Aqsa News, Issue 50, Ramadhan 2012 by Friends of Al Aqsa

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ISSUE 50

RAMADHAN 2012

15TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY EDITION

AQSA NEWS

Check the Label Boycott Israeli Dates

checkthelabel.org.uk • Page 7

Friends of Al-Aqsa newspaper since 1997

Palestinian

Prisoners on Hunger Strike

Israel

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destroying Islamic sites

MP issues

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apology to FOA

Hunger Strike draws international condemnation

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Friends of Al-Aqsa commemorates 15 year anniversary

● Palestinian prisoners go on hunger strike to protest against harsh prison conditions ● Eric Cantona, Desmond Tutu, John Pilger and others show support for footballer Mahmoud Sarsak, and other administrative detainees ● Mandela Foundation calls for international inquiry into Prison conditions See page 2 and 3

Co-op boycotts illegal settlement produce In the first move of its kind, a major European supermarket has decided not to stock produce from illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied West Bank. The Co-op took this unprecedented step following lobbying by its members. The Coop already had an existing policy which meant it did not source produce

Inside...

from illegal settlements, but this has now been extended to include doing business with any supplier of produce known to be sourcing from the Israeli settlements. The move will immediately affect four suppliers in Israel, Agrexco, Arava Export Growers, Adafresh and Mehadrin. The campaign was initiated by the Boycott Israel Palestinian children given prison sentences

Network (BIN), and Hilary Smith, its agricultural trade campaign co-ordinator, said the Co-op “has taken the lead internationally in this historic decision to hold corporations to account for complicity in Israel’s violations of Palestinian human rights We strongly urge other retailers to take similar action.” Recipes: Date Slices and Humous

FOA was founded in 1997 to work for peace and justice in Palestine, and to help protect the sacred Masjid al-Aqsa. 2012 marks our 15th anniversary. Founder and Chairman, Ismail Patel describes the journey as one filled with challenges, rewards and fulfillment. “ Whenever we have faced what appeared to be insurmountable obstacles, we found help and assistance from the most unlikely places. This can only

Review - The war around us

be through the will of Allah (swt). In the past 15 years, our circle of friends has grown and expanded to include people of all faiths and none. It has been particularly obvious that many more Jewish friends now support our work, reflecting that this issue is not one of religious division, but rather a fight against oppression which draws all of our sympathies. Over the years we have also witnessed a changing attitude amongst those Special Feature

who support Israel, and a critical questioning attitude now over-rides previously un-questioning support. This is a major development in bringing Israel to account for its illegal actions. Our work has only been possible because of the commitment and dedication of the people around us and I sincerely hope and pray that our efforts continue and the number of friends we draw increases year on year.’ Travel to Palestine

Non-violent Resistance 2

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Help Feed A Million This Ramadhan

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Charity Reg. No. 1000851

AQSA NEWS

ISSUE 50 / RAMADHAN 2012

INSIDE PALESTINE

Palestinian Prisoners on Hunger Strike

Palestinian village in danger The small Palestinian village of Susiya in south Hebron is under threat once again after Israel delivered demolition orders to home owners. The villagers are accused of building their homes ‘illegally’ as they were erected without the permission of the Israeli authorities. These ‘illegal buildings’ are actually poorly constructed tents, acting

as makeshift homes. Israel has already demolished the homes 5 times in the past leaving the residents in misery. With little choice, they have re-built their homes each time. “We’ve been displaced and kicked off our land five times. We’re not leaving again,” said Nasser Nawajeh, a resident and activist in Susiya.

Gush Etzion, a settlement in the occupied West Bank has recently been in local news as a hot new tourist spot for those seeking an ‘Israeli tourist experience’. Visitors are told stories ‘from the battleground’ of Israeli soldiers encounters with alleged terrorists and visitors are given the opportunity to practice shooting using clay bullets. A family from Miami visited the controversial site

stating that it was an important part of the education of their children. A five-yearold girl was in tears upon entering the range, but was soon encouraged to take part in the practice shooting. Such occurrences in Israel are extremely worrying and represent a militarisation of not only Israeli civil society but of the tourism industry too.

A worrying tourist experience

Israeli air strikes continue to kill and injure

Israel routinely arrests and arbitrarily detains Palestinian citizens including women and children. Administrative Detention is a measure used to keep Palestinians imprisoned for 6 months at a time without bringing charges or undergoing a fair legal process. This period of detention can be renewed indefinitely,

sometimes leading to years of imprisonment. There are currently almost 5,000 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, and around 2,000 prisoners have taken part in hunger strikes so far this year to protest against prison conditions. The hunger strikes have lasted months attracting global concern and outrage. Some prison-

ers were on hunger strike for over 70 days. International law does not permit Israel to move Palestinian prisoners into Israel, yet this is a regular occurrence amounting to war crimes under the Fourth Geneva Convention. Most Palestinian detainees ended their hunger strike in May after broker-

ing a deal with Israel to ease prison conditions. The detainees began their action in April and hoped to use the attention to demand that Israel ends its limits on family visits, solitary confinement and administrative detention. Despite the agreement made, Israel is yet to fully comply with its promises.

Palestinian children given prison sentences

Six Palestinian children aged 14-16 were handed down prison sentences by an Israeli military court ranging between 5 and 12 years. The minors were detained and have been awaiting prosecution since April 2011, after repeated delays without explanation. In addition to the prison sentences, the minors were charged fines of NIS5.000, equivalent to £900. The children have been threat-

ened with an extra year and a half added to the prison sentence if they do not pay by 12th August 2012. Israel has been criticised repeatedly by numerous human rights organisations for its detention of Palestinian minors. A recent British Foreign Office backed delegation of lawyers reported that Palestinian minors are grossly mistreated by the Israeli military.

Two Palestinians were reported to have been killed following Israeli air strikes in June. Around 20 people were wounded by blasts and a 6-year old boy was killed in an explosion which medics said was due to the air strikes. Israel claimed that the strikes are in response to Palestinian rocket fire. Such disproportionate action by Israel has made death and injury a daily nightmare for Palestinians. Continued from page 1

International support for Hunger Strikers

Mahmoud al Sarsak, a Palestinian footballer who was detained while on his way to play in a match has been held under administrative detention for 3 years. He continued his hunger strike for 93 days before Israel agreed to his release. Support for Sarsak’s campaign emerged from former footballer Eric Cantona and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. The effect of such a hunger strike is likely to have long term consequences on Sarsak’s health. Sportsmen like Sarsak and others have never faced official charges, leading many to assume that Israeli actions are intended to disrupt Palestinian participation in sports. The Palestinian national football team appealed to UEFA in January 2011 for support, however, this has not been forthcoming.

ISSUE 50 / RAMADHAN 2012

AQSA NEWS

INSIDE PALESTINE

Israeli army games leave Palestinian dead A 28-year-old Palestinian man was killed by Israeli fire after soldiers dressed as Arabs entered a Palestinian village in Ramallah. Rashad Shawakha and his two brothers saw the two disguised men at the entrance of their home. They asked to see identity papers and the soldiers responded by pulling out their guns and firing. All three brothers suffered bullet wounds, as did their elderly

father when soldiers fired a round of bullets aimed at the ground. The two surviving brothers filed a complaint with Israeli human rights group B’Tselem. A month later, at the end of April, B’Tselem were informed that the military prosecutor had opened an investigation. The frequency of using Palestinian villages as military training grounds has increased rapidly over

recent years. Yehuda Shaul, of Breaking the Silence – a group of former Israeli soldiers who are critical of Israeli military practices, states that the idea behind it is because training “has to be as close to the real thing” as possible. It also instills fear amongst Palestinians, ensuring they know that they are constantly under watch. Such practices mean that security for Palestinians is illusive.

A Gazan fisherman who lost both his legs in December 2008 following Israeli rocket fire during the war on Gaza, has shown tremendous courage and perseverance. Despite his debilitating injuries, Ibrahim Abu Thraya continues to work to support his 11-member family as conditions in Gaza become more and more difficult. Ibrahim’s injuries were severe, and he lost both of his legs, vision in one of his eyes and the use of an arm. Despite these extreme disabilities, he now cleans cars in Gaza. He travels by wheelchair every day from al-Shati refugee camp, earning around 5-10 shekels per day, the equivalent of $1.30 - $2.60. Ibrahim has little choice however as his mother suffers from a chronic illness, leaving him as the only breadwinner for the family. She relates her son’s experience, saying that he is in constant pain due to

the nature of his work and states that she wishes that he can find work that is suited to his disabilities. Abu Thraya dreams of one day owning an electric wheelchair and the opportunity to have artificial

limbs to ease the difficulties he faces on a daily basis. He states: “No one feels what I feel ... Life is very difficult. I hope that someone will feel that I am a human being and need help.”

