ICAHD response to Israel's genocide - update & webinar Jeff ends with a plea for support of ICAHD. We are different from other organisations because we are not an NGO with a humanitarian/charitable brief, nor are we a solidarity group concentrating on activism and campaigns. Although ICAHD is involved in these activities, we go beyond those by filling a unique vacuum by formulating and advocating for a political solution that can be just and sustainable for all people groups. This statement was sent to us on 11^th January from Prof Richard Falk, Professor Emeritus of International Law at Princeton University and former UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory in response to ICAHD’s statement on Israel’s genocide of the Palestinian people : Thanks for circulating this extraordinary ICAHD statement, compelling at any time, amazing at this time! Jeff Halper and his associates are brave to support such an initiative given what we know about the atmosphere within Israel. At this critical moment when Gaza is experiencing ethnic cleansing and Israel faces censure for genocide at the International Court of Justice, we need your financial support now more than ever before. In 2024, we want to have a greater impact through increased media coverage and by reaching more people of influence and power with our resources. To achieve this, we need to raise an additional £20,000. We are therefore asking you to do three things: 3. Donate to ICAHD UKor ICAHD USA , a one-time gift or a regular donation. John Pilger - May His Legacy Continue ICAHD UK mourns the immense loss of one of the great journalists of our time, John Pilger, who died on 30^th December 2023. The excellence of his documentaries and writing is attested to by filmmakers, writers, politicians and colleagues the world over. He was a long-time supporter of the Palestinian struggle as illustrated in his film ‘Palestine Is Still the Issue’ and mentioned in his books. ICAHD UK was honoured to have John as one of our patrons and we were humbled by his respect for our work. Israel Before the ICJ: Is international law relevant? Photo: Khan Yunis after bombing - December 2023 Notice is given of the title of ICAHD UK’s next webinar which is being arranged for January. Speaking will be Munir Nuseibeh, Human rights lawyer and academic based at Al Quds University, Jerusalem, Robert Herbst, civil rights lawye r and Co-Chair of ICAHD USA, and an additional Palestinian lawyer to be announced. The discussion will be moderated by Jeff Halper. Further details will soon be released. December Demolition & Displacement Report Photo: Ras al 'Amud, East Jerusalem, 13 December 2023 - OCHA OPT Since 7 October 2023, most focus has been on Gaza and meanwhile Israeli authorities have accelerated the pace of demolitions in East Jerusalem and the West Bank. The demolitions in the above chart happened during December within East Jerusalem and the West Bank. The Jerusalem Municipality demolished 13 homes during December so by the end of 2023, a total of 140 homes had been demolished in East Jerusalem marking a 60% increase from the preceding year. Alongside these, 84 other structures, including shops and warehouses, were also demolished. During December, 25 homes in the West Bank were demolished in addition to 48 structures vital for living. December 26^th was a devastating day for people in the small village of Furush Beit Dajan village, east of Nablus. Several military vehicles and two bulldozers invaded the village in the morning. Six Palestinian homes were demolished which displaced 21 adults and eight children from six households. In addition, two agricultural structures and two irrigation ponds were demolished affecting the lives of another six adults and seven children from three households. Israel’s Civil Administration claimed that the homes were constructed without permits although some of them had been built before 1967 when Israel’s occupation of the West Bank began. Over the years, 78% of the village land has been confiscated for Israel’s illegal settlements. Since October, Israel has completely destroyed or rendered uninhabitable 65,000 residential units in Gaza. These demolitions are classified as military demolitions. They are homes demolished by the Israeli army during military operations for the purposes of clearing off a piece of land (for whatever reason) to achieve a military goal or to kill wanted persons as part of Israel’s policy of extrajudicial executions. In addition, 290,000 residential units have been damaged. Because these politicians still do not listen to the position of the British public, another demonstration will take place in London this Saturday. ICAHD UK will again march with the Jewish bloc which will assemble at 11.45 at Old Jewry, just off Poultry. The nearest underground is Bank. We invite our supporters to march with us and help distribute our latest flyer. This flyer is a valuable tool because we must ensure that the US, its European allies and Israel do not rush ahead to sign-off on a Palestinian “state” that would be nothing more than a chain of Israel-controlled bantustans. Saturday 27 January 2024 - Cafe Palestine - 4.00pm-6.00pm (UK time). 