palestine solidarity committee

Current and upcoming Seattle-area Palestine Solidarity Events

PEACEWORKS CONFERENCE 2008
Rachel Corrie Foundation Presents:
DUAL OCCUPATIONS: Sovereignty & Freedom from Iraq to Palestine
October 17 - 19
Evergreen College Olympia, Washington
Dual Occupations: Sovereignty & Freedom from Iraq to Palestine is a conference designed to connect communities working to end occupation and war in the Middle East with workshops, panels and trainings led by: Dahlia Wasfi, MD - An Iraqi American activist who spent her early childhood in Saddam Hussein's Iraq.
Col. Ann Wright - A career military woman, a State Department diplomat, and for the past few years, an influential spokesperson in the anti-war movement.
Ali Abunimah - Journalist and co-founder of Electronic Intifada, and vice-president of the Arab American Action Network (invited).
Phyllis Bennis - A committed scholar-activists with the Institute for Policy Studies and journalist specializing in Middle East and United Nations issues.
Adam Shapiro - Co-founder of International Solidarity Movement in Palestine and the Iraqi Student Project (invited).

Co-sponsored by SESAME & (Re)Imagining the Middle East
For conference updates and more information visit www.rachelcorriefoundation.org/peaceworks peaceworks@rachelcorriefoundation.org, 306.754.3998

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Saturdays (ongoing): End the Siege of Gaza
Demonstrate Noon to 2:00 at Westlake Plaza, 4th and Pine, in protest of ongoing strangulation of Gaza

PSC - Seattle, and other groups working for Palestinians rights continue Saturday protests against the siege of Gaza.

Come help protest the Israeli attempts to crush the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

For more information: Odehamin@yahoo.com

Background:
The Gaza Strip is facing a humanitarian crisis, created by Israel and supported by the US. Israel has imposed a blockade upon Gaza, cutting food, fuel, medical supplies, and spare parts.

The lack of food, water, health care, and other material basics have made a poor area face catastrophe. Three quarters of Gaza’s population -- 1.1 million people --now rely on food aid. Manufacturing and food exports have ground to a halt because of the blockade. The UN has been warning of collapse for several months.

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PAST EVENTS
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ENDING THE SIEGE OF GAZA:
A FUNDRAISER FOR THE FREE GAZA MOVEMENT

The Free Gaza Movement is preparing to sail a ship to Gaza.

“We’re an international, nonviolent resistance project to challenge Israel’s blockade of Gaza and its denial of Palestinian human rights. We intend to enter Gaza from international waters - at the invitation of the Palestinian people, and without seeking Israeli authorization - thereby establishing a route of entry and exit that is under Palestinian control and sovereignty.” -- Paul Larudee

Speaking: Dr. Bill Dienst, a human rights activist and family and emergency physician from Omak, Washington, who has frequently volunteered to work with the Palestine Medical Society in Gaza and the West Bank. Dr. Dienst will present a slide show about Gaza and will discuss the forthcoming voyage in which he will participate as the ship’s doctor.

WHERE: At the home of Kay Bullitt
1125 Harvard East, Seattle

WHEN: Thursday, June 26, 6:30 pm

A light supper and refreshments will be served

Donations are requested to help provide the transport vessels and costs of the Free Gaza Movement voyage

Sponsored by: Al-Nakba Coalition, American Friends Service Committee

For additional information contact:
Judith Kolokoff 206-282-8023
e-mail:jkolokoff@hotmail.com
See also: http://www.freegazaorg/pages/joinIn.html

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On behalf of Al Nakba Coalition, PSC announces the following event:

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Al Nakba Coalition:

-Works to educate the public about al-Nakba and its continuing effects.
-Supports the right of return for Palestian refugees as supported by international law.
-Advocates equal rights for everyone in Israel/Palestine, regardless of religion, ethnicity or nationality.

For information see http://nakba60th-seattle.org/
e-mail: info@nakba60th-seattle.org      telephone: (206) 282-8023

Members of the Coalition: Voices of Palestine, Jewish Voice for Peace, Palestine Solidarity Committee - Seattle, The Green Party, Arab American Community Coalition, Palestinian Concerns Task Force of the Church Council of Greater Seattle, The Phoenix Group

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Arabic Summer Language Camp, 2008 for Children ages 6-12

American Cultural Exchange, through Arabic Language assistance grant from the Middle East Center at University Washington, is offering a two-week Arabic summer language camp at Northgate Elementary School. Classes start on July 7th and end July 18th and meet from 9 am to 3 pm with the option of extended class sessions from am to 5pm. The instruction will be activity-based, ensuring a unique learning experience for your child. Cost is $ 250 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and $ 350 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

To download the registration forms please visit <http://www.cultural.org/wlp/camp.php>. For more information please contact Maka Janikashvili, Ph.D,
Director of ACE World Language Programs
at makaj@cultural.org <mailto:makaj@cultural.org>

◊

On behalf of Al Nakba Coalition, PSC announces the following event:

◊

Al Nakba Coalition:

-Works to educate the public about al-Nakba and its continuing effects.
-Supports the right of return for Palestian refugees as supported by international law.
-Advocates equal rights for everyone in Israel/Palestine, regardless of religion, ethnicity or nationality.

For information see http://nakba60th-seattle.org/
e-mail: info@nakba60th-seattle.org      telephone: (206) 282-8023

Members of the Coalition: Voices of Palestine, Jewish Voice for Peace, Palestine Solidarity Committee - Seattle, The Green Party, Arab American Community Coalition, Palestinian Concerns Task Force of the Church Council of Greater Seattle, The Phoenix Group

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PALESTINE: STILL ALIVE -- Demonstrate outside AJC celebration of Israel's 60^th anniversary

On May 28^th, the American Jewish Committee will be holding a high-ticket reception and dinner to celebrate the 60^th anniversary of Israel's founding. Governor Gregoire will be attending. (For more information on this event, see http://www.ajcseattle.org/site/c.gjJSJ9MSIwE/b.2382921/) At the same time, this is the anniversary of the "Nakba" (Arabic for "catastrophe"), when 800,000 Palestinians were displaced from their ancestral land and over 450 of their villages were destroyed.

