Indymedia York

Press Release 8th October 2007

Clare Short speaks in York on the crisis in Palestine

The Rt Hon Clare Short MP is coming on Friday 12th October to talk to a public meeting hosted by the York Branch of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC). She will address the issue of what the British Government should be doing about Palestine and the illegal Israeli actions which have led to the current crisis. She will also sign her support for the York Declaration, which calls for peace and justice in the Middle East.

Clare Short served with distinction as Britain’s first Secretary of State for International Development, and resigned from the Cabinet on a matter of principle, the invasion of Iraq.

Also speaking in York is Musheir el-Farra. Originally from Gaza, Musheir lives in Sheffield. He has organised cultural links between Yorkshire and the Gaza Strip, and is in touch with conditions there: his sister is a doctor practising in one of the refugee camps.

The meeting is at 7.30 pm, Friday 12th October, at the Friends Meeting House, Friargate, York. There will be an opportunity for questions and discussion.

There will also be Palestinian and Fair Trade goods on sale, plus a selection of books, magazines, merchandise and leaflets giving information about what is happening to Palestine.

More about the York Declaration:

Members of the York Branch of PSC adopted this at their Annual General Meeting in June, and are intending to present it to Parliaments throughout the democratic world, including Westminster and Strasbourg:

Peace and Justice in the Middle East: the York Declaration 2007

For forty years Israel has been in violation of several major UN Security Council and General Assembly Resolutions, because of its Occupation of the West Bank including East Jerusalem and its continued imprisonment of the Gaza Strip. It is in violation of international humanitarian law, as expressed in the 4th Geneva Convention, because of its persistent human rights and other abuses directed towards the Palestinian people. It is furthermore in violation of the 2004 verdict of the International Court of Justice relating to the Wall it continues to build on illegally Occupied Land. Its continued Occupation of Palestinian land is causing great suffering to many people and is a major source of conflict and instability in the Middle East.

We the undersigned wish to express our deep concern at the injustice and oppression that after so many years Israel continues to inflict on the Palestinian people.

Palestine is a land that is special to many people throughout the world. We call upon the international community to act urgently to end the suffering, death and injustice that continue to blight that land.

More about PSC:

PSC has a UK membership of about 3500. It supports the Palestinian right of return as stipulated in UN Resolution 194. PSC organises campaigns, demonstrations and public meetings in the UK. It liaises with European and other organisations whenever possible, most recently joining some 40 NGOs in Enough, the umbrella campaign against 40 years of illegal Israeli occupation of Palestinian land, with a mass demonstration in London in June. PSC works to highlight the human rights abuses committed by the Israelis and to raise awareness on the issue of Palestine to the general public. The York Branch, one of the most active in the country, has a mailing list of over 300.

Contact:

Nick Hall, Branch Secretary, on 07900 650077 or
Monica Wusteman, York (01904 630751)

Web-site: www.yorkpsc.org.uk
E-mail: information@yorkpsc.org.uk
Postal address: York PSC, PO Box 423, York YO24 4WP

We're still going ahead with this one!
End the Occupation of Lebanon And Gaza!!!
This Saturday, 2pm, Begins & Ends at York Minster

York Palestine Solidarity Campaign and York Against the War will go ahead with their march through York on Saturday because:

* 30,000 Israeli troops are still in Lebanon
* Israel's Air and Sea blockade of Lebanon is still in place
* Thousands are still desperate for aid
* There's no talk of Israeli compensation to Lebanese civilians
* there's still no ceasefire in Gaza

The war may seem to be over, but fighting to re-start for any number of reasons, and this situation must not fade from the news. We really encourage anyone who was thinking of coming but heard of the ceasefire and changed their minds to think again: don't settle for a half-baked solution.

Line-up for the day

After the opening speeches, the march leaves at 2:15 prompt with the agreed route going via Parliament Street, High Ousegate and Coney Street. Return to Minster for rally and open microphone session.

Bring your own placard...

We have a limited supply of placards, so please bring your own if you can. We really want this to be a bigger event than our last protest; 200 people attended that, so we really need to pull out all the stops to out do that performance. The route passes almost every one of the biggest shops in York, and will give us a huge visibility.

Helping out...

Lunch time leafletting - Mon-Fri 12:30-1:30pm outside Woolworths, Coney Street
Final Planning - Thursday 7:30pm Ramada Hotel Coffee Bar, Micklegate/North Street.