Global Peace And Justice Auckland Newsletter #268

NEWSLETTER #268
JANUARY 7, 2009

Website: http://www.gpja.org.nz/
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Protest against Israeli (Shahar Peer) participation in ASB Classic International Womens’ Tennis Tournament.

Thursday 8th January, 10am ASB Tennis Centre in Stanley Street. Gather outside the main entrance on Tennis Lane off Stanley St, Parnell. Bring old shoes!

This protest marks the launch of a sports boycott against Israel. Shahar has been asked to withdraw from the tournament but has not responded. Just as an international consensus developed that a comprehensive boycott of South Africa was the best way to bring outside pressure for change so a similar consensus is developing with regard to Israel’s apartheid policies towards the Palestinians.

Mobilisation against Israeli massacre in Gaza.

12 noon Aotea Square, Saturday 10th January for a march to US consulate.

• Bring old shoes for yourself and others.

• Spread the word among family, friends and workmates

• Posters/leaflets are available from Unite Union office, 6A Western Springs Road, Morningside.

• Street stalls. If you have time to help over the next few days on a street stall call Derwin Ph 3786304 derwin_thomas@hotmail.com

GIVE TALKBACK RADIO A CALL:– advertise march and give key facts to counter Zionist spin. Mention the GPJA website. RADIO LIVE 0800 723 465; ZB TALKBACK 0800801080; RADIO WATEA WED NIGHT 8-11PM 09 2570603

HERALD ON SUNDAY COLUMN

Matt McCarten wrote the piece below in Sundays Herald. There needs to be a lots of support for it sent to the editor to offset all the negative feedback received. Please send in a positive comment. For me - Matt's column is the only reason buy the paper or visit the website! Go to first link for feedback, second is the article itself. Janfrie

http://dynamic.nzherald.co.nz/feedback/email.cfm?user=onlineeditor

Matt McCarten: Palestinians' fight is a struggle against 'apartheid'

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10550364

ISRAELI PLAYER TO FACE PROTEST WITH LAUNCHING OF SPORTS BOYCOTT

A protest will be held outside the ASB Tennis Classic in Auckland tomorrow morning against the presence of Israeli tennis player Shahar Peer.

On the eve of the tournament last Sunday evening we wrote to Shahar requesting she respect international calls for a comprehensive boycott of Israel and withdraw from the tournament. The letter highlighted the attacks and invasion of Gaza by the Israeli army and the heavy death toll of Palestinians which includes over 100 children.

We have received no response and a protest calling on her to withdraw is being planned for tomorrow morning (Thursday 8th) at 10.00am outside the venue. We will encourage people to bring old shoes to the protest.

The sports boycott of Israel is a key part of any boycott campaign because it is much more visible than a trade or investment boycott and can have an important psychological impact. We saw this with the successful sports boycotts against apartheid South Africa which had a big impact in South Africa and around the world.

Israel follows policies towards Palestinians which are remarkably similar to the apartheid policies of the white South African regime. As far back as 1989 South Africa’s Bishop Desmond Tutu said “if you change the names, the description of what is happening in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank would be a description of what is happening in South Africa.”

Just as there developed an international consensus that the best way to pressure South Africa was through a comprehensive boycott so the same international consensus is developing in relation to Israel. Thursday’s protest is the opening shot in this campaign which also includes calls for boycotts in trade, investment, commerce, diplomacy, culture and academic contacts.

A new website has been launched this week at www.big.org.nz (BIG = Boycott Israeli Goods) which has begun to highlight Israeli goods for sale in New Zealand and calls on shoppers to boycott these products and the stores that continue to stock them.

We acknowledged to Shahar is a significant sacrifice we are asking her to make because as a professional tennis player she relies on these tournaments for a living. However the sacrifices being forced onto Palestinians by Israel are far greater and she should be prepared to make the sacrifice.

The letter to Shahar follows this release.

John Minto -8463173 (H) and 8469496 (W):Mike Treen -0295254744

4 January 2009

Shahar Peer (Israeli Tennis Player)

ASB Tennis Classic, Auckland

asbcentre@tennisauckland.co.nz

Kia ora Shahar,

Request for you to withdraw from ASB Tennis Classic

We are writing to request you to withdraw from the ASB Tennis Classic as part of a comprehensive international boycott of Israel.

