NGO Action News – 17 November 2017

This newsletter informs about recent and upcoming activities of Civil Society Organizations affiliated with the United Nations Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People. The Committee and the Division for Palestinian Rights of the UN Secretariat provide the information “as is” without warranty of any kind, and do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, or reliability of the information contained in the websites linked in the newsletter.

NGO Action News
17 November 2017

Middle East

• Earlier this month, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) sent an urgent letter to the Commander of the Central Command, Major General Roni Noma, demanding the immediate annulment of his recently signed order, which forces the residents of the villages of Ein al-Hilweh and Umm Jamal in the northern Jordan Valley to remove all of their personal belongings within a few days. The new order could lead to the forced transfer of Palestinians, who are considered protected persons under International Humanitarian Law (IHL).

• On 1 November, MIFTAH held an informative session in coordination with the Independent Commission for Human Rights’ Ombudsman’s Office on the concept of transitional justice, mechanisms for achieving national reconciliation and strengthening the social fabric, which targeted members of the women shadow committee (WIFAQ).

• On 13 November, Adalah – The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel issued a statement against the Israeli Public Security Minister’s proposal for a law conditioning the return of bodies of Palestinians killed by Israeli units on their families’ agreement on police-imposed funeral restrictions.

Europe

• On 19 November, Just Vision’s newest documentary “Naila and the Uprising” will have its international premiere at the International Documentary Filmfestival Amsterdam (IDFA), the most prestigious documentary festival in the world. Just Vision’s Executive Director Suhad Babaa and Creative Director Julia Bacha will be present for a Q&A following the screening.

• On 29 November, Initiative for Change UK is organizing an event in Oxford entitled “What Britain did in Palestine,” at which Mary Embleton, a historian of the British Mandate period, will speak on the subject after showing the short documentary film “Britain in Palestine, 1917-1948”.

North America

• Earlier this month, leaders representing 17 Christian organizations sent a letter to all members of the U.S. Congress calling to oppose the Israel Anti-Boycott Act introduced in both the House and the Senate in March. The bills (R. 1697 and S.720) are part of a larger effort to outlaw or penalize the use of boycotts, divestment, and sanctions aimed at unjust Israeli policies.

• On 12-14 November, Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) organized the advocacy summit “Choose Hope 2017” in Washington, D.C., in co-sponsorship with Millennial Voices for Peace (MVP). The event provided a holistic space for millennials – including, college, seminary and graduate students as well as young professionals – who wish to engage in a national campaign for peace and justice in the Holy Land.

• On 14 November, Minnesota Congresswoman Betty McCollum introduced groundbreaking legislation calling on the U.S. government to guarantee that its annual aid package to Israel is not used to for military detention and abuse of Palestinian children. Jewish Voice for Peace is part of a broad coalition of social justice and faith-based endorsers of this legislation.

• On 16 November, the Foundation for Middle East Peace organized in Washington, D.C., a private roundtable discussion with a group of diverse Palestinian journalists visiting the United States as part of an annual training program by the UN Department of Public Information.

• On 18 November, the Columbia University Center for Palestinian Studies is hosting short plays on Palestine under the title “Break the Wall”. These will feature works by Noelle Ghoussaini, Ismail Khalidi, David Zellnik and others.

Latin America

• The Final Declaration of the meeting of the Confederación Palestina de América Latina y el Caribe (COPLAC), held in Santiago de Chile on 29-31 October, is available online.

• On 8 November, Federación Palestina de Chile reported that Bank of Palestine is planning to open a branch in Santiago de Chile soon.