focus which comes in the wake of the brutal Israeli military attacks on the people of Gaza in early 2009, which killed over 1,400 Palestinians (overwhelmingly civilians), and sparked widespread protests and indignation worldwide.
Campus and refugee camp boycott campaigns will be launched and developed during the week, in the lead-up to the 30 March (Land Day) BDS global day of action.
Since it was launched in 2005, IAW has grown to become one of the most important global events in the Palestine solidarity calendar. Last year, more than 25 cities around the world participated in the week’s activities, which also commemorated 60 years since the expulsion of the Palestinian people from their homes and land in 1947-1948. Attending IAW is important for anyone interested in understanding and connecting with the rising student and youth movement in the West Bank that has taken a pivotal role in organizing and mobilizing against Israeli apartheid, occupation and colonialism.
The full list of locations is as follows:
Jerusalem: al-Quds University (Abu Dis), Shuâfat Refugee Camp
Ramallah: Birzeit University, Jalazon Refugee Camp
Bethlehem: Beit Sahour and ‘Aida Refugee Camp
Hebron: Fawwar Refugee Camp
Jenin: Arab-American University, Jenin Refugee Camp
Jericho: al-Quds Open University, Aqabat Jabr Refugee Camp
Nablus: al-Najah University, Balata Refugee Camp
Tulkarem: al-Quds Open Unversity, al-Khadouri Collge, Nur Shams Refugee Camp
Tubas: Farâa Refugee Camp