4.00pm-6.00pm (UK time). The UK Palestine Mental Health Network resumes their 'Cafe Palestine' webinars, focussing on mental health in Gaza with the aim of honouring the work of colleagues there, their professionalism, creativity and dedication. The Cafe will open with a presentation by Dr Samah Jabr. Further details and zoom link to follow shortly. Saturday 3^rd February 2024 - Cafe Palestine - 4.00pm-6.00pm (UK time). A second 'Cafe Palestine' webinar focussing on mental health in Gaza. Further detils and zoom link to follow shortly. 6 – 16 May – ICAHD Recommended Study Tour to Palestine/Israel Saturday, 19 October 2024 - ICAHD UK Conference in London. Details to follow in due course. From all at ICAHD UK. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Israeli-Committee-Against-House-Demolitions-UK/366423593418140 Facebook https://www.twitter.com/ICAHDUK/ Twitter http://icahduk.org Website mailto:info@icahduk.org Email The UN's International Court of Justice, The Hague January Actions Bulletin - 2024 * Watch Jeff Halper’s January Update on Genocide * Support ICAHD UK’s Urgent Need * Note Forthcoming Webinar on the ICJ * Read the December Demolition & Displacement Report * Attend the National Demonstration - Ceasefire Now * Order Our Flyer to Distribute in Your Locality * Dates for Your Diary January 2024 Video Update from Jeff Halper Jeff Halper, ICAHD’s Director, brings us his January update (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRS4tAn3YlM) which is about the Genocide Convention. He differentiates between state terrorism and non-state terrorism and explains that Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s Prime Minister, argues that states have the right to wage war. If innocents are killed, they are collateral damage. States cannot be terrorists because they do not intend to kill civilians. Listen to Jeff’s response to this in light of the legal definition of genocide and what could unfold with South Africa’s case about Israel’s genocide in Gaza presented before the International Court of Justice. OUR URGENT NEED We are very thankful that so many thousands of people regularly seek out ICAHD for vital information and analysis on how to resist apartheid and instead build a shared democracy in Israel-Palestine. 1. Read what has been achieved during 2023 and our aims for 2024. 2. Become a member of ICAHD UK. (https://icahd.org/join-us/) Keep wriing to your political representatives Attend the National Demonstration Both the British government and the Labour party need to wake up and listen to what the British public want in their overwhelming support for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. A YouGov poll (https://ygo-assets-websites-editorial-emea.yougov.net/documents/Results_MAP_231221_W.pdf) commissioned by Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) and the Council for Arab-British Understanding (CAABU) conducted the poll on 20 - 21 December 2023. It found that 71% of the British public believe there definitely (48%) or probably (23%) should be an immediate ceasefire in Israel and Palestine. Conversely, only 12% of people felt that there should definitely not (6%) or probably not (6%) be an immediate ceasefire. Order Your Supply of Flyers Our new flyer based on the article, Gaza, the Day After: the Battle Against Two-State Apartheid (https://icahd.org/2023/11/09/gaza-the-day-after-the-battle-against-two-state-apartheid/) , has proved very popular. Order copies to distribute where you live Dates for Your Diary Saturday, 13^th January – National Demonstration for Palestine, departing noon from Bank Junction, central London. ICAHD UK meeting point at the Blue Plaque on Old Jewry, London EC2R 8DN. 4 – 14 November – ICAHD Recommended Study Tour to Palestine/Israel Many thanks for your ongong support. If you're not already a member of ICAHD UK, please join us (https://icahd.org/join-us/) or make a donation (https://icahd.org/donate-now/) to enable our campaign to spread at this critical time in history. — ICAHD (icahd.org) /newsletter/icahd-response-to-israels-genocide-update-webinar