Israel destroying Islamic sites

The perseverance of a Gaza fisherman who lost both legs in Israeli bombing

A press release issued late June by the al-Aqsa Foundation for Waqf and Heritage revealed that over the last five years, the Israeli ‘Archaeological Authority’ has been involved in numerous demolitions in occupied Jerusalem. Several Islamic sites, dating back to the Umayy-

ad, Abbasid and Ottoman time have been destroyed, including an ancient mosque and a school. Excavations that have been occurring in al-Boraq, come within 100 metres of the al Aqsa mosque. The al-Aqsa foundation has sent teams to the area that have documented the

Israeli violations and collected evidence. They state: “Israel is trying to void the Islamic culture, history and archaeology, that extended for 1,400 years. Israel is also trying to void an Arabic history that dates back to thousands of years, during the Canaanite and Yabousy eras”.

British charity Save the Children has this June released a shocking report of the lack of access to clean water amongst Palestinians in Gaza, with particular reference to the effect on children. The report, which has been put together by Save the Children and Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) is titled “Gaza’s Children; Falling Behind”, and reveals how the only fresh water source in Gaza has now become contaminated with human waste and fertiliser, making it unfit for human consumption. A series of events has lead to the water situation in Gaza becoming critical. For example, much of the sewage system that was previously in place was destroyed in the Israeli attack on Gaza in December 2008. As a result, there are open cesspits next door to houses – and early this year, 3 children drowned in open sewers. Palestinian children continue to live in completely inhumane conditions, five

years after the blockade on Gaza was imposed. Children are becoming ill with diarrhoea – something which is easily treated in the UK, but can be a killer for children in Gaza who do not have access to adequate healthcare provisions. Nitrates present in the contaminated water supplies are linked with cancers and are a massive risk to pregnant women. Save the Children is calling for the siege to be lifted

so that the issue of water access can be addressed immediately. They are also calling for a greater focus on water and sanitation projects and more long term projects to aid Palestinian children instead of just emergency relief. Of the 1.7 millions Gazans living in the Gaza Strip, 800,000 are children, putting this unacceptable situation into context.

‘Save the Children’ calls for siege of Gaza to be lifted

AQSA NEWS

ISSUE 50 / RAMADHAN 2012

GLOBAL NEWS

MP issues apology to FOA FOA have welcomed the unreserved apology from Labour MP for Dudley North Ian Austin after he made allegations that FOA were Holocaust deniers. In an article published on the Labour Uncut Website in 2011, (“When bigotry comes disguised as compassion, Labour must recognise it and root it out”) Ian Austin MP stated that FOA had referred to the ‘so called holocaust’. He was in fact referring to ma-

terials published in the early 1990’s, years before FOA was established. Despite requests made by FOA for the article to be removed or corrected, no action was taken and FOA were forced to seek a legal route to remove these false and damaging allegations. The apology from Ian Austin quickly followed when it became apparent that FOA stood resolutely against holocaust denial and had never made any such statement.

UK renews funding to UNRWA

15 year old refugee wins WHO prize

A fifteen-year-old Palestinian refugee has won an international art competition held by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Sundus Raed Afreeky, a Palestinian refugee from the Arroub camp in the West Bank came first in the contest held for World Health Day, beating more than a thousand schoolchildren across 14 countries in the

region. She explained how her painting was inspired by her life growing up in a refugee camp, “My drawing was of an elderly man, in the form of a rooted tree, as a source of life branching its fruit onto the community”. The theme for this year’s competition was “Ageing and health”

Morsi will stand with Palestinians

The British government has renewed its aid contribution to the UN agency responsible for providing vital services to tens of thousands of Palestinian refugees in the Middle East. The International Development Minister, Alan Duncan, announced the three year package worth £100 million to help the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) during a visit to a refugee camp in

Lebanon. He said: “By providing education, health, relief and protection, UNRWA is helping to improve the living standards and long-term prospects for tens of thousands of Palestinians, as well as meeting more immediate humanitarian needs with food and income support for the most vulnerable.” The money will give 36,000 children a year an opportunity to study, will

ensure at least four antenatal appointments each for over 6000 pregnant women and cash for more than 20,000 Palestinian households in refugee camps spread across Occupied Palestine, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. The UK is the third largest contributor to the body, with the United States and the European Commission contributing more, but since 2009, UNRWA has

been under-funded. The organisation says its annual spending has dropped from $200 per refugee in 1975 to around $110 today. The agency was formed in 1949 to deal with the hundreds of thousands of refugees forced from their homes by terrorising Zionist gangs and continues to provide assistance to those Palestinians and their descendants.

The recent election of Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt has been met with jubilation across the Arab world. Morsi’s election represents a major shift in the outlook of previous Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, through whom, Israel was able to suppress Palestinian freedom of movement via border crossings. Morsi however has already insisted that as Presi-

dent he will work towards the restoration of Palestinian land and sovereignty and of course reconciliation. This shift in approach from the Egyptian leadership signifies great hope for Palestinians who have fought for freedom for years, with little support from neighboring countries. Israel received the news of Morsi’s victory with some apprehension.

ISSUE 50 / RAMADHAN 2012

AQSA NEWS

GLOBAL NEWS

UEFA assures Israel on under-21 euros Israel will host the 2013 European Under-21 Football Championship despite huge international pressure on UEFA to change the location. Activists had demanded that UEFA strip the country of its hosting rights after three Palestinian footballers in Israeli prisons went on hunger strike to protest being detained without charge. UEFA president Michel Platini assured the Israeli FA in June that his organisation had no plans to change the venue, saying “I am sure that it will be a beautiful celebration of football that, once again, will bring people together.” The head of the Palestinian Football Federation, Jibril Rajoub, had urged UEFA

to stop the games from happening in Israel but Platini wrote to him telling him that the Israeli FA could not be held responsible for the actions of the Israeli authorities. Several current and former footballers have come out in support of the detained prisoners including, Sevilla forward Freddie Kanoute and former Manchester United legend, Eric Cantona. They called on Israel to release the prisoners and on UEFA to cancel the tournament based on the host’s human rights record. The most prominent footballer held by the Israelis was the Palestinian national team’s goalkeeper, Mahmoud Sarsak, who ended his hunger strike after 93 days.

cies in the acquisition and use of Palestinian land since 1947. The workshop was focussing on water conservation and land management in arid regions. Eurig Scandrett from Stop the JNF UK commented: “This land and water

South Africa has announced that it will now label products from Israeli settlements as products of occupied Palestine as opposed to products of Israel. This may cause consumers to falsely believe that the products are from Palestinian farmers, when in fact they are products produced in illegal Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory. The move has been met with anger from some who

state consumers should be able to choose whether or not they decide to boycott, and the new labeling is likely to cause confusion over the country of origin of products. Some pro-Palestine activists nevertheless hope that a boycott of such goods will kick off in South Africa and snowball across the international community. Denmark has followed suit already.

The Barrier Monitoring Unit (BMU), United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and Applied Research Institute Jerusalem (ARIJ) issued a report in June documenting the harsh impact of the separation wall which splits and cuts into occupied Palestinian territory. The barrier not only affects Palestinian rural populations, but also adversely affects the environment including land degradation, flooding, waste manage-

ment problems and destruction of water sources. Director of ARIJ, Dr. Jad Isaac stated: The joint research presented today further underlines the necessity and urgency for the international community to pressure Israel, in accordance with the International Court of Justice’s 2004 Advisory Opinion, to immediately cease construction of the Barrier and to dismantle those parts of the Barrier already built.”

Devastating impact of the Wall

Protest against JNF at Earth Summit

Protests took place at the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Earth Summit) when the Jewish National Fund (JNF) was allowed to run a workshop on June 20th. The JNF are accused of human rights abuses in Israel/Palestine and of exercising racist poli-

South Africa plans new labeling policy for produce of Israeli settlements

has been stolen from the Palestinian people. The JNF manages Palestinian land in order to drive the Palestinian people off. The water which they are supposedly managing comes from the Jordan River in the West Bank or the underground aquifers which Palestinians are denied access to. This workshop is pure greenwash from the racist JNF” Sara Kershnar of International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network added: “It is ironic that the Israeli government is lobbying to exclude the Palestinian Authority from the summit whilst at the same time contributing workshops on how they manage Palestinian land and water which they have stolen.”

AQSA NEWS

ISSUE 50 / RAMADHAN 2012

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Review

‘The war around us’

The War Around Us is the latest award winning documentary film coming from acclaimed director Abdallah Omeish (Occupation 101). The film follows the story of two journalists as they covered Israel’s bombing of Gaza in 2008 and 2009. Ayman Mohyeldin and Sherine Tadros of Al-Jazeera English were the only two foreign journalists that reported from inside Gaza during the war. This film not only depicts their stories but in parallel, also tells the story of the people of Gaza.

