Wolverhampton Palestine Solidarity activity 2005-13

for latest info on local Palestine activities click here https://www.wolvestuc.org.uk/wolverhampton-palestine-solidarity-campaign

for details of British arms exports to Israel see here:  https://www.wolvestuc.org.uk/wolverhampton-link-to-arms-exports-to-israel

Get in touch:   e-mail      wolvespsc@gmail.com   or ring 01902 450640

or on Facebook under Palestine Solidarity Campaign Wolverhampton

 Wolves PSC Planning Meetings – all members are welcome. Let us know if you’d like to join us.

national website of PSC https://palestinecampaign.org/

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previous local activities 2005-2013:

PSC lobby parliament on Wednesday 27th November 2013.  By lobbying MPs directly we can put pressure on the government to support international law and end Israeli expansion and occupation.

A record number of local people will be attending the lobby of all of Wolverhampton’s three MPs

Many thanks to all those of you who contributed to the Fundraising Garden party – we raised £355! – a great many thanks.

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Over 4,812 Palestinians are currently detained by Israel; 12 of them women, 219 of them children, and 178 of them held in administrative detention – without charge or trial

The Palestine Solidarity Campaign works for peace & justice for Palestinians, in support of human rights & against all racism

Take action: Palestinian prisoners’ day

Join the global campaign to Stop Administrative Detention, a form of detention without charge or trial. Adameer – the prisoners’ rights organisation in Palestine – have launched a campaign against administrative detention to coincide with Palestinian Prisoners’ Day – 17th April. Visit the PSC website for information on protests and events.

Administrative detention empowers Israel’s military commanders to detain an individual for up to six months. This process can be continued indefinitely. Detainees are not informed of the reasons of their detention; neither are their lawyers

Please ask your MP to sign this EDM or write to the Foreign Secretary to urge the UK Government to pressure Israel to release administrative detainees and to put an end to such an unjust, arbitrary and cruel system of incarceration without trial.

PUBLIC MEETING was held on Friday 19th April 2013 – The Palestinian Political Prisoners

St Andrews Church Hall,  Wolverhampton WV6

SPEAKERS: Ismail Patel Friends of Al Aqsa and Betty Hunter, President Palestine Solidarity Campaign

Leafleting of Sainsbury’s St Georges, Wolverhampton: Sainsbury’s has begun a dialog with campaigners about it’s settlement produce but we need to step up the pressure to adopt a clearer policy in line with the cooperative supermarkets.

We are asking our local supporters in Wolverhampton to do two things:

1. Join us outside supermarkets to hold placards and hand out leaflets.  We will organise ourselves not to cause any obstruction.  We also plan to hand in a letter to the duty manager explaining our actions. Contact for next dates:
Wolverhampton PSC  Tel: 01902 450640   wolvespsc@yahoo.co.uk

2. Sign the online petition at: petition http://psc.iparl.com/lobby/94
This is an easy to use online tool, it will take only 2 minutes to activate and will allow everybody to take part.

http://www.palestinecampaign.org/

Friday 15th March 2013 – FREE Filmshow  ‘Five Broken cameras’, promoting the struggle for peace with justice for the Palestinian people.

Veolia’s activities in occupied Palestine

• Operate Tramway linking illegal settlements in East Jersualem
• Operate Ayalon Sewage Treatment Plant treating Sewage from illegal settlements.
•  Refuse collection from settlements for the Tovlan Land fill site

Westminster on 28th November 2012  – a number of Wolverhampton activists travelled to London to lobby our MPs and had positive responses from Pat McFadden and Emma Reynolds.

Over 100 attended a PEACE AND JUSTICE candlelight VIGIL FOR GAZA on 23rd November 2012, Queen’s Square called by Wolverhampton Palestine Solidarity Campaign against the Israeli attacks and siege on Gaza.

Operation “Pillar of Cloud” comes 4 years after “Operation Cast Lead” in which nearly 1500 Palestinians were killed, and Israel committed crimes against humanity in using White Phosphorus, a chemical weapon illegal under international law.