Al-Nakba Coalition wishes the public to know that the Nakba is an ongoing process, and that Palestinians are continuing to resist occupation and dislocation. Activists for justice in Palestine/Israel will be present outside the anniversary celebration, which is taking place at 6:00 p.m., May 28^th. We will carry banners and props symbolic of the 1948 destruction of Palestinian life.

Time: Wednesday, May 28th, 2008 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Location: Bell Harbor Conference Center
2211 Alaskan Way, Seattle WA 98121

To Participate: Meet at 5:00 at the parking lot on the west side of Alaska Way, at Wall Street. This is two blocks north of the celebration. We will carry props and banners and walk down Alaska Way. Please notify al-Nakba Coalition through the contact information below if you are able to arrive at 5:00 and help with props.

For more information:
telephone: 206-285-2154
e-mail: info@nakba60th-seattle.org

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CELEBRATE PALESTINE
Sixty Years of Resistance

May is the 60th anniversary of the "Nakba" (Arabic for "catastrophe"), when 800,000 Palestinians were displaced from their ancestral land and over 450 of their villages were destroyed. But Palestinians continue to resist occupation and dislocation. In Seattle, the Al-Nakba Coalition will hold a cultural event on May 10th to mark the anniversary and to honor the continuing vibrancy of Palestinian culture under pressure.

This free event will showcase Palestinian heritage and culture, and celebrate its resilience. Participants will present traditional Palestinian arts: folk music, handicrafts, dabka dancing, poetry, photography, and food.

Time: Saturday, May 10th, 2008 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Location: Seattle Central Community College - outdoors at the South Plaza (near the northwest corner of Broadway and E. Pine) and indoors in room BE 1110

For more information:
telephone: 206-282-8023
e-mail: info@nakba60th-seattle.org

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Dr. Norman Finkelstein speaks on
"Israel and Palestine: Roots of Conflict, Prospects for Peace"

Thursday May 8, 1:00 p.m.
UW Ethnic Cultural Theater
3940 Brooklyn Ave N.E.   Seattle

Dr. Finkelstein, the son of Holocaust survivors and a renowned academic & MiddleEast expert, is a passionate and persuasive defender of Palestinian rights and is in the forefront of the fight for academic freedom in the United States.

Free and open to the public, although seating is limited. RSVPs are more likely to receive a seat.

Dr. Finkelstein is also speaking the same evening at The Evergreen University in Olympia at 7:30 p.m.

For more information, pjip@u.washington.edu.
See also www.normanfinkelstein.com

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One Country: A Bold Proposal to End the Israeli-Palestinian Impasse

Ali Abunimah, writer and founder of Electronic Intifada (http://electronicintifada.net/) to speak on HUB Auditorium on University of Washington campus.
Time: April 23, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.

Ali Abunimah, a Palestinian-American, is the cofounder and editor of the Electronic Intifada web site since 2001 and, more recently, of Electronic Iraq and Electronic Lebanon. He is also the author of One Country: A Bold Proposal to End the Israeli-Palestinian Impasse. A graduate of Princeton University and the University of Chicago, he has written for the Chicago Tribune and the Los Angeles Times.

Ali Abunimah will be discussing the prospects for a one-state solution in Israel and Palestine
sponsors: Al-Nakba Coalition, Arab-American Community Coalition, UW Department of Geography, Voices of Palestine, the Muslim Student Association, and Students for Justice in Palestine.

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Rachel Corrie's family members discuss "Let Me Stand Alone,"
just-released book of Rachel's life writings.

Town Hall Seattle, 1119 Eighth Ave.
Monday, April 7       7:30 p.m.
For information, call the University Book Store, 206-634-3400

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Acknowledging the past, Imagining the future: Palestinians and Israelis on 1948 and the Right of Return
A speaking tour featuring members of the Palestinian organization Badil and the Israeli organization Zochrot. The tour highlights the history of 1948, the creation of the Palestinian refugee crisis, and the importance of the right of return to any just solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
    Muhammad Jaradat is a founding member of BADIL Resource Center and the global Palestine Right-of-Return Coalition, and works as coordinator of the BADIL Refugee Rights Campaign. He works with Palestinian refugee and IDP community organizations, as well as with the International Solidarity Movement.
    Eitan Bronstein is the Executive Director of Zochrot (“remembering”) which has focused on al-Nakba since its founding in 2002. He is an educator and activist who works to build an Israeli understanding of al-Nakba and the history of Palestinian refugees, as a key step toward reconciliation.

Wednesday April 2, 6:30 p.m. Fundraiser at the home of Kay Bullitt: 1125 Harvard St.
Light refreshments will be served: Donations will be appropriate.

Thursday, April 3, 7:00 p.m.: Community meeting on Vashon Island
Location: Lutheran Church, just south of town, 18632 Vashon Hwy SW.
For more information: call (206) 282 8023
e-mail: info@nakba60th-seattle.org

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Alice Rothchild
Author, Broken Promises, Broken Dreams: Stories of Jewish and Palestinian Trauma and Resilience
Saturday March 1, 2:00 p.m.: Elliott Bay Book Company, 101 S. Main
Monday March 3, 7:00 p.m.: Antioch University, Room 100
For more information -- and on Alice's appearances in Tacoma (Mar. 2) and Bellingham (Mar 5), call (206) 282 8023.

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Benefit for Al-Rowwad Cultural Center
Al-Rowwad is an independent center for artistic, cultural, and theater training for children in Aida Camp (near Bethlehem), working to provide a safe and healthy environment to help children develop creativity and discharge stress in the war conditions they live in.

Speaker: Dr. Abdelfattah Abusrour
March 2^nd, 5:00 p.m.
Location: University Friends Center, 4001 9^th Ave NE
A light dinner will be served.
Admission: $10.00
For information call (206) 605 8448 or e-mail: amino@voicesofpalestine.orgEighth Annual PSC Palestine Film Series

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Dates: Saturdays January 26 and February 2, 9 and 16, 2008.
All films at 7:00 with discussion to follow.