Eye witness

The film is a very personal recollection of what Ayman and Sherine witnessed and felt. With a combination of detailed storytelling, raw unseen footage, news reports and personal footage that has been put together remarkably well, the film takes you through the chain of events that resulted in the destruction and carnage of Gaza. From the aerial assault, to the ground offensive, to the white phosphorous attack on the UN school, to

the tragedy of the Samouni family, right through to the ceasefire; the audience gets an insider’s point of view, allowing you to feel the grief

felt by the Palestinians. At the time, Ayman was already in Gaza when the first bombs hit and Sherine was called in to help him cover the story. They appear to be two very different people with different ways of dealing with the situation. Ayman, the more experienced and tough sends Sherine, the more emotional and less experienced to cover the story on the ground, face to face with the victims. Sherine clearly fears losing her life, yet she is determined and works hard to get the stories out. Through personal footage you get an insight into how the journalists live, emphasizing the fact that they are in a war zone.

“One of humanities greatest injustices”

Ayman is clearly outraged by the lack of help from the outside world and describes the situation as “one of humanities greatest injustices”. This notion is stressed through the footage when you see the true extent of the suffering of completely innocent civilians. Ayman and Sherine reflect on how they felt the pressure of being the only foreign journalists reporting in Gaza. They achieved what mainstream media such as BBC and Sky News failed to do. At one point, Ayman explains how other news channels asked them to report on their behalf. Ayman and Sherine were often criticized for telling the truth about what they saw as they were accused of exaggeration.

Testimonies

The footage and news reports help to illustrate Ayman and Sherine’s testimonies, drawing you into the destruction, closer to the journalists and closer to the victims. The film allows you to see a side of journalists you rarely see. The compassion of both Ayman and Sherine comes across as their reporting on the war progresses. By the end of the film Ayman and Sherine are no longer just a face on a TV screen, but people with heart. And the victims of the bombings are not just statistics, but real people, human beings that you are able to connect with.

The edge of hope

Predictably the film does contain very emotional and graphic scenes of the af-

To view the trailer and for further details on releases sign up for updates on: www.thewararoundus.com

termath. In one particular scene the TV crew arrives at a scene of devastation just seconds after a bombing. Amongst the lifeless bodies of men, women and children there are some who are still clinging to life. Those who have come to help can only tell them to pray their Shahada, the final testimony of faith; as there is no other way of helping. These scenes do not feel unnecessary and at the same time you are not bombarded with statistics that might otherwise divert your attention. Also, Ayman and Sherine’s personal story does not over shadow the truth and reality of what happened in Gaza. It is an overall well balanced and composed film that keeps your attention for the full 75 minutes immersing you

into the war. The film is definitely not about taking sides and is simply portraying the war as witnessed on the ground. The suffering and resilience of Palestinians exposed through the film cannot be denied. It is an insightful and straightforward recollection that acts as a reminder of a horrific tragedy. It highlights how much we were not told or shown by the mass media. You are forced yet again to question the silence over accountability for the war in Gaza. The War Around Us is a film that was necessary and just had to be made. Reviewed by Ghazala Caratella

ISSUE 50 / RAMADHAN 2012

AQSA NEWS

CAMPAIGN

Check the Label Check the label

This Ramadan, don’t break your fast with an Israeli date Ramadan is a time of year when we remember those who are less fortunate than ourselves. It would be an affront if at such a time we helped support oppression.

Most of the major supermarkets will stock dates produced in Israel, West Bank and the Jordan Valley. Dates produced in the West Bank and the Jordan Valley are from Illegal Israeli Settlements and should also be boycotted.

Every year, Israel exports millions of pounds worth of dates to the world, which many people unknowingly buy and use to break their fasts. These dates are grown in illegal settlements in the West Bank and the Jordan Valley, on land that has been stolen from Palestinians. By buying these dates, we are in fact helping Israel to continue its occupation and oppression of the Palestinian people. For this reason, Friends of Al Aqsa is once again running its ‘Check the Label’ Campaign.

Aqsa News speaks to ‘The war around us’ film director Abdallah Omeish

At what point did the idea of making this film come to you?

During the war I had seen the images that were on Al-Jazeera and I remember a particular news report that struck me and I had promised to do something but at the moment was not sure...months after the war I had gotten in touch with Ayman who was thinking of doing a film about his stay in Gaza. So we combined efforts to do something about the Gaza invasion. And the ball started to roll.

Why did you make the film and what do you hope to achieve with it?

Our first objective was to honor those who died... and that their death will not go in vain. We wanted to show the western world in particular America who did not see any of those images you see in the film. Our goal is to raise the awareness on what has happened and continues to happen in Gaza. We want people in the west to see this. We wanted people to be aware of the Human cost of war and how devastating war is. This film could have been any where in the world... Because in war the Innocent people always pay the price for those people on top whom govern them. The question we have to ask as a society is it worth it?

How have viewers responded to the film?

The reaction so far has been over whelming

positive. Just an amazing reaction. And most people come out with the feeling that they have been through war themselves. Most people will tell me that they have never seen this footage or are just simply shocked that it happened in their name.

I understand it was screened in the USA first, was there a reason for this?

American policy dictates what is happening in Gaza so Americans need to be the first to watch this and think about their tax dollars at work and they need to ask the question; ‘is this how I want my tax dollars spent?’ Most Americans have no idea that this is what happened in Operation cast lead. It’s time they know.

Was it difficult to get access to footage from Al-Jazeera and how did they feel about you using this footage?

I have to say Al-Jazeera was great with helping me with the footage. And I have to thank Wadah, he was at that point the GM when I got the footage. And he was great and was 100% behind the film.

Are there any plans on UK screenings or DVD release?

Yes we have submitted to a film festival in London and waiting to hear back... by the end of the year we are hoping to release the DVD.

Making money from the Occupation

Get Involved

● Dates were Israel’s leading fruit export, most of which come to Europe

Volunteer to be an ambassador for the Check the Label Campaign. This will mean you will help promote the campaign in your area and take responsibility of distributing leaflets, speaking to shop owners and uploading photographs of shops where dates from Israel, West Bank and Jordan Valley can be purchased.

● The total income for Israel from dates in a year is approximately €80 million.

You can order your free check the label literature from our website.

Palestinian Workers Israel will claim that Palestinians are allowed to work on the settlement land and therefore they are provided with jobs and a boycott will harm them. In actual fact, these Palestinians are employed for paltry wages, and they are required to do the back-breaking work that the Israeli settlers will not do themselves. This means the Israeli settlers reap the rewards for the harvests while doing very little of the work themselves.

Palestinian children are employed by these settlers, and they are forced to work long hours under a hot baking sun for small sums of money. This exploitation means that these children miss out on an education. Boycott these dates:

Alternatives to Israeli Dates There are plenty of varieties of dates from various other countries which you can use to break your fast. However if you would like Medjoul dates from Palestine to help the Palestinian farmers, they are available from YAFFA. YAFFA source their dates from Palestine and FOA are helping YAFFA distribute dates this Ramadhan.

Another provider is Zaytoun, www.zaytoun.org

To volunteer email shamiul@foa.org.uk

Join our campaign FaceBook page to keep up to date with the campaign. We are promoting Palestinian Medjoul Dates as an alternative. There are two stages to this campaign

Stage 1 FOA have sent letters to over 1000 wholesalers and shops but we need your help to add the personal touch as that is the best method to encourage people to join the campaign.

Stage 2

Most of the people we have approached during the Check the Label campaign did not know dates are from Israel and also did not know that dates labelled West Bank or the Jordan Valley should also be Boycotted. Once they were told, the overwhelming majority of people were happy to join the boycott.

Boycott is about people power. We need your help to inform people they should ‘Check the Label’ and boycott dates from Israel, West Bank and Jordan Valley.