After eight days of brutal bombardment, which left 160 Palestinians dead, around 40 of them children and 5 Israelis, a ceasefire was called.

Atrocious weather did not deter 10-15,000 protesters from marching to show their solidarity for Gaza on 24 November in London from Downing Street to the Israeli embassy in Kensington.

Veolia success – see below

Wolves PSC’s Campaign successfully called on Wolverhampton City Council not to extend its waste disposal contract with Veolia, a company involved with building transport links across Palestinian land into territory occupied illegally under International law.

The UK government and the United Nations have repeatedly stated their view that Israel’s building of settlements in the illegally occupied West Bank and its annexation of East Jerusalem are in breach of international law. The UN has demanded that the Israeli settlement activity and occupation should not be supported;

Veolia has accepted contracts in Jerusalem in contravention of international law and United Nations resolutions. In particular, it was a leading partner in the consortium which established and operates a tramway between West Jerusalem and the Israeli settlement of Pisgat Zeev, which is in clear violation of international law and relevant United Nations resolutions. It is still a minor shareholder in this operation and operates Israeli-only bus lines 109 & 110 to settlements;

http://westmidspsc.org/boycott/?p=327  details of latest more success to dump Veolia

Don’t be taken in by the argument art and politics can be separated. Israel’s Foreign Ministry doesn’t separate them. They say:

“We will send well-known novelists and writers overseas, theatre companies, exhibits… This way you show Israel’s prettier face so we are not thought of purely in the context of war”; and, “Batsheva are [Israel’s] best global ambassadors”.

Batsheva are part of the BRAND ISRAEL initiative funded by the Israeli government to whitewash Israel’s image overseas.

Bin Veolia petition – petitioning in Queen Square took places on Saturday 22nd September 2012

Loss of Innocence – Art from the Children of Gaza

15th – 22nd September 2012  Exhibition at St Peter’s Collegiate Church,, Wolverhampton

The exhibition, compiled by Chester and Palestine Exchanges, draws on childhood experiences of the 2008/9 military offensive; the deaths, the trauma, the fear, and forms of resistance.  They also show the children’s hopes for a peaceful, rural life.

Opening Event at St Peter’s- 10.30am Saturday 15th September  Special guest speaker:

Nader Abu Amsha, Director of the Rehabilitation programme at the YMCA in Bethlehem which works with disabled young people in the West Bank.  The YMCA is a Christian Aid Partner, part of their Church Partnership Scheme and the focus of fundraising by Wolverhampton Christian Aid.

Palestine Solidarity Campaign public meeting on the Egyptian Election & the Arab Revolutions Sunday 24th June 2012 with Mostafa Bassiouny a senior journalist on Al-Tahrir newspaper, who is invited by Birmingham Trade Union Council – talking on the Arab uprisings @ Amanah Bordesley Community Centre, Camp Hill Birmingham B11 4A

80 people attended a public meeting with Clare Short, organised by Wolves PSC on Friday 20th April 2012.

Speaker Clare Short, the former MP for Birmingham Ladywood and Secretary of State for International Development spoke about the moral equivalence of the apartheid situation in South Africa and the suffering of the Palestinian people, and the moral duty of all people of conscience to take action to achieve a just settlement.

Wolverhampton ‘Bin Veolia’ Campaign was launched to persuade Wolverhampton City Council to ditch it’s confidential waste contract with Veolia, a company involved with building transport links across Palestinian land into territory occupied illegally under International law.

• How to deal with Zionists’ arguments.
  • What to say to those who call us anti-Semitic?
  • What are settlements?
  • What will boycotting Israeli goods achieve?

Three experienced campaigners, Alan Goater, Miriam Walton and Naeem Malik, led the workshop. We aim to learn from and help each other to be better informed and to plan future initiatives for Wolverhampton in an informative and informal environment.

public meeting Friday 25th June’10  with Ken Purchase, former member of Parliamentary Foreign affairs Committee on his recent visit to the Occupied Palestinian Territories plus eyewitness, speaker Ibrahim Musaji,  who was a survivor of the Gaza Flotilla, attacked by Israel.