Featuring:

Saturday, January 26th
Occupation 101
Sufyen Omeish and Abdallah Omeish, 2006, 90 minutes.
Dr. Nada Elia will speak after the film.

Described by InFocus, "if a picture is worth a thousand words, then
Occupation 101 is worth a thousand books", Occupation 101 presents a
comprehensive analysis of the facts and hidden truths surrounding the
never ending controversy and dispels many of its long-perceived myths and
misconceptions. Rare footage and testimony never shown by most media
outlets are presented, with incisive commentaries on the roots of
the conflict from leading Middle East scholars, peace activists,
journalists, religious leaders and humanitarian workers whose voices have
too often been suppressed in Western media.
For more information on this film, visit www.Occupation101.com

Saturday, Februrary 2nd
Naji Al Ali: An Artist With Vision
Kasim Abid, 1999, 52 mins.
Ziyad Zaitoun of the Arab American Community Coalition will speak
following the film.

Naji al-Ali, a Palestinian refugee from 1948, created thousands of
powerful political cartoons satirizing those in power in the Middle East
and around the world, while defending the dignity of ordinary people. In
this multiple award-winning documentary, interviews with leading Arab
writers, contemporary activists and his wife shed insight into his life
and work. The film shows the courage and range of the work he produced
despite imprisonment and threats until his assassination in London in
1987.   For more information on this film, visit http://frif.com/new2000/naji.html

Saturday, February 9th
Bil’in Habibti
Shai Carmeli-Pollak, 2006, 85 mins.
Discussion with Amin Odeh of Voices of Palestine will follow the film.

  Bil’in Hibibti is a documentary about the social, emotional, and
agricultural struggle of one Palestinian community against the Israeli
Occupation. The two main characters are Mohamed, an activist opponent of
the Apartheid Wall, and Wagee, a farmer who is losing his land to the
encroaching illegal settlement of Modine Elite. As the non-violent
resistance of the community gathers momentum, so does the unique
relationship between Israeli activists and the local residents of Bil’in.
For more information on this film, visit www.Claudiusfilms.com

Saturday, February 16th
This Body is a Prison
Dylan Bergeson, 2006, 50 mins
Discussion with filmmaker follows screening.

In this moving documentary, Dylan Bergeson focuses his camera on the
human, personal experience. The interviewees eloquently reveal the
psychological ramifications of life under occupation, specifically its
devastating effects on children and youth. Balata refugee camp and
Bethlehem are locales selected for a close-up view. The filmmaker’s goal
is to have viewers gain a greater understanding of Palestinians as human
beings and of their lived experience.
For more information on this film, visit   www.xanga.com/ThisBodyisaPrisonDoc

                      -All films are Seattle Premieres-

There will be a speaker for each night of the film festival.

For more information call 206-369-7087.

Doors open at 6:30. Suggested donation $5-10, no one turned away for lack of funds.

All films at University Friends Center:
4001 9^th Ave NE in the University District
near bus routes 7,9,70,71,72,43/44,48 and 66

Generously co-sponsored by American Friends Service Committee

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Free Sunday Night Film Series at Seattle University
Making Peace Possible: Israel/Palestine

Making Peace Possible: Israel/Palestine is a series of films chosen to convey the experience of military occupation in a context that includes the US role in that conflict. The series will conclude with ways to become involved. Each film will be preceded with a soup and bread supper (donations) at 5:30 followed with a program at 6:00. Panelists, including Palestinians and Israeli Jews, have all experienced the occupation and are working for human rights and peace.   Films will be shown in the Student Union, Room 160.

Sunday Oct 14 Goal Dreams, World Cup documentary, with introduction to history and context by Steve Niva PhD, who teaches International Politics and Middle East Studies at Evergreen with a focus on Israel/Palestine.

Sunday Oct 28 Private, award winning family drama depicting the experience of occupation for the occupied and the occupiers, with panelists Amin Odeh, Palestinian refugee and co-founder of Voices of Palestine with Eitan Isaacson, member of Jewish Voices for Peace and former member of Israeli military.

Sunday Nov. 11 The Color of Olives, One farm family's patient resistance. The issue is land. Panelists Karen Arnold PhD. U.S. Coast Guard Commander and Christian Peacemaker in Hebron; and Assaf Oron, UW graduate student and Israeli military "refuser"

Sunday Nov 18 Visit Palestine, raw urgent look at life in Jenin with volunteer Caiomhe Butterly. Panel on activism with Naseem Tuffaha, Arab Anti-discrimination Committee; Peter Lippman lifelong activist and writer, PSC, JVP; and Rabbi Daniel Weiner, Temple de Hirsch Sinai.

Seattle University Campus Ministry 901 12th Ave. Seattle 98122
for more information: grayzonefilms@msn.com

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September 11th : Resist the U.S. government's destruction of our civil liberties!
Join PSC and the THEATER SQUAD at Westlake Center

For an all-day installation with street theater, music, spoken word, poetry,
in collaboration with Freedom From Fear
( more info on FFF: http://www.freedomfromfear.us/ )

Stay tuned for more information -- soon -- on this website ~
Call (206) 633-1086 for more information
or email info@palestineinformation.org

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Corrie Family Lawsuit Against Caterpillar

Monday July 9th ~ 9:00am -- 12:00 Noon
Courthouse At 1200 6th Ave & Seneca

Come for any amount of time you can manage -- a half hour, an hour, or the whole morning.

A statement from Cindy Corrie, Rachel Corrie's mother, follows at the end of this announcement.

On Monday, July 9th oral arguments in the case Corrie, et al v. Caterpillar, Inc will be heard at the U.S. Court of Appeals in Seattle. People are needed to participate in a silent vigil and flyering. outside, and to fill the courtroom. Wear black clothing if possible.