To get involved and read more about the campaign, visit www.foa.org.uk

AQSA NEWS

ISSUE 50 / RAMADHAN 2012

UPDATE FROM FRIENDS OF AL AQSA

FOA Sponsored Walk 2012 “The month of Ramadhan is that in which was revealed the Qur’an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion.” Ramadhan is a time during which we remember those who are less fortunate than us. This may mean people we are surrounded by, or those who live in far off lands. This Ramadhan, many of us will remember the Palestinian prisoners who went on hunger strike to draw attention to the injustices they are suffering. An 18 hour fast in the heat of summer is no easy feat for us here in Britain, yet this is incomparable to weeks of continuous hunger strike. Hana Shalabi, Khader Adnan, and Mahmoud al-Sarsak are heroes. Between them they went on hunger strike for over 210 days continuously. Their health conditions will never be the same again, yet they continued to deny themselves food in the hope that the world would finally pay attention to the plight of Palestinian prisoners. Their struggles have reaped some dividends, and drawn the attention of many who previously were unaware of their situation. However, we must remember that the victories are for a few individuals, and may be short lived. Israel continues to arrest and arbitrarily detain Palestinians. Hundreds of

thousands of Palestinians have faced Israeli prisons and as a result, there is no Palestinian who has not had a friend of relative in Israeli detention at some point in their lives. This appalling reality means that peace and security for Palestinians are far more basic concepts than many of us could imagine. For Palestinians, security is not being arrested or having a loved one taken in to custody, not to be seen again for years. Peace is being able to go about daily life without the constant fear of a midnight raid on homes in which family members are physically attacked. Each Ramadhan, FOA draws attention to the Palestinian struggle wherever it can, to ensure that they are remembered during this spiritual time. Once again, we ask everyone to remember the Palestinian people in their prayers, and do all that they can in their daily actions to support their struggle for a normal existence, with real peace and real security.

Ismail Patel

2012 was another fantastic year for the annual FOA Sponsored Walk, by the grace of God and the support of our volunteers. Over 300 people participated in the walk which took place in the beautiful and scenic Peak district in Derbyshire. It was a fantastic day out with a great atmosphere as we were joined by supporters from up and down the country, both young and old. The walk raised a total of £30,000, thanks to all those who were involved. This money will go towards ensuring that FOA can continue with its much needed projects in the UK – raising awareness of the Palestinian issue and Palestinian human rights abuses through our literature, lobbying MP’s and government to take a more objective stance towards Palestinians, or campaign work such as the current Check the Label boycott Israeli dates campaign. A massive thanks has to go to Zubeda Gangat, a dedicated Leicester volunteer who co-ordinated this year’s FOA walk and did a tremendous job. We hope to build on this success year on year and we ask for your prayers for FOA and for all those across the world who are suffering from injustice. We look forward to the day when Palestinians will have their rights fulfilled, and FOA is no longer needed – but until then, we have to keep working. If you’d like to get involved with FOA and the work we do, please don’t hesitate to get in touch by emailing info@foa.org.uk stating your area of interest or expertise.

Become a member - Join today!

For just £10 a year, support the Free Palestine campaign. Send an email to info@aqsa.org.uk and we will send you a direct debit form to set up your membership.

Donate

You can make one-off donations:

1. Online - through Paypal to payments@aqsa.org.uk (via our web-site) 2. By cheque, made payable to ‘Friends of Al-Aqsa’, to PO BOX 5127, Leicester, LE2 0DT 3. By direct bank transfer: Friends of Al-Aqsa, Sort Code 08-92-99, Account No. 65158078, The Cooperative Bank, Southway, WN8 6VT

ISSUE 50 / RAMADHAN 2012

AQSA NEWS

UPDATE FROM FRIENDS OF AL AQSA - LONDON BRANCH

Protest against G4S at London 2012 FOA endorsed and joined the call to protest outside the G4S annual general meeting on Thursday 7 June, which took place at the London Stock Exchange. One of the protesters, Diana Neslen of Jews for Justice for Palestinians said “Israel systematically denies Palestinian political prisoners their basic rights, including the right to a fair trial and to protection from arbitrary detention and torture. How can the UK government give lucrative public contracts to a company that has chosen to facilitate the denial of such basic rights?”

The Endorsement: G4S is a huge private security company involved in oppression and abuse of rights all over the world. The company lost its contract to deport people from the UK last September after 773 complaints of abuse were made against the company and following the death of Jimmy Mubenga, an Angolan asylum seeker who died after being ‘restrained’ by G4S guards. G4S is contracted to provide equipment to the Israeli prisons in which Palestinian political prisoners, including child prisoners, are illegally held. More than

1,600 Palestinian political prisoners recently held a mass hunger strike and several remain on hunger strike. The company already runs prisons, probation services and welfare services and has recently been awarded contracts to provide security to the Olympics, house asylum seekers in South Yorkshire and to take over parts of 10 police forces. As the government continues to privatise all kinds of services, G4S looks set to receive even more public money and even more control over our communities.

Israeli Apartheid please leave the stage The actress Emma Thompson and the founding artistic director of Shakespeare’s Globe Mark Rylance joined the call for Shakespeare’s Globe to boycott Israel’s National Theatre Habima performing at the Globe. Habima has a record of involvement with illegal Israeli settlements. Habima performs in settler only areas, which Palestinians are excluded from. The general manager of Habima said the invitation was “an honourable accomplishment for the State of Israel”. This is because being allowed to perform at a prestigious theatre such as the Globe gives legitimacy to Israel’s apartheid. In order to ensure the audience were aware of the false veneer of legitimacy being created by Habima’s performance, FOA joined a protest outside the Globe on 28 May, calling for the performance to be boycotted.

The call to protest was endorsed by: Friends of Al-Aqsa Boycott Israel Network War on Want Corporate Watch Croydon Migrant Solidarity Defend the Right to Protest International Federation of Iraqi Refugees Jews for Boycotting Israeli Goods Jews for Justice for Palestinians National Coalition of Anti-Deportation Campaigns No Borders London No One is Illegal Palestine Place Palestine Solidarity Campaign South Yorkshire Migration and Asylum Action Group Stop Deportation Network Yorkshire Region Plus No to G4S Campaign

Protest and letter to free Mahmoud Sarsak

As part of the Red Card Israeli Apartheid Campaign, FOA joined a small protest outside the Department of Culture and Sport on 15 June. The co-ordinator of the campaign, Geoff Lee handed in a letter to a representative of Minister of Sport, Hugh Robertson MP calling for the release of Mahmoud Sarsak.

AQSA NEWS

ISSUE 50 / RAMADHAN 2012

UPDATE FROM FRIENDS OF AL AQSA - GLASGOW BRANCH

The Glasgow branch has had an eventful and busy calendar this year. We have been extremely lucky to have so many volunteers on the team that are actively involved in many local projects such as the Interpal Charity Dinner in May, which FOA co-hosted, raising money for medical aid in Palestine

Where to find us! FOA Glasgow regularly attends events and hosts an FOA stall for guests to browse literature, and purchase merchandise. This has included attending local fashion shows, a nasheed concert with Dawud Wharnsby, running a Women’s 10k race in Palestinian kafiyas and also kept up our BDS dates campaign in the run up to Ramadhan. We will also be taking part in Radio Ramadhan.

Photo exhibition

To join this bustling and enthusiastic team, get in touch with us today! Email us glasgow@foa.org.uk

Farah Khan, FOA Glasgow

Glasgow University Palestine Society organized a photo exhibition in the Scottish Youth Theatre which hosted Palestinians from the Lagee Refugee Centre. In June, they came to Scotland on a tour showcasing a video of water shortages and the children of the Lagee Centre performed in national dress. The FOA Glasgow team were honoured to present them with gifts from everyone in FOA Scotland.

Charity bazaar – better than ever The annual Meena Bazaar was a huge success and over £5000 was raised in a single day. This was also an opportunity to inspire other women to take an initiative with the Palestinian cause, and those from Edinburgh and Aberdeen committed to starting up new FOA branches in their localities.

Summer Projects – Fun and games with a serious message

Protest against Israeli women’s football team in Scotland From Glasgow to Edinburgh, we took a protest against the Isreali Womans’ Football team, chanting, ‘We are all Palestinians’. This was successful in sending a message of intolerance against apartheid.

FOA will host a week long summer school which will be attended by local children who want to learn about the three holy Islamic sites using the medium of art and crafts. This is an exciting new venture which we hope to make an annual event.

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AQSA NEWS

UPDATE FROM FRIENDS OF AL AQSA - EDINBURGH BRANCH

Edinburgh’s first event: Palestine quiz night Within a month of the FOA Edinburgh branch starting up, we had our first event - a Palestine themed quiz night where the teams battled it out to see who had their facts right. 50 people took part in what was a great evening. The volunteers were tremendous in making sure that everybody enjoyed the night and that they would all leave with a smile on their face, as well as gaining some more insight with the happenings in Palestine and Israel. This was a great opportunity to show off the FOA merchandise and distribute leaflets so that people had something to go back home with and share with family and friends. We explained what FOA Edinburgh was all about, how we go about our campaigns to boycott Israel and in general tried our best to make the community more aware of the injustices suffered by Palestinians.

Lobbying At Friends of Al-Aqsa Edinburgh we campaign for Palestinian rights and one of the areas we are working on to achieve this is lobbying. Through lobbying we draw up letters to MP, MSP, MEP, Foreign Office etc, to highlight the various issues related to the Palestinian Cause.