Very good turnout about 60 there on a Friday night plenty of Palestinian produce sold on stalls and calls for all there to promote boycott of Israeli goods

May 2010 MEETING WITH PALESTINIAN TRADES UNIONISTS

Two members of the PGFTU – the Palestinian General Federation of Trades Unions – were to be giving a talk, followed by a discussion, on the topic of Palestinian Workers under Occupation. This is a joint UNISON-WMPSC meeting, part of a speaking tour organised by PGFTU.

Fathi Nasser is Legal Adviser of the PGFTU. Fathy, a Palestinian from Nablus, is a lawyer by profession and has been working on legal matters with the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions (PGFTU) since the mid 80s. Laila N. Sha’ar of the PGFTU Women’s Department is from Ramallah, and her background in finance and administration led her to be involved with public sector trade unions in Palestine as well as being a representative of Palestinian women workers.

Unfortunately the visit from the Palestine General Federation of Trade Unions (PGFTU), sponsored by the Nick Burdon and Denis Blockley Fund,  has had to be cancelled because of visa problems that have arisen at the British Embassy in Jordan.

In the past Palestinians travelling via Jordan have had a wait of around two/three days in Amman before they received their visas.  Fathi left Nablus in time to be in London on Sunday 16th May and likewise Laila was preparing to leave to join us later.  Having talked to Fathi he tells me that unbeknown to him the regulations have changed and he has been waiting now in Jordan for more than a week. We have tried, with the help of various friends – TUC, Palestinian Delegate in London, MPs etc. – to try to expedite the matter but to no avail.

model letter to send to Gordon Brown re prosecution of war criminals:

The Rt Hon Gordon Brown MP

10 Downing Street

London SW1A 2AA

United Kingdom

March  2010

Dear Prime Minister,

I am shocked at suggestions by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office minister Ivan Lewis and foreign secretary David Miliband that Britain may consider changing its laws to avoid any future attempts to prosecute suspected war criminals, Israeli or otherwise. The UK must not renege on its international treaty obligations, particularly those under the fourth Geneva convention to seek out and prosecute persons suspected of war crimes wherever and whoever they are, whatever their status, rank or influence, against whom good prima facie evidence has been laid. We must reject any attempt to undermine the judiciary’s independence and integrity. A judge who finds sufficient evidence of a war crime must have power to order the arrest of a suspect, subject to the usual rights to bail and appeal.

The power to arrest individuals reasonably suspected of war crimes anywhere in the world should they set foot on UK soil is an efficient and necessary resource in the struggle against war crimes, and must not be interfered with. Nor should the government succumb to pressure from any foreign power to alter this crucial aspect of the judicial process. We urge the government to state clearly that it will not alter the law on universal jurisdiction and will continue to allow victims of war crimes to seek justice in British courts.

Yours sincerely,  Name: Address:  Postcode:  Email Address:  Signature:

Jan 2010 – Viva Palestina Aid Convoy Arrives in Gaza

 

Israel Out of Gaza,   END THE BLOCKADE,

STOP ARMS SALES TO ISRAEL,  FREE PALESTINE,

BRING THE WAR CRIMINALS TO JUSTICE

Saturday 16th May 2009 NATIONAL DEMONSTRATION – Wolves PSC delegation attended
Remember GAZA… End the Siege…Free Palestine  Central London – Rally Trafalgar Square.

Called by Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Stop the War Coalition, British Muslim Initiative, Palestinian Forum in Britain and Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. CLICK HERE for details of national leaflet.

Wolverhampton activity raises over £10,000 in support of Gaza

A magnificent £10,200 has so far been raised for Disaster Emergencies Committee – no thanks to the BBC  –  over double the initial target!

Gaza Humanitarian Appeal Bazaar was a huge success with hundreds packing out the Bilal Mosque community Centre from 10am to 4pm finish.