In March 2003 Rachel Corrie was killed by a Caterpillar bulldozer as she tried to stop it's destruction of a Palestinian home. Rachel's parents filed a lawsuit against Caterpillar, together with four Palestinian families who have lost their loved ones and homes due to the Israeli military's use of Caterpillar bulldozers.

The oral argument for this case is scheduled for 11 a.m. on July 9th, although it may happen somewhat earlier or later, depending on the disposition of other cases.

The hearing will be followed by a press conference with the attorney and the Corries. A significant impact can be made on the judge if the courtroom is well-attended by sympathizers. So we are asking that anyone who is interested in holding Caterpillar accountable to provide a presence in the courtroom that day.

People are needed outside to assist in holding banners or signs, tabling, or street theater -- actions that will be decided in the next couple days. All materials will be supplied by the Palestine Solidarity Committee.

*

From Cindy Corrie: "People are needed in the courtroom to show that the outcome of this case has broad importance to people’s lives, and the struggle to limit corporate abuse of power around the globe. This is a rare opportunity to demonstrate with our presence, our opposition to corporations benefiting from people’s homes being demolished on top of them - which is what happened to some of the Palestinians whose families have joined the case. I think it provides a rare opportunity to send the message that we oppose U.S. corporations knowingly engaging in human rights violations.

We need to get the message out to those who might come out that what happens in a case like this one can have enormous impact on how all U.S. corporations behave in the world. This lawsuit is a call for corporate accountability for past actions and a call for responsible corporate behavior in the future. We can focus, too, on CAT’s support of an illegal occupation—but I think, in this case, the broader view of CAT’s long-term support for human rights violations will engage more people and is at the heart of this lawsuit. This may be our only opportunity in Seattle to make a statement quite like this one, around CAT. At least, activist friends who might be wondering if this is important, should be made aware of this."

info@palestineinformation.org (206) 633-1086

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Dr. Mona el-Farra
Saturday June 16, 3-5 pm
University Friends Center
4001 9th Ave NE, just north of the University Bridge in Seattle

Dr. Mona El-Farra is a Palestinian physician who is active in medical relief efforts in the Gaza Strip. Among many other activities, El-Farra heads the Rachel Corrie Children’s Center in Gaza and writes a well-regarded blog, "From Gaza, with Love," that has attracted attention from journalists, activists, and academics around the world.

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FORTY YEARS TOO LONG:
A Weekend of Events to End the Israeli Occupation
JUNE 8^th, 9^th, and 10^th

Cal Anderson Park on Capitol Hill
(Capitol Hill, 11^th Avenue and East Olive)
Also nearby locations & other places around the city.

A broad group of organizations concerned with peace and justice in the Middle East will mark forty years of the Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands. Weekend events will include theater, visual art, performances, discussions and films.
Please join us for these activities -- and help put a stop to the Occupation.

FRIDAY NIGHT

THE OCCUPATION ON FILM:
Seattle Central Community College
Student Activity Center - 1718 Broadway Room 208
6:30 PM -- 8:30 PM
Documentary films and discussion
Personal Narratives: Accounts of the Effects of Occupation
In the Spider's Web 2004. 47 min.
Produced by Al-Haq, Palestinian human rights organization. Directed by Hanna Musleh.
Dying to Live 2002. 10 minutes.
Producer/Director Amineh Ayyad, board member of Friends of Palestinian Medical Relief Society (PMRS)
Films will be preceded and followed by short presentations by Amineh Ayyad, and a facilitated discussion/Q&A together with Erin Wade of the Palestine Solidarity Committee.

SATURDAY EVENTS:

THE OCCUPATION GAME
Cal Anderson Park
12:00 PM. to 6:00 PM

An outdoor living gameboard with a self-guided all-directions-at-once journey into day-by-day life in military occupation.

YOU CAN'T GO HOME TONIGHT.
Occupation soldiers close the checkpoint.
SPIN THE WHEEL:
1: find someplace else to sleep tonight
2: sit at the checkpoint all night
3: argue with the soldiers [go to ARREST or BEATING or PRISON]
4: try to sneak past the checkpoint in the dark
[go to ARREST or BEATING or YOU ARE SHOT]

Over 80 different board squares present a set of rules which -- like the rules of a military occupation -- may work or may not. Dice will be supplied, or bring your own.

For more information: theatersquad@aol.com

ANTIGONE'S NATION
Cal Anderson Park
2:00 PM. to 3:00 PM

The Theater Squad presents an outdoor voice-and-image theater performance adapted from Sophocles; Antigone, exploring the conflict between security, stability, rebellion and freedom.

For all of time, I will never be
that living person who stood by silent
and did not a thing, did not a thing.

Directed by Robert Leigh from an adaptation by local playwright Edward Mast and featuring several local actors, musicians and movement artists.

For more information: theatersquad@aol.com

ENDING THE OCCUPATION:
Central Lutheran Church by Cal Anderson Park
1710 11^th Ave
3:00 PM
A panel discussion featuring Tariq Abuhamdia, activist from Hebron, West Bank; Majd Bani-Odeh, student from Nablus; West Bank, and Assaf Oron, Israeli military refuser, activist.

SUNDAY EVENTS

ANTI-SEMITISM, PROGRESSIVE JEWS, AND RESOLVING THE ISRAELI/PALESTINIAN CONFLICT
Sand Point Education Center, 6208 60th Ave. NE
9:45-11:45 AM

Jews working to end the Israeli Occupation and for Israeli-Palestinian peace often confront the issue of anti-Semitism. When is anti-Semitism real, and when is it not? A facilitated discussion led by activists will connect confrontation of anti-Jewish behavior, the internal Jewish debate on criticizing Israeli policies, and building an effective movement for a just, viable Israeli-Palestinian peace.