Amna Ashraf, FOA Edinburgh

Scotland vs Israel, women’s under-21 football

Some of the issues we have been addressing are: • The Hunger Strikers highlighting the cases of Hana Shalabi, Khader Adnan, Mahmoud Sarsak • Showing support for Baroness Jenny Tonge • Requesting that MPs take the issue of Palestinian child prisoners to Parliament as a matter of urgency • Congratulating the Co-op for boycott of goods from illegal settlements • Scotsman to address the overwhelming media bias

Lobbying has proved to be a very successful tool and proof of this is the removal of Eden Springs water coolers from a Herriot Watt University. We are also lobbying Edinburgh Council about Eden Springs water coolers in their premises. The list is vast and there are many more issues to address and although Friends of Al-Aqsa Edinburgh has just started we will continue to work hard to campaign for Palestinian freedom and human rights. To get involved, email: edinburgh@foa.org.uk

Check the label – Boycott Israeli dates campaign, Edinburgh This year, Edinburgh is boosting their efforts from previous years by involving many more volunteers in the Boycott Israeli Dates campaign as well as adopting a proactive approach by hitting the shops well before Ramadhan. This year, the campaign by the FOA Edinburgh Branch is an organised strategic effort. Volunteers have been rallied at meetings in local mosques, and armed with as much information and literature as possible, they will begin educating suppliers and shop owners on the impact of distributing Israeli dates. We worked together with other groups across Scotland to organise a protest against the Israeli women’s football team, who were coming to play on Scottish soil. We had some very determined protestors, and despite the weather, 200 people turned out to tell the Israeli team that they were not welcome so long as their government continued its apartheid system against Palestinians. Following the success of this protest, we are already making preparations for our second protest in August. Score- Scotland 8 – Israel 0

Kam Chaudry, FOA Edinburgh

Don’t dance with Apartheid Israel Batsheva Dance Company will be performing at the Edinburgh International Art Festival from 30th August to 1st September at the Playhouse. The Batsheva Company are funded by the Israeli Foreign Ministry, and they are celebrated as the greatest cultural ambassadors for Israel, touring around the world attempting to paint the apartheid state in a positive light, when in reality Israel is demolishing Palestinian festivals and lives. A campaign has been launched in Scotland called ‘Don’t Dance with Israeli Apartheid’. In the weeks leading up to the festival, the campaign will attempt to create as much public awareness as possible to highlight Batsheva’s links with Israel, and call on the director of the festival to cancel the performance. A lot of international support for the campaign is anticipated; activists from across the UK and Europe have already indicated that they will be looking to support it and attend the demonstrations during the festival. The Don’t Dance with Israeli Apartheid campaign in Scotland will hopefully set the precedent and lay the foundation for similar actions when the Batsheva Ensemble tour the UK later in the year (Oct-Nov). Friends of Al-Aqsa Edinburgh are working with different groups including SPSC to make this campaign successful. The campaign’s first open letter has been endorsed by people such as John Pilger and Yvonne Ridley. We will also be organizing a large media campaign, and actions to take place inside and outside the Playhouse and potentially elsewhere during the performances.

AQSA NEWS

ISSUE 50 / RAMADHAN 2012

UPDATE FROM FRIENDS OF AL AQSA - DEWSBURY & BATLEY BRANCHES

Football tournament for Palestine This year, the Dewsbury and Batley branch has continued its work in raising awareness about the Palestinian/ Masjid Al-Aqsa issue. We have concentrated on the Boycott Israeli Dates campaign, lobbying our local MPs and arranging events to help educate ourselves on the facts about the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land. In order to keep people up to date on the issues, we distribute Aqsa News when it is published every three months, and also hold information stalls at various different events and venues. If you would like to volunteer, have ideas or just want to meet the volunteers at your local branch, please email us with your name and contact number. We welcome new volunteers who can participate with the branch in whatever capacity they feel comfortable with.

On Sunday June 3rd, FOA Dewsbury/Batley held it’s first 5 a-side over 16’s football tournament in order to help raise awareness of Israel’s illegal and brutal occupation of Palestinian land and the importance of the Al-Aqsa Mosque to all Muslims.

Email: dewsburyandbately@aqsa.org.uk

THIS RAMADHAN, SUPPORT FRIENDS OF AL-AQSA Make a donation and help us in our efforts to bring a just and lasting peace to the Middle East. Join us to help free Masjid al-Aqsa and the Palestinian people. I would like to donate £

(Cheques made payable to ‘Friends of Al-Aqsa’)

Name: ...................................................................................................................................................... Address: .................................................................................................................................................. ................................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................... Postcode: ....................................................... Tel: ............................................................................................................................................................ Email: ....................................................................................................................................................... ( Would you like to be added to our mailing list? Yes [ ] No [ ] ) Alternatively, set up a direct debit payment to support our work throughout the year. Please debit £10 or £.................. monthly on ...................... (dd/mm), OR annually ...................... (dd/mm)

(delete as appropriate)

from my bank account to: Friends of Al-Aqsa, Sort Code: 08-92-99, Account Number: 65158078. The Cooperative Bank, Southway, WN8 6VT Name of Account Holder: .................................................................................................................. Account Number: ................................................................................................................................. Sort Code: .............................................................................................................................................. Bank Name: ........................................................................................................................................... Bank Address: ...................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................... Postcode: ....................................................... Signature: ............................................................................................................................................... NSTRUCTIONS TO THE BANK You can also make donations online (via our website) or by direct bank transfer (Friends of Al-Aqsa, Sort Code: 08-92-99, Account Number: 65158078. The Cooperative Bank, Southway, WN8 6VT). Please return the completed form to Friends of Al-Aqsa, P.O Box 5127, Leicester, LE2 0WU 0116 212 5441 | www.aqsa.org.uk | info@aqsa.org.uk

The games

The teams

The tournament got off to a good start with an entertaining first game involving Ramallah and Tulkarem in which some great passing and finishing resulted in Ramallah winning 3-1. The rest of the tournament continued in the same manner with some great individual goals and some equally great saves from the keepers. Most of the teams were very evenly matched and this made the tournament more fascinating and competitive. A large crowd turned up to watch the games and the friendly banter between the teams created a warm and enjoyable atmosphere. Ramallah, Nablus, Az Zahiriyah and Jericho qualified for the Semi Finals. The first Semi final between Ramallah and Az Zahiriyah started off slow until the game was brought to life when Ramallah’s Imran scored from a brilliant back heeled free kick to put them 1-0 up. The game then opened up with Az Zahiriyah having more of the ball and piling pressure on the opposition, and they made it count when Umar played a great through ball to Inamul who calmly slotted it into the bottom left hand corner. Ramallah hit back but in the closing minutes, Az Zahiriyah got 2 quick fire goals through Shoaib and Uzair and they made it to the final winning 3 -1. The second semi-final contested between Nablus and Jericho saw the opening goal in the 6th minute from Nablus when Mohsin went past a player and drilled a brilliant left footed strike into the top corner. Jericho hit straight back with Sohail hitting low drive into the bottom left hand corner giving the keeper no chance. Some great passing and technique was on display from both teams and they were both well organised. In the final minutes again, Nadeem of Nablus scored from a tight angle and Faizal completed the job for Nablus in the dying seconds with a deft flick over the keeper to win the game 3-1.

16 teams from the surrounding areas in West Yorkshire took part, and each team was named after a town or city in Palestine. The event began with a prayer and a talk on the issues that are facing the Palestinians on a daily basis, and how we can support and assist them.

The final

The final was played between Nablus and Az Zahiriyah and the crowds were waiting in anticipation for the best 2 teams in the tournament. The first goal came after just seven minutes, when Nablus got the breakthrough and Mohsin scored. Nablus then got the all important second goal towards the end of the game with a free kick from the edge of the area flying past the keeper. The final whistle blew and Nablus were crowned champions of the FOA Goal 4 Peace tournament.

Rounding up the games

Before the trophies were presented to the teams, there was a brief talk on Palestine and a prayer for all the people who are suffering under oppressive conditions all over the world. It made us all reflect and appreciate the things that are important and the roles that we can all play in order to help alleviate people’s suffering. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the teams and the volunteers for making this a success and we hope to see you all next year.

ISSUE 50 / RAMADHAN 2012

AQSA NEWS

RECIPES

Date Slices | try this delicious Palestinian recipe ● A sweet treat that is

both ethical, and easy to make!

INGREDIENTS 800g Fairtrade Palestinian Medjoul dates* 500g Rich Tea biscuits 230g unsalted butter 200g sugar 8-10g of desiccated coconut 1 egg (whisked) * FOA are stockists of Palestinian Medjoul dates. See page

then quickly add the egg stirring vigorously to prevent the egg from cooking. ● Crush the biscuits roughly and add to the dates, mixing well. ● Grease a 15x10 inch tray and sprinkle half of the coconut at the bottom of the tray. Spoon the mixture into the tray and use a spatula to flatten. ● Sprinkle remaining coconut and leave to set in the fridge for at least an hour. Cut into slices or squares.