Saturday 7th February – Boycott Israeli Products – leafletting of major supermarkets including Sainsburys, Waitrose, Asda etc

Friday 6th February 6pm – No Arms Sales to Israel – Lobby of Pat McFadden MP at his surgery All Saints Community Centre,  took place before constituents attended the surgery to urge him to call for an embargo on British arms exports to Israel.  He said that he agreed Britain should continue to arm the Israeli state. Ken Purchase and Rob Marris, the other two Wolverhampton MPs both disagree with that view.

Saturday 24th January  –   End the Blockade of Gaza, Boycott Israeli Goods Wolverhampton 10-30am to 12noon – Five-Ways Island, Stafford Road A449  mass vigil. We hope to build on the success of last Friday’s vigil when over 200 people took part at short notice.

National DEMONSTRATION, FOR GAZA – London: others from Wolverhampton went to London in support of the national rally with speakers in Portland Place from 2pm before the demonstration set off.  The demonstration went to Downing Street and rally at Trafalgar Square.

Monday 19 January Demonstration outside UAV Engines, of Lichfield, Staffordshire – evidence that has been revealed that the company is building engines that are used in Israel’s military drones that are aiding the attacks on Gaza.

UAV engines (known as UEL) is owned by the Israel drone specialists Silver Arrow, a subsidiary of the Israeli defence contractor Elbit systems. One of its rotary Wankel engines is used in Elbit’s Hermes 450 drone. A version of the 450 makes up a squadron of the Israeli air force and has been seen over Gaza in the current conflict, being used for surveillance and targeting for Israel’s F-16 strike fighters. Elbit’s own website suggests that the Lichfield factory produces engines for the Hermes.  The demonstration called for an end to arms sales to Israel and an end to Israeli violent repression of the Palestinian people. The factory is situated on Lynn Lane, Shenstone, Lichfield, WS14 0DT

SATURDAY 17 JANUARY BIRMINGHAM DEMONSTRATION

2,000 joined this march and rally in Victoria Square, Birmingham. Called by Stop The War Coalition, West Midlands Palestine Solidarity Campaign and the Muslim Association of Britain.

Friday 16th January 2009 ‘ Silent Vigil’ Stop the Gaza Massacre
Venue: Queens Square, Wolverhampton 4.30 to 6pm, around 220 protesters gathered with candles, wearing black clothing, carrying placards – a fantastic turnout, called at short notice.

Called by UKIM, Wolverhampton Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Wolves TUC

FRIDAY 16 JANUARY 5PM SANDWELL – FREE GAZA DEMONSTRATION IN OLDBURY

Sandwell FREE GAZA Demonstration, outside Sandwell Council in Oldbury

There will be a peaceful demonstration outside Sandwell Council House in Oldbury.
on Friday 16th January from 5.00 pm till 6.30pm. Please bring candles in memory of all those women and children killed in the last few weeks by the Israeli Army(IDF)

THURSDAY 15 JANUARY 8 PM , PUBLIC MEETING IN WOLVERHAMPTON

Thursday 15th January 2009 ‘Holocaust in Gaza’ Public Meeting Venue: UKIM Masjid 213 Newhampton Road East. Time: 8pm.

THURDAY 15 JANUARY 5.PM PROTEST VIGIL IN WALSALL

THURSDAY 15 JANUARY 7.30 P.M. PUBLIC MEETING IN WALSALL

Speakers: Kamel Hawwash (Palestine Solidarity Campaign) Cllr Mohammed Arif (Conservative) Cllr Mohammad Nazir (Labour) Phil Bennion (Liberal Democrat) Speaker from Friends of Al Aqsa (tbc) Chris Nineham (Stop the War Coalition)

Two full coaches went to each of the GAZA NATIONAL EMERGENCY DEMONSTRATIONS, 3rd and 10th of January went from Wolverhampton. People were turned away as spaces ran out.  40 coaches went from the West Midlands on the latest demo.

