NGO Action News - 18 November 2016 - Question of Palestine

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
18 November 2016

Middle East

To mark next year’s historical anniversaries, the “Save Israel Stop the Occupation” (SISO) campaign recently launched by 500 leading Israeli personalities, seeking to engage with Jews from the Diaspora in joint action has announced activities throughout 2017. Supporters of SISO are said to include high‐ranking retired IDF officers and former Ambassadors as well as parliamentarians, government officials, authors, artists, scientists and academics.

In a statement released on 16 November, PLO Secretary‐General Saeb Erekat condemned the raid by Israeli forces against the Health, Development Information and Policy Institute in Ramallah, founded by Mustafa Barghouthi, saying Israel had “targeted a political leader involved in non‐violent resistance against its occupation.”

Addameer and several other several Palestinian organizations defending the rights of prisoners published on 7 November a joint report saying 554 Palestinians including 130 minors and 10 women had been arrested by Israeli forces in October 2016.

Europe

On 22 November, The Council for Arab‐British Understanding (CAABU) is hosting at the House of Commons in London a screening of “Ambulance”, a film about the 2014 Israeli military operation in Gaza.

In the context of efforts to foster inter‐religious dialogue for peace in the Middle East, from 14 through 16 November, Muslim, Jewish and Christian religious leaders from the Holy Land met upon the invitation of the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

North America

On 29 November, the Centre for Palestine Studies at Columbia University will host a presentation entitled “Redefining and Reclaiming Space in Conflict Zones”. Photographs and video footage of dance performances by the Yaa Samar! Dance Theatre (YSDT) will showcase an arts and education initiative seeking to unite Palestinian youth communities.

On 16 November, the Foundation for Middle East Peace in Washington posted a policy brief entitled “Israel’s ‘Formalization Law’”, analyzing the potential consequences of a bill passed by the Israeli cabinet on 13 November to retroactively legalize settlement outposts built on privately owned Palestinian land with government involvement.

In relation to a bill introduced in the Knesset to ban foreigners supporting BDS from entering Israel, US State Department spokesperson Mark Toner on 7 November reaffirmed the value of the freedom of expression “even in cases where we do not agree with the political views espoused”.

United Nations

On 22 November, the Women’s International Forum is hosting at UNHQ in New York a talk on “Youth Unemployment in the Middle East and North Africa: Crisis or Opportunity?” by Ronald Bruder and Jasmine di Florio, Chair and Vice President of the Education for Employment (EFE) organization.

On 16 November, the Permanent Mission of Israel to the UN hosted at UNHQ in New York an event entitled “Legal Scholars against BDS” with the participation of Harvard law Professor Alan Derschowitz.

On 14 November, Al Mezan and Al Haq informed about a joint submission to the UN Special Rapporteurs on the human rights implications of the management of hazardous substances and the right to food. The 2 organizations claimed fields in the access‐restricted areas near the Gaza border with Israel had been harmed by chemicals sprayed from Israeli aircraft.

*****

Visit UNISPAL Website

Like UNISPAL on Facebook

Follow UNISPAL on Twitter

NGO Action News – 18 November 2016