METHOD ● Pit the dates and chop finely. Place them in a heavy based pot with the butter and cook on a medium flame stirring frequently to avoid sticking to the bottom of the pot. ● Once the mixture is soft and blended, leave to cool for at least five minutes and

Humous

● A classic Arab dip that

is healthy and perfect for your iftaar. Serve with bread or your favourite vegetable sticks.

INGREDIENTS 240 g chickpeas (cooked,drained and rinsed) 1 teaspoon tahini paste (sesame seed paste – available from most supermarkets

in the cultural foods section) 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 garlic clove Juice of half a lemon Salt to taste Paprika powder and chopped coriander to garnish METHOD ● In a food processor, place the drained chickpeas, tahini

paste, olive oil, lemon juice and salt. ● Blend until you see a smooth paste (you may need to add a little extra water or lemon juice – depending on your preference, to reach the correct consistency). ● Tip the humous into a side plate, level and swirl. Drizzle a little olive oil on top and sprinkle with paprika and some chopped coriander.

AQSA NEWS

ISSUE 50 / RAMADHAN 2012

SPECIAL FEATURE

Non-violent Resistance One of the great absurdities of the Palestinian struggle for freedom is the unfounded claim made by the Israeli occupiers and their enablers in the West that Palestinians have been unable to form non-violent methods of resistance. This is a strange observation coming from a country that has launched unprovoked strikes against all of its neighbours and, as seen with the murders of several Iranian scientists and Hamas leader, Mahmoud Mabhouh; a country which doesn’t attempt to hide its policy of political assassinations abroad. Nevertheless characterisations of Palestinians as intrinsically violent are widespread and strengthened by a media establishment mostly sympathetic to the Israelis. Significant acts of non-violence, such as the recent hunger strikes by prisoners held captive by occupation forces and the weekly protests in villages across the West Bank are rarely reported. The tradition of non-violent resistance in Palestine goes back to the families who in 1947 and 1948 faced armed Zionist gangs and refused to be expelled from their homes. At Deir Yassin and many other villages when intimidation failed to break the resolve of the native Arabs, the invading Israeli militias massacred inhabitants. The past few years have seen a big shift in Palestinian resistance from armed struggle to non-violent activism. This change has been helped by Palestinian fears of Israeli collective punishment for armed resistance and the impact of social media, which not only provides great organisational potential but can also negate the mainstream media’s attempts to ignore major developments. Similarly, when an Israeli soldier killed 28-

When Mahmoud Sarsak, Khader Adnan and other Palestinians captives in Israeli prisons went on hunger strike to oppose their detention without charge, major news outlets were silent. Palestinian activists were able to get the story international attention through mediums like Twitter and Facebook, where the campaigns became trending topics worldwide.

year-old Mustafa Tamimi by shooting a tear gas canister at his face at a non-violent protest in Nabi Saleh in the West Bank, activists were able to get the story out immediately. Mustafa’s picture and a photo showing his sister crying out at the scene spread rapidly online. What would otherwise have been a short piece on a news website, written in a non-accusatory tone, about an anonymous Palestinian ‘killed in violence’ became the heart-breaking story about a handsome young man about to be married, whose life ended because he dared to demand an end to an illegal occupation. Israeli propagandists (or Hasbarists) have struggled to cope with the role of the Internet in shedding light on Zionist abuses of human rights. Their traditional model of lobbying and intimidating journalists with accusations of bias or antiSemitism has been effective in influencing coverage in their favour. Unfortunately for them, they don’t have the same control over information on social media.

Palestinians attend a peaceful protest march at the gates of a valley near the West Bank city of Qalqilia

By Shafik Firoz

Losing the PR war On the ground the Israeli authorities are torn between their desire to suppress Palestinian defiance to occupation and the need to avoid a PR disaster should a prisoner die during a hunger strike. They can rely on their sympathisers to give them the benefit of the doubt should they kill an unarmed protester by explaining it away as unintended or a proportionate response to a potential threat. A prisoner dying on hunger strike after being detained without charge would be harder to brush away despite attempts to conflate with generic terrorism innuendo. No one should underestimate the effect of negative publicity on Israeli morale, especially when it strikes at the myths underpinning its claims of legitimacy. The widely publicised hunger strike by Sarsak, a footballer in the Palestinian national squad, drew support from stars such as Eric Cantona and Freddie Kanoute. Such high profile criticism inhibits Hasbarist attempts to portray Israel as an outpost of ‘Western’ values in a region where respect for human rights is scant.

ISSUE 50 / RAMADHAN 2012

AQSA NEWS

SPECIAL FEATURE

Farmers and international peace activists protest the confiscation of land by Israeli settlers on the outskirts of the West Bank

BDS

Zionists fear the portrayal of their state as a pariah but as Israel’s actions become increasingly difficult to defend, its leaders have learnt to live with the accolade rather than changing tact. International demonisation was something even the Apartheid regime in South Africa was willing to live with. When the government fell in 1994, it was a result of sanctions by individual states and divestment campaigns by communities across the globe. Palestinians and the global network of activists have recently taken up a campaign of boycott, divestment and sanctions known as BDS. The movement targets

the cultural normalisation of occupation, as done by musicians playing in Israel for example, and also companies with investments that abet the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza. The campaign is supported by artists like, Pink Floyd’s Roger Walters and writers such as, Arundhati Roy and recently, supermarket chain Co-op announced it would not buy products from illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied territories. So far it has been effective enough to force the Knesset to draw up laws punishing those who call for a boycott of Israeli goods with financial penalties.

The future of non-violence

Western governments have reacted to the development of non-violent resistance by seeking to frame it as an alternative to military resistance. Calls for non-violence should not be used to delegitimise armed resistance against the occupation. The reality of present-day West Bank and Gaza is not one of just civil oppression but also brutal military rule. Israel frequently launches deadly bombing raids on civilians in Gaza and regularly shoots at unarmed protesters at demonstrations in West Bank villages. Non-violent opposition to Israel’s crimes through divestment movements, hunger strikes and online activism are an effective aspect of the Palestinian struggle for freedom. Activists face an up-hill struggle to counter attempts by the Zionist lobby and the media establishment they influence to portray them as a small and radical fringe. However, the Palestinian cause has been able to cultivate the Internet to successfully redress the imbalance in mainstream coverage of the occupation. Boycotts and community-based divestment and sanctions are slowly beginning to exert pressure on the Zionist state but swathes of indifference still remain. Turning this apathy in to active involvement is key to non-violent actions succeeding.

AQSA NEWS

FUN AND GAMES

ISSUE 50 / RAMADHAN 2012

AQSA NEWS

FUN AND GAMES

COMPETITION

Palestinian Places

Across: 5. Yasser Arafat is buried in this city. 6. Known in Arabic as al-Khalil. 7. This city is translated as ‘the bountiful mountain’. 9. This city is also known as Al Quds and is home to ‘the wailing wall’. 10. This city was founded by the Roman Emperor Vespasian in 72CE. 11. This city was captured on the first day of the 1967 Six Day War by the IDF.

Enter now for your chance to win a £20 Argos voucher!

UNDER 10’s

Draw a picture of Masjid Al Aqsa or the Dome of the Rock

Down: 1. This city has significance to Muslims, Christians and Jews and is often known as the birthplace of Jesus. 2. This city is twinned with Lyon in France and Pisa in Italy. 3. Palestinians belong to the land of... 4. This city shares a border with Egypt. 8. Name of the area that is separated from Israel by the illegal Israeli Wall.

Post your entries to us at: Friends of Al Aqsa P.O.Box 5127 Leicester LE2 0WU Good Luck!

Test your geography knowledge of places in Palestine with this challenging crossword. Use the cluew to guess which city it is?

10 – 16 YEAR OLDS

Question: The Balfour Declaration was sent from which UK Foreign Secretary and was dated in which year? Email your answers to us at: info@aqsa.org.uk Put ‘Competition’ in the subject box, and remember to include your name, address and age and the answer. Good Luck!

WORDS UNSCRAMBLE

TELL ME MORE ABOUT... BOYCOTT: You will have heard plenty about the Check the Label campaign to boycott Israeli dates in the run up to Ramadhan.

SLEMARUJE MARLALHA

So the question is, why do we do it? Israel has many settlements on Palestinian land. This means that Israeli settlers go to Palestine, make Palestinians leave their own homes, and set up settlements there! Most of the countries in the world know that these settlements are unfair and illegal. But Israel keeps building more and more. A lot of these settlements grow dates – and a lot of Muslim families buy these dates during Ramadhan. We have to try really hard to support Palestinians by not buying the dates that settlers are growing on the stolen Palestinians land. This is called boycott.

