November news & seasons greetings cards

Greetings cards for sale, reporting back from this autumns awareness-raising tour, our sponsored walk, plus events coming up...

Did you know that just last week 26 structures were demolished and 160 Palestinians displaced? The OCHA OpT report (pictured above) details Palestinian fatalities and injuries by Israeli forces.

1) Recent news (#recent news)

2) Recent activities: - sponsored walk (#sponsored walk) - Ruth Edmonds tour (#ruth tour)

3) Jeff Halper's analysis (#jh)

4) Events coming up - Palestinian films (#pff) - 2015 Conference (#2015 conference) - Summer Rebuilding (#rebuilding)

5) Season's Greetings cards (#cards) - Buy yours now!

6) Useful tool to contact your MEP (#mep)

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Israeli-Committee-Against-House-Demolitions-UK/ http://www.twitter.com/icahduk http://info@icahduk.org

The UK parliament has recognised Palestine and Israel increases its collective punishment by returning to punitive house demolitions (despite the Israeli Army commission themselves previously concluding house demolitions not to be an effective deterrent). Punitive demolitions are carried out against innocent civilians or those considered to be ‘suspects’ - without the need for proof or trial. More Jewish settlements have been erected in East Jerusalem, more Palestinian houses and land have been seized, many more people arrested, and violent fights have once again erupted over holy sites especially Haram al-Sharif (Temple Mount), heightening tensions and resulting in bloodshed on both sides. See a short video here. Netanyahu threatens an “iron fist” and Abbas receives this as a declaration of war. However the newest EU foreign affairs chief suggests the official EU position is also one that supports a Palestinian state, and talks of sanctions are going ahead. Now is the time to ramp up our opposition to the Occupation and call Israel to account.

It was gratifying to hear ICAHD’s name being invoked a few times by speakers (together with Breaking the Silence, Peace Now and others), and to see so many MPs that have taken ICAHD tours or been briefed by us in Parliament participate in the debate. Recognizing Palestine as a state is problematic at this stage, of course, because it locks us into a two-state situation at a time when it seems clear that is not a realistic option, making it more difficult to move beyond it. But the intent was genuinely supportive of the Palestinians and all of us working for a just peace. Together we now need to maintain pressure on our MPs to ensure the vote is used as a platform and can have a positive impact in keeping Palestine on the agenda.

- 25 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall and 10 years since the UN declared the Israeli apartheid wall to be illegal under International Law, we celebrate this protestor breaking through the wall as an act of resistance. - Photo by the Popular Struggle Coordination Committee.

() As you may know, as well as more than 2,100 (mostly civilian) Palestinians killed, over ** 18,000 homes were also destroyed or made uninhabitable in Gaza during Israel's offensive this summer, bringing the total number since 1967 to 48,000+. The destruction of homes of course includes the loss of belongings under rubble, and renders some families homeless and destitute, and others terminally displaced. Or cramped into sharing accommodation with relatives, with an untenable bill to pay for the cost of their homes demolition. ICAHD activists on the ground report that most of these homes now are still standing in ruins. - Palestinian schoolgirls walk across a destroyed part of the Shujayea neighborhood of Gaza City, November 4th, 2014. - Photo by Anne Paq/Activestills.

- We enjoyed lovely September weather whilst walking the Devil's Punchbowl, in Hindhead, Surrey.

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Ruth’s awareness-raising tour started with a sponsored walk in Surrey then went on to reach an audience of over 400 people in London, Oxford, Witney, Leamington Spa, Ascot, Worcester, Birmingham, Thursley and Brighton, and raised a total of £1,252 for ICAHD.

We gained many new additions to our mailing list, and articles were published about the events in two local newspapers. During the public meetings, Ruth shared platforms with the Palestinian anti-conscription activists from the Galilee String Quartet, Brian Brown of Kairos Britain, and in addition was asked to speak to staff at Oxfam's HQ and at a fringe meeting sponsored by the Lib Dem Friends of Palestine during the Liberal Democrat Party Conference in Glasgow, where she was joined by Chris Doyle of CAABU, and Palestinian student Malaka Shwaykh.

Thank you to our volunteers, Jean and Mayonne, and generous hosts in all places visited, who without their tireless help we would not have managed this! Due to high demand we are already taking bookings for another tour, please do contact us asap if you wish to host a tour in your local community.

In addition to telling her story of peace activism and ICAHD's work, she explained that in Israel itself the reaction to Israel’s recent punitive onslaught on Gazan’s this summer has polarised society, and Ruth described a shift to the right on all levels of the political spectrum, identifying the unpleasant treatment meted out to those resisting the Israeli government. She pointed out that Palestinian peace activists are dealt with much more harshly than their Jewish colleagues.

She strongly advocated BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) - adopted by Palestinians as non-violent resistance - and the lobbying of political representatives as effective strategies for change. These policies can break the cycle of violence and lead to a just and sustainable peace for both Israelis and Palestinians. You can find a list of companies to boycott ** here

- Ruth Edmonds referencing maps and answering questions during her 10 day tour.

, which states that "No matter what their crimes, homes of law-breakers should not be demolished; indeed, international law and even Israeli domestic law prohibits it. With the collapse of any “peace process” the conflict runs the risk of deteriorating into purely atavistic revenge. That is what the return to punitive demolitions portends."

- Israeli bulldozers, working under police protection, demolish an Arab hotel complex to make way for settler homes (AFP, from Middle East Eye).

Nov 28th - Dec 11th - London ()

Saturday May 30th 2015, 10am - 5pm - Amnesty International Action Centre, London ()

July 19th - Aug 4th, 2015 - Israel/Palestine ()

- Image from our 2013 Rebuidling Camp.

These cards are printed on 100% recycled card with chlorine free inks. A pack of 5 will only cost you £5, or buy 2 packs for £9, 3 packs £13, 4 packs for £17, or 5 for £20.

AND FINALLY...

() Useful new tool to contact your MEP