The second national emergency demonstration in London was by far the largest ever in support of Palestine, it seems over 100,000.  Wolverhampton TUC joined forces with the local UK Islamic Mission and other mosques along with the local Palestine Solidarity Group.

We never saw the beginning or end, it was so big. We marched from Hyde Park to the Israeli Embassy, though most of us never reached there as the police cut the demo in half and blocked off side streets.  We were stuck for over an hour hemmed in until side roads were opened and we managed to cut around to the front. By this time the rally was over.  The hunt for coaches was reminiscent of the Poll Tax demos when coaches were parked far and wide luckily mobile phone communication saved a few more hours hunting than it did in the old days!

The greater the outcry against Israel’s war crimes, the quicker governments will be pressured into a concerted demand that Israel end its inhuman attack on a defenceless population.

Half of Gaza’s population of 1.5 million Palestinians are children, dozens of whom have been killed or injured in the past week. Hospitals in Gaza are overflowing with dead and wounded while facing severe shortages of essential medical supplies. Hospitals have no electricity and say their

emergency generators are close to collapse. United Nations representatives say the horror unleashed by Israel is “inhuman” and Gaza’s population is “trapped, traumatised and terrorised”.

More than 800 Palestinians have been killed and over 3000 injured, which is what happens when the fourth most powerful military in the world unleashes its arsenal of terror on a defenceless people trapped in one of the most densely populated territories on earth.

No wonder across the world there have been demonstrations of anger and outrage at this barbarity and at the inaction of governments in making Israel stop the carnage now. The British government, for all Gordon Brown’s insistence that he wants an immediate ceasefire, has been complicit with the United States in stopping a UN resolution calling on Israel to end the carnage.

The first national demonstration of 60,000 in London far outstripped expectation, as did the number of local demonstrations around the country that brought protesters onto the streets in their hundreds and thousands, in towns big and small.  Large demonstrations took place in cities and towns in every continent.

Midlands Palestinian Community Association statement:

” Palestinians in the UK are shocked and horrified at the unfolding events in the Gaza Strip. Israeli forces have launched tens of missiles on Gaza resulting in the deaths and injuries of hundreds of people. This follows a prolonged and immoral siege on Gaza which has lasted for months and which has denied Palestinians food, clean water, electricity and medical supplies. We are concerned for the safety and well-being of relatives and friends who are again suffering under the collective punishment being meted out by Israel, a state that continues to operate above the Law and in defiance of accepted human rights conventions. The Midlands Palestinian Community Association (MPCA) condemns Israel’s actions and calls on the British Government to do the same and to call for an immediate end to the military operation in Gaza and for the unconditional lifting of the siege.”
Kamel Hawwash, Chair of the MPCA said: “Israel’s cruelty against the helpless Palestinian people knows no bounds. It continues to kill, maim and destroy at will while the world watches in silence.
Its action seems to have been deliberately timed to coincide with the end of the school day in Gaza to cause as much terror, death and destruction as possible”.
“Kamel continued “Israel still does not get it. It cannot break the will of the Palestinian people through death and destruction. It must recognise the legitimate rights of the Palestinians and negotiate a programme of withdrawal from the occupied territories including East Jerusalem and the dismantlement of the illegal settlements. Israel’s crimes will only serve to strengthen the resolve of Palestinians to remain in their land and to resist the Israeli occupation until it has ended and a free independent Palestine has been born”.

public meeting `Palestine What Now` Fri 16th May 08,

speakers Kamel Hawwash , Midlands Palestine Community Association & Charlotte Marshall, Christian Aid
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Say ENOUGH to the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian Territories.
local coach sent to National March & Rally called by the ENOUGH campaign
Saturday 9th June 2007.
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`Justice for Palestine Peace in the Middle East`
PUBLIC MEETING Friday 23rd March 2007
Speakers:
Husam Zomlot, Political Counsellor,
Palestine General Delegation to the UK
Ken Purchase M.P. W`ton North East

2007 marks the 40-year anniversary of the Six Day War, in which the Israeli army took military control of the Gaza Strip and West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Since that time the government of Israel has built `settlements` in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and assisted its citizens in setting up homes and businesses using land and resources stolen from the Palestinian people. This situation has continued to the current day despite Israel being in violation of international humanitarian law and over 60 UN resolutions.