For more information, contact: office@kadima.org or call 206-547-3914 ext. 2.
Sponsored by Kadima Reconstructionist Community

THE OCCUPATION GAME
Cal Anderson Park
12:00 PM. to 6:00 PM

An outdoor, interactive, living game board: a self-guided all-directions-at-once journey through a military occupation. Over 80 different board squares and a set of rules which -- like the rules of a military occupation -- may work or may not. (See additional description above.) For more information: theatersquad@aol.com

"HEBREW NATIONAL?"
An Afternoon of Radical Jewish Performance
Capitol Hill Arts Center (CHAC), 1621 12th Ave
2:00 PM

Hear and participate in thoughtful expressions by mostly Jewish performers, storytellers, poets and musicians as we mark the 40th year of Israeli Occupation. We invite you to engage with us in creating a justice-oriented and affirming radical Jewish culture that rejects the values of militarism and occupation.
Admission free.
Organized by Jewish Voice for Peace, Seattle

ISRAEL AND PALESTINE: PEACE NOT APARTHEID
Shoreline Library
345 NE 175th, Shoreline, WA 98155
3:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Presentation by Dr. Therese Saliba

A discussion on the question of apartheid in occupied Palestine, addressing President Jimmy Carter's controversial book, Palestine: Peace not Apartheid. The discussion will be facilitated by professor Therese Saliba, of The Evergreen College. Dr. Saliba teaches Middle East Studies and Women's Studies at Evergreen.

FILM: THE COLOR OF OLIVES
Central Cinema 1411 21^st Ave
7:00 PM and 9:30 PM
From Mexican director Carolina Rivas and cinematographer Daoud Sarhandi comes this elegant and visually breathtaking new film about the Palestinian experience. The Amer family lives surrounded by the infamous West Bank Wall, where their daily lives are dominated by electrified fences, locked gates and a constant swarm of armed soldiers. This unique and intimate documentary shares their private world, allowing a glimpse of the constant struggles and the small, endearing details that sustain them. The Color of Olives is an artistic and beautifully affecting reflection on the effects of racial segregation, the meaning of borders and the absurdity of war.
Color | 97 minutes | 2006          www.thecolourofolives.com

Sunday night's 7:00 film showing will be followed by a discussion led by local activists.
The Color of Olives will also be showing on some other days during the preceding week, and possibly afterwards as well -- check the Central Cinema listing:
http://www.central-cinema.com/

*

Sponsoring organizations:
Palestine Solidarity Committee, Jewish Voice for Peace, Voices of Palestine, Green Party Seattle, The Phoenix Group, The Palestine Concerns Task Force of the Church Council, Episcopal Peace Fellowship of Greater Seattle, Arab American Community Coalition, Friends of the Palestinian Medical Relief Society, American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, Sabeel, Jewish Voice for Peace - Puget Sound, AFSC

For more information on the weekend’s activities see www.palestineinformation.org write info@ palestineinformation.org or call 206 633 1086

###

ALSO, DON'T MISS:

ACTIVISTS FOR A BETTER WORLD
Saturday, June 2 at 4:00 p.m.
Newberry Books, 561 NE Ravenna Blvd (65th & Ravenna Blvd.)
Ed Mast will speak on the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict: A Human Rights Perspective. What are the obstacles to equal rights? What are the possibilities?

Ed Mast is a poet, playwright and activist who has traveled many times to Occupied Palestine with the International Solidarity Movement.

For information contact: J. Glenn Evans, Program Director
http://www.poetswest.com
call 206.682.1268 or write info@poetswest.com
Palestine-Israel Conflict

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Presentation by the Rev. Dr. Naim Ateek
Wednesday, June 6, at 7p.m.
Trinity Episcopal Church, Seattle ( 609 Eighth Ave. )
The Rev. Dr. Naim Ateek will speak on the topic:
"JUNE 6, 1967--WILL THE OCCUPATION EVER END?"

Dr. Ateek will speak about the current state of Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories, which began in 1967, and what steps are needed to end the occupation and bring a lasting peace to the Holy Land.

Dr. Ateek is a Palestinian Episcopal priest and theologian, who founded and directs Sabeel, an ecumenical peace and justice educational and advocacy center in Jerusalem. This free public event is sponsored by the Bishop's Committee on Peace and Justice in Israel / Palestine and Friends of Sabeel-North America.

Free parking is available in the lot on the corner of Seventh and Columbia.

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Radio broadcast: POETSWEST AT KSER 90.7 FM
Friday June 8 at 4:30 PM

A special program of Palestinian poetry read by local actors and writers.
If you are not able to pick up the radio station KSER 90.7 FM, catch it on the internet by going to www.kser.org and following the “Listen Live” links. The PoetsWest program is a weekly half-hour usually featuring poets reading from their own work. This special program was developed as a part of the special events marking 40 years of Israeli occupation.

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Dr. Mona el-Farra
Saturday June 16, 3-5 pm
University Friends Center
4001 9th Ave NE, just north of the University Bridge in Seattle

Dr. Mona El-Farra is a Palestinian physician who is active in medical relief efforts in the Gaza Strip. Among many other activities, El-Farra heads the Rachel Corrie Children’s Center in Gaza and writes a well-regarded blog, "From Gaza, with Love," that has attracted attention from journalists, activists, and academics around the world.

*

VIGIL and showing of THE IRON WALL
Vigil for Palestine in St. Mark's May 18:
Vigil: 5:00 - 6:00 soup: 6-6:30

Film: THE IRON WALL, produced in Palestine

THE IRON WALL provides graphic evidence of the intentions of Zionist leaders: "Zionist colonization must . . .proceed regardless of the native population . . . which means [putting them] behind an iron wall that the native population cannot breach." J. Jabotinsky, 1923

"The settlement of the Land of Israel is the essence of Zionism. Without settlement, we will not fulfill Zionism." Yitzhak Shamir, 1997

"Everybody has to move, run and grab as many hilltops as they can . . . everything we take now will stay ours . . . Everything we don't grab will go to them." Ariel Sharon, 1998

Vigil & movie sponsored by the Episcopal Peace Fellowship

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PSC DISCUSSION CAFÉ
Tuesday May 22, 7-9 pm,
Mosaic Coffeehouse
Corner of 44th St. and 2nd Ave NE in Wallingford

OPEN MEETING! Come join us for a discussion cafe about
Palestine/Israel; come share political analysis, opinion, ask
questions, get to know us!