Rearrange the letters to find the correct words which spell out names of cities found in the West Bank:

KTURAMUL By doing this, we can put pressure on Israel not to support these settlements – and one day the land that has been stolen from Palestinians, can be returned to them. So make sure you boycott Israeli dates this Ramadan. Tell your family and friends not to buy dates with these labels as they will be from Israel.

Boycott these dates:

NEJIN SLANBU OCHERJI BRNOEH HEMTLEMEB QLIYALAQ

Check the Label campaign on page 7

AQSA NEWS

ISSUE 50 / RAMADHAN 2012

BOYCOTT, DIVESTMENT & SANCTIONS

BDS celebrates 7 years of work Seven years after the Palestinian civil society call for boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) against Israel was launched, the global BDS campaign has become stronger, more widespread, more effective and certainly more diverse than ever—reflecting a truly global effort by groups and conscientious citizens of the world who contributed to the success. The campaign has taken the Palestinian struggle for basic rights to a worldwide audience, ensuring that international pressure against Israel grows until it abides by its legal obligations. In the past 2 years alone, the BDS global day of action took place in 23 countries and Israeli Apartheid Week took place in 202 cities, reflecting the breadth and reach of this campaign.

Co-op boycotts settlement produce The supermarket chain Co-op has officially stated that it is ending trade with companies that source products from Israel’s illegal settlements. This followed a determined campaign by Co-Op members. Many hope that this will be the start of a trend, with other supermarkets following suit.

JNF patronage dwindles

G4S loses Euro Parliament contract The European Parliament chose not to renew its contract with G4S following action by Palestine solidarity groups. The private security company provides assistance to the Israeli Prison Service and as a result is considered to be complicit in the detention of Palestinian political prisoners. G4S was awarded the London 2012 Olympic security contract by the government, and this has been an unprecedented disaster for the company after it failed to provide even one-third of the number of required security personnel for the games.

Academic boycott on the move In a landmark move, the University of Johannesburg severed ties with Ben-Gurion University in Israel, following a campaign backed by Archbishop Desmond Tutu and over 400 South African academics. This was the first academic boycott of its kind, and as it involves South Africa, it is expected to inspire others.

Ahava forced to close flagship London store A sustained campaign against Ahava, the Israeli cosmetics company situated in an illegal Israeli settle-

ment, forced the company to close its flagship London store. Many protests took place outside the shop.

The campaign to Stop the JNF has resulted in the leaders of all of the major UK political parties, includ-

ing Prime Minister David Cameron, ending their patronage of the organisation.

Caterpillar not ‘Socially Responsible’

Caterpillar has faced massive divestment from investors who have delisted it from their indexes of ‘socially responsible’ companies. It is believed that Cat-

erpillar’s role in providing heavy machinery used by Israel to prop up its occupation was one of the leading reasons for the divestment by a number of funds.

people of your country, especially by the young, and by the brave Israeli activists (Jewish and Palestinian) for justice and peace I have

had the joy of working beside. I am hopeful that one day, maybe soon, this may happen. But now is not the time."

Veolia to withdraw from Alice Walker boycotts Israel illegal projects in Israel The multinational company Veolia has been the target of BDS since 2008

following its involvement in building infrastructure for illegal Israeli settlements,

thus helping to entrench the illegal occupation. The boycott action has been highly successful and resulted in Veolia losing several contracts across Europe and Australia, amounting to a staggering $14 billion. Veolia has also been excluded from bidding on other contracts. Veolia was forced to admit the damage the BDS campaign has caused it and subsequently announced plans to withdraw from some illegal Israeli projects.

The Pulitzer Prize winner Alice Walker has refused to allow an Israeli edition of her famous book ‘The Colour Purple’ to be published. She stated that the reason for her decision was Israel's policy of "apartheid and persecution of the Palestinian people". The African-American writer, who is active in the international BDS campaign against Israel, compared this decision to an earlier one not to show the 1985 Steven Spielberg film of her novel in South Africa before the end of apartheid. In a statement, she said: "I would so like knowing my books are read by the

ISSUE 50 / RAMADHAN 2012

AQSA NEWS

In history... 2008 Palestinian Hunger Strikes ...and the 1981 Irish Hunger Strikes

27th MARCH - 14th APRIL

EASTER - AL AQSA & UMRAH PACKAGES - 16 DAYS 3 DAYS AL AQSA - 7 DAYS MAKKAH - 6 DAYS MEDINA INCLUDING JUMMAH SALAH IN ALL 3 HARAMAIN

5 NTS

6 NTS

AL AQSA ONLY

20 - 25 Nov

11 - 16 Dec

24th - 30th Dec

ON H/B BASIS

Direct ﬂights

WORLDWIDE FLIGHTS AND PACKAGE TOURS Hunger strikes are certainly not a modern phenomenon. They represent the brave and desperate steps taken by people detained and denied their rights by oppressive governments. They are often the last resort and the only way to draw attention to their plight and to that of

others like them. The recent hunger strikes by Palestinian detainees including Khader Adnan, Hana Shalabi, Mahmoud Sarsak and others can be contrasted with the Irish prisoners’ hunger strikes of 1981. A group of republican prisoners began a hunger strike to

bravely defend their status as political prisoners. A few years prior to this event, the British government had removed the political status from the prisoners, which was similar to the status of prisoners of war. The result was that these prisoners were treated the same as convicted criminals.

A number of protests and a hunger strike took place in 1980. After 53 days of hunger striking, there appeared to be a deal on offer from the British government, which resulted in the end of the hunger strike. In the next few days it emerged

that in actual fact, no deal was in progress. A second hunger strike began in 1981, and Bobby Sands was the first prisoner to undertake the action. His hunger strike lasted 66 days before he tragically died of starvation aged only 27.

Between May and August 1981, nine others followed and consecutively lost their lives, making the ultimate sacrifice for their cause. The prisoners aimed to restore their political status through the following five demands:

Flywell Travel Ltd 396 East Park Road, Leicester, LE5 5HH 0116 273 8999 / 0116 273 9666 ﬂywelltravel.co.uk / info@ﬂywelltravel.co.uk

The Irish Hunger Strikes Making the ultimate sacrifice

1. The right not to wear a prison uniform; 2. The right not to do prison work; 3. The right of free association with other prisoners, and to organise educational and recreational pursuits; 4. The right to one visit, one letter and one parcel per week; 5. Full restoration of remission lost through the protest.

The Palestinian Hunger Strikes Starving for freedom The Palestinians who are imprisoned under administrative detention are also in a situation where they are being categorised deferentially by the Israeli prison system. They are classed as “security prisoners” therefore kept under more severe conditions than those faced by convicted criminal. They are held in solitary confinement, receive ill-treatment and are denied visits from family and lawyers. The Irish and Palestin-

ian hunger strikes have had an impact. In the case of the Irish hunger strikers; they gained the support of thousands, ensured their demands were eventually met although this cost them their lives and secured the strong political role of the Republicans in Ireland’s future. In Palestine, thousands upon thousands of Palestinian prisoners have followed the lead of Khader Adnan and others, also embarking

on hunger strikes, bringing attention to the unjust treatment of Palestinians in detention without trial and to the Palestinian cause overall. It remains to be seen how and when the system of administrative detention will end in the case of Palestinians, it may yet be a long struggle ahead. We have a part to play by pressuring our government to put pressure on Israel for an end to this practice.

Help Feed A Million

This Ramadhan

Feed One Family for

£50 this Month

Eid Gifts

Sadaqatul Fitr

£10 £1.50

Ummah Welfare Trust aims to provide Iftaar to One Million poor Muslims across Africa, Asia and the Middle East for Ramadhan 2012. You Can Help. 'Whoever feeds a fasting person will have a reward like that of the fasting person, - Sunan at-Tirmidhi without any reduction in his reward.' Donate Now

0800 4 0800 11 01274 390 396

www.uwt.org

Charity Reg. No. 1000851

AQSA NEWS

ISSUE 50 / RAMADHAN 2012

AQSA NEWS

TRAVEL TO PALESTINE

Palestine - Heaven on Earth

A spiritual journey like no other

By Farah

Many people are now thinking about performing umrah by beginning that amazing journey from Palestine - the third most sacred house of worship on Earth. Imagine tying your ihram in Masjid Al-Aqsa, visiting the Ka’ba and Masjid Nabawi in one trip? I was blessed to be able to do just that with my family. My first visit to Palestine and my first umrah occurred on the same trip, and it was a journey that I will never forget. My journey with my husband and three daughters was no ordinary family trip. We had the help of an FOA guide from Bradford and 40 other first timers; all of us eager to walk upon the blessed land.