The Occupation has created serious poverty for the Palestinians, as well as severe human rights violations. But Palestinian suffering dates back further to 1948, when the state of Israel was created and 750,000 Palestinians were driven or fled from their homes. The United Nations asserted the refugees` right to return home in 1948, but Israel has refused to allow this. Meanwhile the refugee population has grown to over four million, one of the largest in the world, many of whom live in camps waiting for international law to be upheld.

Britain bears a particular responsibility for this suffering. From 1917 to 1948 Britain controlled Palestine. Along with the US and many EU countries, the UK government is today involved in a close military, economic and political relationship with Israel, and fails to stand up for the rights of the Palestinian people. Critics of the state of Israel however are being are described as `anti-semitic` in an attempt to silence public debate and prevent the exposure of human rights abuses. Despite the breaches of international law the international community remains an idle bystander as it lacks the courage to face down the Zionist lobby who hide behind the charge that to criticize Israel is anti-Jewish. This meeting will discuss these issues and the future for the Palestinian people in their struggle for justice.

Ken Purchase MP is a member of the Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee and has travelled widely in the Middle East including Palestine.

Husam Zomlot is a Palestinian Political Counsellor based in London, representing the Palestinian Authority in the UK. Husam believes in the right of Palestinians to resist the occupation and has first-hand expertise in the history of the ill-fated diplomatic agreements between Israel and the PLO.

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Rally in Birmingham 22 July 06

Wolverhampton PSC members travelled to London on May 20th
March and Rally for Palestine: End the Israeli Occupation! Free Palestine!

EU / ISRAEL STOP STARVING THE PALESTINIANS
RECOGNISE PALESTINIAN DEMOCRAC END ISRAELI OCCUPATION
March and Rally in Trafalgar Square, London.
Organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Association of Palestinian Community, Palestinian Return Centre, British Muslim Initiative, Friends of Al-Aqsa and the Palestinian Forum in Britain.
Supported by: Just Peace UK, Muslim Association of Britain, Pax Christi, Jews for Justice for Palestinians, Stop the War Coalition, Campaign for Freedom and Justice for Samar and Jawad, War on Want, Arab Media Watch, NUJ, NUM, PCS, GMB, CWU, RMT.

www.palestinecampaign.org

Palestinian Workers Challenging the Occupation
Saturday 11 March 2006 attended by local delegates
Speakers included
Shaher Saed, General Secretary, Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions (PGFTU)
Willie Madisha, President, Congress of South African Trade Unions(COSATU)
Diana Buttu, Legal Adviser to the PLO
Keith Sonnet, Deputy General Secretary, UNISON
Barry Camfield, Assistant General Secretary, Transport and General Workers Union (TGWU)
Dr Karma Nabulsi, Nuffield College; Oxford University
Dr Daoud Abdullah, Senior Researcher; Palestinian Return Centre
His Excellency Dr Manuel Hassasian, Palestinian Delegate to the UK
Ruth Winters, President of the Fire Brigades Union
Jafar Farah, Director of Mossawa, The Advocacy Centre for Arab Citizens in Israel
Billy Hayes, General Secretary; Communication Workers Union
Jeremy Corbyn MP
Abla Masrujeh, Women`s Officer PGFTU
Hugh Lanning, Deputy General Secretary, PCS
Dan Judelson, European Jews for a Just Peace
And many more…

Some of the issues covered were:
Palestinian Workers in Israel; Refugee Rights and the right of return for Palestinians; The Wall, Checkpoints and Palestinian Workers; Strategies for Solidarity Campaigning, After the elections: the roadmap? And more…