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                           MY NAME IS RACHEL CORRIE

March 15 – May 6 By Alan Rickman and Katharine Viner
From the writings of Rachel Corrie
Seattle Repertory Theater

Twenty-three year-old Evergreen College graduate and Olympia, Washington native, Rachel Corrie went to the Gaza Strip to aid Palestinians whose homes were being destroyed in the conflict with Israel. In March of 2003, she was killed by an Israeli bulldozer. Combining an activist's passion with an artist's sensibilities, Rachel Corrie was a determined and caring young woman, trying to find a sense of truth and understanding in a very complex situation. This compelling story of a personal political journey is told through Corrie’s own words from her journals, as assembled by actor/director Alan Rickman and journalist Katharine Viner. Info for tickets:

http://www.seattlerep.org/SeasonPlays07/Season2007.html#rac
Call: 206-443-2222 or 877-900-9285 www.rachelswords.org

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MEMORIAL FOR RACHEL CORRIE

Friday, March 16, 2006
5:00-6:00 PM
Westlake Plaza
4th and Pine in downtown Seattle

In observation of the fourth anniversary of her death, the Theatersquad and Palestine Solidarity Committee-Seattle will present public readings of passages from Rachel Corrie's writings outdoors in downtown Seattle in and around Westlake Plaza. Music, theatrical masks and props will be part of the street theater event as well. Local celebrity Jim Page will be among the performers.

Friday March 16 is the fourth anniversary of the day Rachel Corrie was killed by an Israeli soldier driving an American-made Caterpillar bulldozer while she was trying to prevent a Palestinian home from illegal demolition. The Theatersquad's street theater event this Friday will be part of a national and international campaign to perform Rachel's words in public on that day.

Rachel Corrie was part of the International Solidarity Movement to End the Occupation, a nonviolent Palestinian-led movement to resist the ongoing Israeli military occupation of the West Bank and Gaza. Some critics have accused Rachel Corrie of protecting terrorists or militants, but neither the Israeli government nor the United States government has alleged that the Palestinian home she was protecting was part of any militant activity. The US State Department's annual report on human rights classifies Rachel Corrie as a human rights observer.
Many human-rights groups are demanding that Caterpillar, Inc., an American corporation headquartered in Peoria, stop selling D-9 bulldozers to Israel because of Israel's consistent record of using those bulldozers to commit human rights violations. For more information, visit www.stopcat.org, www.endtheoccupation.org, or www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org.
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COMBATANTS FOR PEACE SPEAKING TOUR
Two evenings in Seattle, sponsored by the Seattle Chapter of Brit Tzedek v'Shalom

February 8, 2007 7pm
Schaffer Auditorium, Lemieux Library Building, Seattle University
12th Ave East & E. Marion St., guest parking entrance

February 9, 2007 - place to be announced
For more information contact the Seattle Chapter (206) 442-2077

The Combatants for Peace movement was founded in 2005 by Israelis and Palestinians who were once actively involved in perpetuating the cycle of violence. They decided to put down their weapons, and to fight instead for peace through dialogue, reconciliation and educational outreach. In addition to organizing countless meetings between Israeli and Palestinian veterans, the Combatants for Peace have worked together to raise the consciousness in both larger Israeli and Palestinian societies of the aspirations and fears of those on the "other side," and in so doing to create partners in dialogue.

Combatants for Peace Tour Speakers:

Sulaiman Al Hamri is the Palestinian coordinator for Combatants for Peace. He spent four-and-a-half years in Israeli prisons for his involvement in anti-occupation protests and demonstrations before deciding to pursue a non-violent approach to resolving the conflict.

Elik Elhanan (Jan. 8-27) is the Israeli coordinator of Combatants for Peace. He is familiar with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict both as a fighter and as a victim: from 1995 to 1998 he served as a soldier in an IDF combat unit. In 1997 his sister was killed by a Palestinian suicide bombing in Jerusalem.

Shimon Katz (Jan. 28-Feb. 9) served for four years as an officer in an elite IDF unit. After studying meditation in the Far East, he became interested in non-violent ways of living.

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"PALESTINE FOR BEGINNERS: HISTORY, CONTEXT, AND
UNDERSTANDING THE CURRENT CONFLICT"

A Presentation by Linda Bevis and Ed Mast, who will be
joined by Amin Odeh

Ed and Linda are founding members of the Palestine
Information Project and Amin Odeh grew up in Ayda refugee
camp inside Bethlehem and works with Voices of Palestine
locally. Time for questions and answers will follow the
formal presentation.

Sunday, February 11, 7:30-9:30PM, Our Lady of the Lake
Catholic Church Jubilee Hall, 8900 35th Ave. NE, Seattle, WA
98115

For more information, call the church office at
206-523-6776.

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"THE IRON WALL," FILM

Free public showing Saturday, January 20th, at 7 PM
Edmonds Unitarian Universalist Church.
8109 224th St. SW, south Snohomish County.

Saturday evening, January 20th, at 7 PM, at the Edmonds Unitarian Universalist Church there will be a free public showing of the film "The Iron Wall".

Tragic and heart-rending, a powerful and shocking exposé of the separation of a people from their land, this highly acclaimed film by Mohammed Alatar examines the Palestinian loss of land in the occupied territories as a result of Israeli settlement policy. It documents the timeline, size, and population of the settlements and the effect the settlement policy has had on the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians. Particularly noted is the wall Israel is building in the West Bank and the effect it has on Palestinian life there.

After the showing, Dr. Steve Niva, Professor of International Politics and Middle East Studies at Evergreen State College, will discuss the film and provide a first-hand and expert interpretation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the settlement policy. Dr. Niva has lived and worked in the Palestinian occupied territories and in Israel on numerous occasions, and frequently writes on current issues germane to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

"The Iron Wall" is an extraordinary film. President Jimmy Carter states, "The best description of the barrier, its routing and impact is shown in the film, 'The Iron Wall'." CURRENT magazine proclaims, "If you ever wondered why the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is so complicated, but were afraid to ask, then this is the film to see."