Stepping out to Hebron In Hebron, known as al Khalil, we prayed in one of the masajid. Here we found graves of countless righteous people of the past – such as Ibrahim, Sarah and Ishaac (peace be upon them all). A short drive later, we came to the memorial of Younis (peace be upon him) and local Palestinian showed us numerous memorial plaques – their hospitality and generosity unmatched by anything ever before seen. It appeared that nothing had changed here since biblical times.

Our final day

While at al-Aqsa, we stumbled across the place where it is believed that the heavenly stead, the buraq was tied during the night journey. This was just one of the many hidden gems in this glorious corner of Palestine! Masjid al-Aqsa is full of hidden surprises and we spent our final day tying our ihram ready to continue our journey to the most holy place on Earth, Makkah. It was truly a journey that I will never forget.

Visiting Al-Aqsa

The beauty of Palestine With its crumbling stone walls, hills with beautiful blossoms of olive trees and diverse population; Palestine is a spiritual paradise. The Dome of the Rock was clearly visible from our hotel, the Seven Arches (designed and named after the bridge of Sirat). The hotel was comfortable quiet and serene. Visitors can walk where the Prophets walked; sit and read where the companions sat and read; and pray where the blessed prayed. In Palestine, it is never a question of what to do, but rather a question of what to do next. Give a moment of your afternoon to go to Bethlehem and see the birthplace of Isa (peace be upon him) in a beautiful church, according to Christian tradition. I discovered a beautiful and strong bond between the Christians and Muslims of the Holy Land. Many Christians also dressed in abaya and hijab, as the mother of Isa, Maryam (peace be upon her) once did.

Within the walled area known as al-Aqsa Sanctuary, there are several buildings including the most famous Dome of the Rock and the dark-domed al-Aqsa masjid. There are numerous plaques which attest to the history of the land and Palestinian people. Other mosque buildings commemorate prophets such as Dawud (peace be upon him) and countless other blessed companions. Despite being so easily lost in the beauty of al-Aqsa, there are many reminders that this is a land which has seen so much conflict and bloodshed. It is difficult not to be moved to tears by the bullet holes in the mosque walls. Running my hands over the stone, I wondered what these walls have witnessed. If they could talk, what would they say? Pray here - this is the spot where the beloved prophet Muhammad (May peace and blessings be upon him) led the rest of the prophets in Prayer? Turn your back on the world as they did and face your Lord in sincerity? I could only imagine. We spent hours watching worshippers sitting in circles on the grassy planes and memorising the Qu’ran. The dedication and strength of faith of those we witnessed was beautiful. Outside the blessed walls, there are numerous intricate cobbledstone streets. Markets bustle with life and colour, selling items from all corners of Jerusalem. It is easy to get lost in the maze of alleys around the different quarters of the city, but this is the best way to ensure nothing is missed. We were completely immersed in the rich cultural heritage of Palestine.

“Exalted is He who took His Servant by night from al-Masjid al-Haram to al-Masjid al- Aqsa, whose surroundings We have blessed, to show him of Our signs. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Seeing.” (Qur’an chapter 17, verse 1)

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15 year old Palestinian girl becomes world’s youngest Mayor Bashaer Othman, a 15 year old Palestinian girl from the city of Tulkarem has become the world’s youngest mayor. As part of an initiative to empower youth and involve them in the decision-making process, Bashaer will hold the position of mayor of a town called Allar for two months. It is hoped that by providing these opportunities

to young Palestinians, they will be empowered to become part of the decision making apparatus for their people. Bashaer showed extreme maturity in the position, commenting that she wanted “to go through this experience in order to be able to share it with other youth so that they can be prepared for running state institutions in the future.”

Oxfam gives Gaza children some respite

Oxfam together with the Culture and Free Thought Association (CFTA) are working in Gaze to improve the quality of life and educational attainment of Palestinian children there. Many children in Gaza suffer from psychological trauma, particularly after the December 2008 Operation Cast Lead attacks on the Gaza strip in which 18 schools and kindergartens were completely destroyed and 250 damaged. The

project also aims to provide teachers with more skills so that their students can excel in the classroom environment and also provide more recreational activities. 12-year-old Mohammed from the Khan Younis refugee camp said about his rare visit to an amusement park: “I am really enjoying the time with my friends today and it makes me forget many things that I have been through in life.”

Israel stops illegal settlement fact-finding mission Israel has obstructed a UN Human Rights Council fact finding mission from entering the West Bank to examine the impact of the illegal settlements on the Palestinian population. Israel’s response to the team, which intended to look at “the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of the Palestinian people”, was to sever all ties to the Human Rights Council. A foreign ministry statement attempted to divert attention to other countries with questionable human rights records instead of Israel.

Mandela Foundation questions Israeli prison standards

following the unprecedented length of his hunger strike. Mahmoud al-Sarsak is free, but his dreams of becoming a world class footballer lay in ruins, with many believing they were deliberately destroyed by Israel. Mahmoud had joined

The Nelson Mandela Foundation for Political Prisoners has called for an international inquiry into the standards that Palestinian prisoners are subjected to within Israeli prisons. Particular concerns have been raised about Israel seeking to ‘isolate’ detainees from the rest of the world. The Mandela Foun-

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Israel digs under foundation of Al-Aqsa

On 11 July, the al-Aqsa Foundation for Endowments and Heritage reported that Israeli trucks were transporting mud from the base of Masjid Al Aqsa following excavations which took place under the cover

Hero’s welcome for Mahmoud al-Sarsak in Gaza

Following over three years imprisonment and over 90 days hunger strike, Mahmoud al-Sarsak was released by Israel and received a hero’s welcome in Gaza. Once he arrived in Gaza, Mahmoud was taken to Shifa hospital for further treatment due to the severe deterioration of his health

his local football team in his Rafah refugee camp in the southern Gaza Strip at the age of 14. He became the youngest footballer to play in the Palestine Liga A at the time. He attracted the attention of a German coach while playing for the Palestine national team in Norway. However, before he could begin playing abroad, he needed to prove his abilities by playing for a West Bank team. Before this could happen, he was arrested in 2009 and remained in prison without charge since then. The shattered dreams of Mahmoud al-Sarsak are shared by many Palestinian athletes and this makes the arguments for boycotting Israel in international sports all the more compelling.

dation believes that only international intervention will bring about change. Most concerning is the fact that Palestinian prisoners are reporting further abuse of rights despite the hunger strikes and the agreements reached with the Israeli authorities to ease prison conditions.

of darkness. The Foundation believes that the excavations undermine the Palestinian heritage over the holy site and fears that important historic structures are being deliberately destroyed.

Palestine entering mainstream British politics

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At a meeting held in Parliament on Wednesday, 4 July, a Conservative former career soldier, a senior minister in two previous Labor governments, and a member of Labor Friends of Israel gathered to speak about the reality of Palestinian life under Israeli occupation in the West Bank. The meeting followed a visit to Palestine which was organised by the Council for Advancing Arab-British Understanding. On the same day, the Foreign Office had also hinted about the possibility of a ban on importing goods made in Israeli settlements. These events and many similar ones in Parliament suggest that an objective view on the issue of Palestine and Israel may be entering British politics.

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Government challenged over Olympic security

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The British government has been challenged over its decision to designate G4S as the “official provider of security and cash services for the Olympics”. G4S is a company which operates in illegal settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, providing security for illegal settlers. The settlements are considered illegal by the UK, as well as by the majority of other countries that are participating in the Olympics. G4S provides screening equipment which is used at West Bank checkpoints and which is the cause for much difficulty for Palestinians who have been deprived of their right to move freely within their homeland and outside this area. It also

provides security to the Ofer complex in Ramallah, home to a prison and a military court where Palestinians (including children) are detained and tried. A protest was held outside the annual general meeting of G4S in early June, demanding that G4S end its contracts with Israel. British charity Christian Aid has also urged the company not to be complicit in any actions which entrenches the occupation and causes further suffering to Palestinians. As the olympics drew nearer, G4S’ involvement became an unprecendented disaster when they failed to recruit enough security staff for the event requiring the government to intervene.

The cultural boycott of Israel has reached new heights as campaigners are opposing Israeli involvement in international sport. Palestine activists descended to oppose the football game between Scotland and Israel, in which Israel lost (Scotland 8 Israel 0). Another protest was planned for Wales in June to oppose Israel’s double

standards on sport policies. Israel continues to detain Palestinian athletes whilst sending its own athletes to compete internationally to win awards and medals. The most recent and widely recognized case is that of Mahmoud al Sarsak – the Palestinian footballer who went on hunger strike to oppose his detention for 3 years without trial.

Cultural boycott on sport heightens