Astiak's Banter » Events

Eid Mubarak

Astiak — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 06:27:53 +0000

Ramadan has come to an end, and I would like to wish Eid Mubarak to all my readers.

Ban Settlement Goods – Email your MP now! PSC and TUC Campaign

Astiak — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 01:34:00 +0000

PSC Weekly Update 11^th February 2010

Ban Settlement Goods – Email your MP now!

The Palestine Solidarity Campaign and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) urge all it’s supporters to lobby MP’s to call for a ban to goods from Israeli settlements in our supermarkets.

You can email your MP using our easy to use lobbying tool. If your local PSC group, trade union branch or student group would like us to send you postcards, please contact us via email at: psc.admin@palestinecampaign.org or ring the office on: 0207 700 6192.

I just used the lobbying tool, it literally takes a few minutes, and that’s including me personalising the letter a bit. I highly recommend you use this tool to get the message to your local MP.

UK top 40, Lowkey’s Long Live Palestine part 2 did not make it.

Astiak — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 19:13:07 +0000

So, many thanks to all who purchased this track, sadly it has not made the charts. At the end of the day, despite not making the charts, we did a good thing, I hope that a lot of money has been raised for Palestine.

The facebook group has changed it’s name to “LOWKEY’S CHARITY SINGLE FOR PALESTINE – HERE’S TO WEEK 2″ which suggests this may be attempted for a second week running.

I do wonder though why it hasn’t hit the charts, not even the RnB singles charts. Whether it was disqualified because of multiple purchases, or just refusal because it’s too political or another reason altogether. It may just be that we didn’t have enough people buying it. There are rumours flying around that the BBC refused to play the song, unconfirmed as of yet.

Once we get sales figures, we’ll be able to deduce a more accurate answer. Till then, good work everyone.

Eid Mubarak!

Astiak — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 17:36:26 +0000

Eid-ul Fitr Mubarak

Eid mubarak to all the brothers and sisters and anyone else who is enjoying the celebrations.

Eid Mubarak

Official UN Report – Israel War Crimes Confirmed.

Astiak — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 01:05:59 +0000

An air strike by Israel on a UN school.

The UN Human Rights Council report on the Israel-Gaza massacre war was released on the 15th of September 2009. A 575 page document (pdf) outlining the UN Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict. This investigation was led by Justice Richard Goldstone, former judge of the Constitutional Court of South Africa and former Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda.

Now, I have not read all 575 pages in detail, merely skimmed through it. From what I read however there is no doubt in my mind that Israel are responsible for committing war crimes in the period from 27 December 2008 and 18 January 2009.

I quote this from the report itself:

The operations were carefully planned in all their phases. Legal opinions and advice were given throughout the planning stages and at certain operational levels during the campaign. There were almost no mistakes made according to the Government of Israel. It is in these circumstances that the Mission concludes that what occurred in just over three weeks at the end of 2008 and the beginning of 2009 was a deliberately disproportionate attack designed to punish, humiliate and terrorize a civilian population, radically diminish its local economic capacity both to work and to provide for itself, and to force upon it an ever increasing sense of dependency and vulnerability. (Page 525).

Goldstone’s team looked in detail at 36 incidents during the war. The report found Israel to be in breach of the fourth Geneva Convention. It studied the deaths of 22 members of the Samouni family who, following instructions from Israeli soldiers, were sheltering in a house in Zeitoun, east of Gaza City. The house was then hit by Israeli fire.

There were 7 instances where civilians waving white flags were shot while leaving their homes. Direct attack on the al-Quds Hospital. The list goes on. Of course, the confirmation of the use of white phosphorus was also present in this report.

The video below, courtesy of The Guardian shows Richard Goldstone issuing his assessment of atrocities on both sides of the conflict:

Now, Israel is of course refusing to accept these findings. Israel refused to co-operate with the inquiry, claiming that the investigation is biased against Israel. Goldstone himself is of course Jewish, and has strong links with Israel, there is no reason for him to be biased against Israel. Quoting Goldstone: “To accuse me of being anti-Israel is ridiculous.”

Mark Ragev, who some of you may be aware, I am not a fan of, was in this video. He called the UN Human Rights Council a Kangaroo Court, and is of course defending Israel. A Dr Robbie Sabel also featured in this video, a man I will be doing some research on. Seems pro Zionist to me anyway, also talking in defence of Israel.

Israel must think the world gullible to continue to deny being responsible of war crimes. As though repeatedly denying it will make this issue disappear. It’s time for Israel to face the music. I do hope that Israel is brought to justice.

I am interested to see how the international community will respond to the findings of this report, especially the United States of America and Great Britain. So, I wonder now, is America’s war on terror going to switch to Israel at any point, a nation that is responsible for causing terror, humiliation and committing war crimes in Palestine. Highly unlikely.

Protest – Benjamin Netanyahu visits London

Astiak — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 23:35:58 +0000

Protestors outside 10 Downing Street

Right wing Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu had come to London to meet Gordon Brown on Tuesday, 25 August. Stop the War Coalliation and Palestine Solidarity Campaign had called an emergency protest at Downing Street. For 12 hours notice, it was not a bad turn out at all.

Netanyahu is part of a government that believes it has the right to build settlements on the occupied West Bank. Palestinians are being evicted from their homes. Food and medical supplies are denied. Although after this meeting Brown claimed he was confident that further settlement building will halt, we all know this is not true. Netanyahu himself has said that people who are in these settlements already need to “expand”, what does that mean? More innocent people being forced out of their homes.