Bring your family. Bring your friends. Do not miss this chance to learn the truth behind the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, a truth which the U.S. government and media fail to address.

The Edmonds Unitarian Universalist Church is located at 8109 224th St. SW in south Snohomish County. Turn West off of Highway 99 onto 224th St. SW and drive a few blocks until you see the sign advertising "The Iron Wall".

This event is presented by Political Action Network In Support Of the Palestinian People (PANISOPP) and the Peace and Justice Committee of the Edmonds Unitarian Universalist Church.

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END THE OCCUPATION / STOP THE SIEGE OF GAZA

Saturday December 2, 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Westlake Plaza Park 4th & Pine, downtown Seattle

Come join us to show solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza who are suffering, dying, many having to flee their homes with no hope of escaping the Israeli military as it continues its brutal siege of Gaza.

For more information call: (206) 633-1086.

PSC will also be collaborating with other groups -- more details to follow.

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Encounter Point:
Film and Discussion with Filmmakers and Community Members

Wed, Dec 6: Film at 7:00 p.m. at the NW Film Forum - 1515 12th Ave on Capitol Hill
Discussion at 8:35 p.m. at Caffé Vita, 1005 East Pike St.

Join others interested in learning more about Israel and Palestine, and the human story behind the media as the film Encounter Point premiers in Seattle. The film, whose trailer can be viewed at www.encounterpoint.com, is screening at the NW Film Forum in Capitol Hill from December 5-7 with 7 screenings. Buy tickets to the film online. At Caffé Vita following the 7:00 p.m. screening on Wednesday, Dec. 6th, please join an informal discussion co-sponsored by many organizations in Seattle who work for peace for Israel and Palestine in various ways. Representatives of these organizations, some of whom look at the situation in very different ways, are hoping to bring a group together to share and learn from one another about the different perspectives on this complex situation while also beginning a process of peaceful dialogue. While we are targeting young people between 18-35, all are welcome to come and contribute to this learning experience.

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HEARTS AND MINDS OF PALESTINIAN RESISTANCE
Palestine Film Festival 2006
Saturdays October 28, and November 4, and 11 at Keystone Church, 5019 Keystone Place N., Seattle 0.4 miles west of the I-5 50th St. Exit - Metro Bus Routes 16, 26 & 44. Doors open at 6:30m pm.

All films screen at 7:00 pm and will be followed by related presentation and discussion.   Suggested donation $5-10. No one turned away.

Saturday, October 28 – Selves and Others: A Portrait of Edward Said
Emmanuel Hammoun, 2003, 54 mins.

Known as one of America's great contemporary intellectuals and a prominent spokesperson for the Palestinian cause in the United States, Said died in September of 2003 at the age of 67. Shortly before is death, a French film crew spent several weeks with him and his family. The result is SELVES AND OTHERS, an intimate documentary that offers a glimpse at some of Said's final reflections on the themes that dominated his life's work.

Saturday, November 4 – Palestine Blues
Nida Sinnokrat, 2005, 74 mins.

"Palestine Blues follows the repercussions of the Israeli Security Wall and Settlement expansion in the engulfed/annexed Palestinian farming communities of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Instead of focusing on the Wall as an object, Palestine Blues examines the grassroots resistance movement that has
sprung up against it. Palestine Blues is not a 'traditional' political reportage but rather an interminable road trip across hard and liquid borders, across a terrain that is being erased as it is being traversed." - N. Sinnokrot

Saturday, November 11th – Writers On the Borders
Samir Abdallah and Jose Reynes, 2002, 84 mins.

In 2002, eight internationally renowned writers, poets and intellectuals —
including American novelist Russell Banks and Nobel laureates Jose Saramago
and Wole Soyinka — traveled to the West Bank and Gaza to visit poet Mahmoud
Darwish and observe the state of the Palestinians living there. Documentary
filmmakers Samir Abdallah and Jose Reynes alternate scenes from the writers'
journey with testimonials from the Palestinian people, readings by Darwish
and reflections from the concerned authors as they bear witness to what they
see.

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UNDOING COLUMBUS
International Law and Indigenous Peoples' Rights
7:00 p.m. Thursday, October 12, 2006
University Friends’ Meeting Community Room
4001 9th Ave NE, Seattle, Washington
Organized and hosted by the Forum on Human Rights & International Law
ADMISSION: FREE

Attorney Patricia Paul and Professor Joel Ngugi are lawyers with expertise in international law as it pertains to the rights of indigenous peoples. In this forum they will explore the ways indigenous peoples utilize international law to protect their rights to land, to subsistence lifestyles, to cultural maintenance, and to autonomy within the current nation-state political model.

UNDOING COLUMBUS will include a discussion of key principles of international law on indigenous peoples' rights, the development of those principles, how they have been applied, and indigenous issues as addressed by the United Nations. Ms. Paul and Mr. Ngugi will also discuss the limitations of international law in addressing the needs of indigenous peoples around the world – a reflection on international law as a development of western societies, especially those of Europe and North America.

Ms. Paul, an Inupiaq, is an attorney, as well as tribal judge pro tem. She received a JD, 1998, from Seattle University Law School, and in 2005 she did post-graduate studies at JFK School of Government, Harvard University. Ms Paul has lectured internationally in Brazil, Chile, Finland, and Sweden.

Prof. Ngugi, from Kenya, received his Doctor of Juridical Sciences (S.J.D.) and LL.M from Harvard Law School where he was one of two recipients of the John Gallup Laylin Prize in International Law (2002). He also holds a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) from the University of Nairobi. Prof. Ngugi has worked with the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) in Pristina, and has done research work for various organizations including the Global Coalition for Africa/World Bank, the Program on Humanitarian Policy and Conflict Research (HPCR) at Harvard University, and the Global Trade Watch Division of the Public Citizens, Inc. in Washington, DC.