Israel’s attacks on the Gaza strip are indefensible and just the latest chapter in a 60-year history of oppression and brutality directed towards Palestinians who were forced from their homes, villages and lands to make way for an exclusive Jewish state.

In Gaza, the West Bank and in Israel itself Palestinians are treated as second class citizens by a myriad of laws and policies which in all key respects mirror the apartheid policies of the white regime of South Africa. Just as an international consensus developed to boycott South Africa to bring pressure for change, a similar consensus is developing for a boycott of Israel.

We applaud the many Jewish human rights and civil rights groups which have called on Israel to cease its attacks on Gaza and who also support full citizenship rights for all Palestinians.

We realise as a professional tennis player this is a significant sacrifice you are being asked to make. However it is much less than the sacrifice being made by Palestinian families under siege by Israel. We therefore urge you to respect this boycott and withdraw from the ASB Tennis Classic.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Regards,
John Minto,jbminto@xtra.co.nz

Mike Treen,mike@unite.org.nz

MOBILISE AGAINST THE GAZA MASSACRE - BOYCOTT ALL TIES WITH APARTHEID ISRAEL

Just after Christmas Israel attacked and invaded the Gaza strip, home to 1.5 million Palestinians, in a brutal military operation which has left over 400 dead (at least 100 children), thousands injured and enormous humanitarian suffering.

The attack is the latest event in a 60 year reign of terror by Israel over Palestinians since Jewish terror squads drove Palestinians out of their homes and off their land after World War II to create the state of Israel.

Israel occupies 78% of Palestine and week by week is taking more land by increasing the size of illegal Jewish settlements on Palestinian land and by the construction of an enormous apartheid wall to separate out the Palestinians.

Israel had defied countless United Nations resolutions, World Court decisions and appeals from humanitarian groups to behave in a civilised manner according to international law. Instead it has defied all criticism and uses its strong support from the US to continue its violent occupation of Gaza and the West Bank.

Israel’s treatment of Palestinians matches the apartheid policies of the white South African regime whereby Palestinians inside Israel and in the occupied territories are treated as second-class citizens. Back in 1989 South Africa’s Archbishop Desmond Tutu said "I am a black South African, and if I were to change the names, a description of what is happening in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank could describe events in South Africa."

Just as an international consensus developed to isolate South Africa’s apartheid regime we need to develop the same consensus over Israel to bring enormous international pressure on this rogue state.

What can New Zealand do?

• Condemn Israeli brutality and support the Palestinian struggle for justice.

• Call for the withdrawal of the Israeli occupation army from Gaza and the West Bank.

• Boycott all commercial, trade, diplomatic, sporting, cultural and academic contact with Israel.

SUPPORTED BY: Justice for Palestine; Palestine Human Rights Campaign; Global Peace and Justice Auckland

Mike Treen – (09) 8452132 or 0295254744; John Minto – (09) 8463173(H) or (09) 8469496(W); For the GPJA Committee

Janfrie Wakim – 09 5200201 or 027 629 1004, For the Palestine Human Rights Campaign

BOYCOTT ISRAELI GOODS AOTEAROA

The Boycott Israeli Goods Campaign Aotearoa

ANNOUNCEMENTS

2009 NATIONAL PEACE WORKSHOPS

The 2009 National Peace Workshops, the national gathering for people interested in peace, social justice and human rights, will be at the Quaker Settlement in Whanganui in mid or late March - the date is currently being finalised, and will be available soon. The theme of the 2009 NPW is 'Promoting peace through active non-violent resistance' and the main focus will be participatory discussion with Maori, Pacific and Pakeha contributors who have experience of community and individual non-violent resistance, and/or non-violent direct action in Aotearoa and overseas. Preliminary information about the National Peace Workshops, including the programme outline, venue and accommodation options, is available at http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/npw09.htm

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FEATURES

Charlie Chaplin's "Great Dictator Final Speech" on You Tube - a wonderful statement against fascist barbarism and hope for the kind of future we all want for our children.

WORLD ECONOMIC CRISIS

Somber Thoughts for the New Year - Will There be a Recovery? By Paul Craig Roberts

Cracks in the Foundation - The End of Capitalism? By Ann Robertson

UK

New powers for police to hack your PC: Police have been given the power to hack into personal computers without a court warrant. The Home Office is facing anger and the threat of a legal challenge after granting permission. Ministers are also drawing up plans to allow police across the EU to collect information from computers in Britain.

ENDS

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