We all know the only way to end this is to pull out of the settlements all together, the Israeli government provided incentive for settlers to come into Palestine, they should now offer incentives for settlers to go back into Israel and give back the Palestinians what is rightfully theirs.

Netanyahu is the architect of the suffering experienced by the Palestinian people and the Arab residents of Israel. Do not forget that for a moment. This right wing prime minister will bring no good. Do you really think that he can go back to Israel and convince his right wing government that all settlements must stop? No chance.

(P.S. Apologies for the shoddy picture, my camera was in Brighton unfortunately.)

Boycott Israeli dates this Ramadan

Astiak — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 14:48:59 +0000

It is very important that Israeli dates are avoided this Ramadan and every Ramadan that follows.

Salaam. It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything on this site, time has unfortunately got the better of me.

So, Ramadan is just around the corner, and Ramadan means dates in our supermarkets and independent shops. Now, there’s an issue with these dates. This issue being a lot of the dates that are sold here in the UK come from illegal Israeli settlements in Palestine. That is land that rightfully belongs to the Palestininans are being used to grow dates, which are then sold to us Muslims, and the profits going directly back to those illegal settlements. Do you see the problem?

How can this be avoided then? Well, we must familiarise ourselves with the suppliers of Israeli dates and avoid buying them. A lot of independent Muslim shops are not aware that they are selling Israeli dates, we must let them know. Spread the word, and let’s not allow Israel to grain profit from us Muslims this Ramadan and then use this money to further oppress the people of Palestine.

The following URL has a lot more information, do watch the videos if you have the time:
http://www.inminds.co.uk/boycott-israeli-dates.php

InshaAllah (God willing) this message is spread far and wide amongst everyone that believes that Israel’s terrorism must not continue. Only together can we defeat the atrocities that is committed by Israel on a daily basis. Spread the word! Facebook, twitter, MSN, whatever you use!

Ma’assalaam.

National Demonstration 16 May – Remember Gaza – Free Palestine! – Update

Astiak — Sun, 17 May 2009 03:00:25 +0000

A protester waves the Palestinian flag

So, the demonstration went well today, was a peaceful demonstration. As always a wide variety of people at the demonstration. The march lasted approximately an hour starting at 12:30 and arriving at Trafalgar Square at 13:30, and I think received a lot of attention in a busy London day. Very important points made by the speakers today, regarding the continuing oppression in Palestine, Avigdor Lieberman’s visit, and the current situation in Sri Lanka. I’ve uploaded a few photos of the event, enjoy!

Click through to see larger images.

National Demonstration 16 May – Remember Gaza – Free Palestine!

Astiak — Sun, 10 May 2009 23:17:36 +0000

There is a national demonstration planned for Saturday 16th May, 2009. I will almost certainly be attending. I often get asked, why demonstrate? Then I get told it makes no difference whether you demonstrate or not. That is quite wrong in my opinion. Protests can offer a sense of clarity on an issue that was previously not so clear. Demonstrations attract media attention, it allows the opinions of like minded people to be expressed indirectly in the media. Repeated attention in the media about the crimes occurring in Palestine will bring in more supporters to our cause, with enough people the government will have no option but to intervene and make comments in order to retain public confidence.

So, with my reasons justified, on to the details of the demonstration:

Assembling 12noon in Malet Street WC1 London, Followed by Rally in Trafalgar Square. The map is shown below:

View Larger Map

To commemorate the Palestinian 1948 Nakba

Lowkey MC, Mecca 2 Medina, Jeremy Hardy and more will join speakers from Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, along with Jeremy Corbyn MP, Martin Linton MP, George Galloway MP, Daud Abdullah – Deputy Gen Sec Muslim Council of Britain, Jean Lambert MEP, Jenny Tonge MEP, Manuel Hassassian – Palestinian General Delegate to the UK and speakers from PSC, Stop the War Coalition, British Muslim Initiative, CND, Palestinian Forum in Britain, Viva Palestina, Jews for Justice for Palestine, Lawyers for Palestinian Human Rights and others

Called by: Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Stop the War Coalition, British Muslim Initiative, Palestinian Forum in Britain and Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament

Supported by:

Action Palestine, Amos Trust, Arab Media Watch, Arab Women’s Association, Association of Palestinian Communities UK, Britain-Palestine Twinning Network, The Council for Arab-British Understanding, Campaign Against the Arms Trade, Christian Peacemaker Teams UK, Fire Brigades Union, Friends of Al-Aqsa, Friends of Lebanon, Friends of Birzeit University, Friends of Sabeel UK, The Green Party, Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions UK, Jewish Socialists’ Group, Jews for Justice for Palestinians, Labour Friends of Palestine, Liberation, Midlands Palestinian Community Association, Muslim Association of Britain, Muslim Council for Britain, NUS Black Students Campaign, Palestinian Forum in Britain, Respect, Pax Christi, Public and Commercial Services Union, Rail Maritime and Transport Union, UNISON, UNITE, Viva Palestina, War on Want, Zaytoun Ltd.

Download the leaflet here.

Leaflets are also available from the PSC office – please save the date and start organising transport now!

Details of coaches here!

They are looking for plenty of volunteers on the day, please contact us if you can help!

Please contact the PSC office for more information:

Tel: 020 7700 6192

Email: info@palestinecampaign.org

Web: www.palestinecampaign.org