Co-sponsored by Seattle International Human Rights Coalition, Palestine Solidarity Committee – Seattle and the American Friends Service Committee

Contact: Ed Mast 206-633-1086, Edwardmast@aol.com

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WITHOUT END
Monday, September 11, 2006
from 11:30 AM, but especially 4:30-6:30 PM

Westlake Plaza Park - corner of 4th and Pine in Seattle

In Westlake Plaza Park, visual art, spoken word, music and public meditation will observe two important anniversaries on September 11: the 5th anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center, and the 100th anniversary of the first nonviolence campaign launched by Mohandas K. Gandhi.

Gandhi’s first campaign of nonviolent resistance was launched against racist laws in South Africa at a meeting in Johannesburg on September 11, 1906. The term “satyagraha” or ”holding truth” was coined after the Johannesburg meeting to describe resistance and persuasion by means of nonviolence and
respect. After success in South Africa, Gandhi applied the developing strategies of nonviolent resistance in India against the British occupation.

WITHOUT END will combine visual art and performance to remember and celebrate a century of nonviolent resistance in South Africa, India, Palestine, the United States and elsewhere. WITHOUT END will also remember and protest the mounting numbers of civilian deaths caused by state and
non-state violence.

A forest of icons representing civilian casualties will surround an open meditation circle in Westlake Plaza, with movement, poetry and music performances outside in the plaza. Audience and passers-by will be invited to move about among the various elements of the event, and to stay for all or part.
The visual elements and the meditation circle will be available in Westlake Plaza all day, starting at 11:30 AM.   At approximately 4:30 PM, performance elements will be added, and members of the Buddhist Peace Fellowship, among others, will begin public meditation in the circle. The event will take place rain or shine.

WITHOUT END is created by the Theater Squad and will use elements from their popular performances SHADOWS OF EXILE and SLEEPWALKING APOCALYPSE.   Local playwright Edward Mast will direct, and the Theater Squad will be joined by other performers, including musician Jay Hamilton, actors Meg Savlov and Rich Hawkins, and dancers Betsy Beckmann and Dvorah Kost.

For more about WITHOUT END, call (206) 633-1086 or email theatersquad@aol.com

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Outdoor installation/performance on 9/11 protests civilian deaths
and commemorates 100 years of nonviolence
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Friends Note: Meditators and other volunteers are needed for this event to work well. A full description of the event follows below. Note the contact number/email at the end. But it is not necessary to sign up in advance to participate. If you do intend to come and make the most of the space created , it may be helpful to know in advance that: You may enter or leave the circle at any time, 4:30-6:30. At regular intervals of 10 or 15 minutes, a bell will sound, and meditators will rise and turn to walk slowly in line around the circle one time, then resuming sitting meditation. This circle will be able to be used from 11:30 on. Lunch hour musician playing xylo-chimes. You are encouraged to bring a pillow or two for sitting, altho some extra pillows will be set out in the circle. Dress yourself and your pillow for the weather!
If you have/haven’t done public meditation before, these 2 anniversaries on 9-11 (explained below) present a particular practice opportunity:   to engender our compassion for others affected by 20th century violence and non-violence and for all affected by 9/11/2001 and its subsequent events -- and to connect those large realms of compassion with compassion for ourselves including the many thoughts of our minds in the moment. Participants are free to move about to any of the points in space created
for the day at Westlake. This freedom can expand awareness of interrelations across time as well as space; can expand awareness of interbeing, across the continuum between participant and spectator.
Sitting, standing, walking: for peace, with peace.
Meditation circle participants are invited to gather beforehand with members of the Buddhist Peace Fellowship-Seattle and others, at a house near downtown; and to share travel together to the event. Also to gather afterward to share food and reflect on the experience.
Please RSVP Rick Harlan before Sunday, Sept. 10th for this part: rickharlan@igc.org

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For info about 911Peace, Gandhi and the upcoming 10 day observance Sept. 11th through 21st,
visit www.seattlecenterforpeace.org

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June 14th, 2006 is the National Day of Action challenging Caterpillar Inc.'s compliance with human rights abuses in the Occupied Territories including the death of numerous civilians and Olympian Rachel Corrie, home demolition, and the destruction of Palestinian livelihood.

This will be our third year at NC Machinery in Tukwila, Washington at 4pm on Wednesday June 14th. Continued visibility and pressure on this company at local distributors is part of a national call for action coinciding with Caterpillar's annual shareholders' meetings. The shareholders' meeting was postponed this year due to it's closeness to the anniversary of Rachel's death and the cancellation of the play "My Name Is Rachel Corrie." Caterpillar Inc. also launched a multi-million dollar publicity campaign to clean up its image, or rather to cover up its complacency These are great signs that we are challenging the company in constructive ways. Also, June 14th is the meeting of the US Presbyterian General Assembly - the first large church in the Unites States taking the courageous steps to challenge companies doing business in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

We need artistic inspiration, media help, peacekeepers, publicity, carpool coordination, legal consultation, etc. There are infinite ways you can help out.

If you are interested in making this event happen, please contact Annamarie at ammurano@gmail.com or call 360 485 5745 to get more information or directions to the planning meetings occurring every Wednesday at 7pm until the demonstration on June 14th.

Beyond Borders;
Solidarity in the Occupied Palestinian Territories

Tuesday, May 16th, 7 PM

The Tribal Space at The Chocolate Factory
3400 Phinney in Fremont,
(Corner 35th and Phinney, in the old Red Hook building).

Come hear three activists who have returned from four months in the West Bank and Gaza.

Rochelle Gause, Serena Becker and Johan Genberg, will report on their actions in Palestine, where they participated in non-violent resistance to the Israel's construction of the wall, worked to set up a sister city within the stranglehold of post-disengagement Gaza, and documented the repeated human rights abuses from Israeli settlers. They hope to inspire and emphasize the potential that each one of us has to work for change in creating a just world.

Rochelle and Serena live in