Sponsored by: UNISON, T&G, GMB, UCATT, SERTUC, FBU, RMT, CWU, TSSA, NATFHE, PCS, ASLEF, NUM, CYWU…
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After Gaza What Next for The Palestinians?
A public meeting was held on 26th November 05 with speakers
Dr. Komel Hawwash, Midlands Palestine Community Association
Pete Kelsall, Christian Aid
Chaired by: Rob Marris, MP
Over 40 people turned up on a Saturday night to hear excellent visual presentations on the current situation and how the ordinary way of life for Palestinians is being disrupted by the Israeli state. “It can be described as like being in Big Brother, but without the fun” said Dr Hawwash.
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16TH APRIL 05
RALLY FOR PALESTINE AND MOTORCADE TO STOP CATERPILLAR,

These events are very important for Palestinians as they will be taking place when the media is perpetuating the myth that a just peace is coming closer.
In reality, Israel continues to build settlements in the West Bank, continues to build its apartheid wall ripping up houses and agricultural land as it does so, and continues to kill and maim Palestinians. At the same time it is refusing to negotiate until it has pulled out of Gaza and consolidated the West Bank settlements. Western governments’ approach is to put pressure on the Palestinian National Authority to make further concessions and to repress any resistance. (Note it is not just suicide bombings that the West wants stopped – as does the PNA – but all forms of resistance to the occupation.)

We need to be saying to our government and all those supporting Israel that pressure should be put on Israel, and not the Palestinians, to end their illegal occupation and to negotiate for a just peace. We will be putting out press releases and mobilising across the whole country to make these events as big as possible. The events are also likely to take place in the middle of an election campaign so we want to make Palestine an issue in this.

The first event is a motorcade past Caterpillar’s Northern European Finance Headquarters in Hockley Heath, Solihull. This is part of the campaign for economic sanctions on Israel and for Boycotting Israeli Goods. As part of these, PSC is focusing on certain products, a method which was very successful in the boycott of South African apartheid (for example, around Barclays Bank).

Caterpillar is still exporting bulldozers to Israel which are used to destroy houses, rip up olive groves and other agricultural land, and occasionally kill people. Rachel Corrie is an example of this and PSC members laid a wreath at the Caterpillar offices on 16th March, the anniversary of her murder.

Drive past Caterpillar 3 times (outside of which there will be a photographer and a stationary picket) before Birmingham City Centre and the rally.
rally in Victoria Square, central Birmingham people to speak at the rally, including a representative from the Palestinian Delegation in Britain, Richard Burden MP, Dr. Naseem from the central mosque, a representative from the churches, a representative from the Muslim Association of Britain, a trade union representative and representatives who support Palestinians’ rights to self-determination from political parties.

Israel still does not get it. It cannot break the will of the Palestinian people through death and destruction. It must recognise the legitimate rights of the Palestinians and negotiate a programme of withdrawal from the occupied territories including East Jerusalem and the dismantlement of the illegal settlements. We will be collecting signatures for letters to the Chief Executive of Caterpillar calling for the company to stop selling products to Israel. We will also be collecting items that are symbolic of house demolitions.

DEMONSTRATION, FOR GAZA – London: hundreds of people. This follows a prolonged and immoral siege on Gaza which has lasted for months and which has denied Palestinians food, clean water, electricity and medical supplies. We are concerned for the safety and well-being of relatives and friends who are again suffering under the collective punishment being meted out by Israel, a state that continues to operate above the Law and in defiance of accepted human rights conventions. The Midlands Palestinian Community Association (MPCA) condemns Israel

Silent Vigil Over 40 people turned up on a Saturday night to hear excellent visual presentations on the current situation and how the ordinary way of life for Palestinians is being disrupted by the Israeli state.

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Wolverhampton Palestine Solidarity main page with current and past activities 2019-present https://wolvestuc.org.uk/wolverhampton-palestine-solidarity-campaign/ 

British arms exports to Israel https://wolvestuc.org.uk/wolverhampton-link-to-arms-exports-to-israel/

for info on Wolverhampton Palestine Solidarity activity 2014-2018 see https://wolvestuc.org.uk/wolverhampton-palestine-solidarity-campaigns-2014-2018/