This communication recently received from Gush Shalom, the Israeli peace activist group founded by Uri Avnery, announced that, during June 5-10, 2007, there are six days of planned protests in Israel to mark the 40 year military occupation of the Palestinian people. Previous diaries covered similar protests taking place in close proximity in the United States  (centered in Washington, DC) and in many countries around the world.

The main protest march and rally is in Tel Aviv, June 9, 18:00 to coincide with world wide protests at dozens of locations. June 9 and 10 has been declared as International Days of Protest Against the Israeli Occupation.

June 5, 2007 will mark the fortieth anniversary of the malignant Israeli occupation of the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and Golan Heights. The present suffering and bloodshed in Gaza and Sderot are a direct outcome of the policy of occupation, settlement, and killing. Only the end of that policy and the signing of a just peace could put an end to violence and to the continuing injustice against the Palestinian people.

“40 Occupation” is a convergence of many peace activists and groups:

Gush Shalom
Anarchists Against the Wall
Women’s Peace Coalition
Israeli Committee Against House Demolition
Yesh Gvul
Indymedia
Ta’ayush
Zochrot
Hadash
Women in Black
and others

They will jointly organize protest actions marking forty years of occupation. In order to bring about a concrete change in the situation and the end of the occupation, there is needed a tactic of wide opposition. Therefore, the model of convergence was chosen, which was used with great success in other struggles, like the 1999 Seattle protests against the World Trade Organization meeting. Convergence implies public organising around a common goal, relying on coordinated but autonomous and decentralized activity.

For six days, June 5 to 10 – corresponding to the days of the 1967 War – a wide spectrum of events will take place, including exhibitions, demonstrations, theatre plays, academic conferences, etc., in order to place the occupation and the millions suffering under its yoke on the public agenda.

Demonstrations and events in early June

June 1 from 10:00 am at the Port of Tel Aviv – “Until She Opens her Eyes”, an event organized by the Human Rights groups, including presentations, testimonies, artistic performances, theatrical performances, a panel discussion by writers, exhibition of photos. Ronit Piso 054-4750614, Maskit Mendel 054-7700477.

June 2 – An Israeli-Palestinian car convoy, organized by the Geneva Initiative, will leave the Redding Parking Lot in north Tel-Aviv at 10:30 am. In Jerusalem, the Israeli and the Palestinian convoys will join up and together tour the Old City and wind up at The Mount of Olives, where a joint rally will take place with Knesset Members, Members of the Palestinian Legislative Council, and artists. Contact 03-6938728.  

June 2 to 8 – Every evening at 21:00 a panel discussion on Forty Years of Occupation will be broadcast on the “Mikan” Channel on the cable and satellite TV, as well as on www.actv.co.il.

June 5 – The Peace Now Movement will hold a demonstration in Hebron, with the call “Stop the Settlements!” Contact: Yariv Oppenheimer 0544-200060

June 5 “The Desert Generation” – An exhibition by Israeli and Palestinian painters at Beit HaAmanim (Artists’ House), Jerusalem. David Tartakover, Sliman Mansur, Larry Avramson, David Reeb  0546-531469  03-6819653.

June 5 – Day of Protest by the Student Coalition at Tel-Aviv University, including an exhibition, placing of placards, artistic performances. Michal 054-487061

June 5 – Critical Mass – bicycle and roller skates convoy through the streets of outer Tel Aviv, painting the city with messages of Freedom and Equality. Meeting point at 16:00 on the Tel-Aviv Cinemateque Plaza.

June 5 – testimonies from the Occupied Territories, a photo exhibition and presentation of documentary films at the Tel-Aviv Cinemateque, organized by Machsom Watch, Bereaved Families’ Forum, Fighters for Peace, PCATI, Yesh Din, IPCRI. A checkpoint, similar to those erected by the army in the Territories, will be erected on the plaza and all visitors will have to pass through it.

June 5 – A mass Israeli-Palestinian event will be presented on the football field of Anata, northeast of Jerusalem. Buses from Jerusalem at 16:30. Suliman Al Hatib 054-4315043.

June 5 to 7 – International academic conference will be presented on “Forty after Sixty Seven” at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Tel-Aviv University. Minerva Center for Human Rights 02-5881156.

June 7 – “Act of State 1967-2007” – a historical photo exhibition on the Occupation. Opening at 21:00 at the gallery of Minshar Art School, 18 David Hachami St, Tel Aviv. 03-6887090

June 7 – Israeli-Palestinian demonstration near the Wall separating Bak’ah Al Sharkiya in the West Bank from Bak’ah Al Gharbiya in Israel. Suliman Al Hatib 054-4315043.

June 8 – Protest vigils by Women in Black in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Haifa at 13:00-14:00. In Jerusalem, and throughout the preceding week, a daily protest vigil will be held at the Paris Square. Contact 054-7515797.

June 8 to 9 – Festival of Peace and Music. Israeli and Palestinian artists and groups will show films and more. At Tantur, on the border of Jerusalem and Bethlehem. Gershon Baskin 052-2381715, Aviv Alhasid 052-3689612.

June 9 – Mass demonstration in Tel Aviv, marking 40 Years to the Occupation – March and rally initiated by the Israeli peace movements and parties. For details Adi Dagan 052-3575526, Adam Keller 050-6709603

June 9 has been declared the International Day of Protest Against the Israeli Occupation. Demonstrations will take place at dozens of cities around the world. For details about worldwide activism on June 9:

http://stopthewall.org/worldwideactivism/1460.shtml

June 9 – Israeli-Palestinian demonstration in the morning hours outside the Old City Walls of Jerusalem. Michael Warshawsky 052-4733453.

June 11 – The Old City of Jerusalem: Opening event for a campaign to rebuild destroyed houses by the Israeli  Committee Against House Demolitions. The event takes place on the fortieth anniversary of the destruction of the Old City’s Mugrabi Quarter, with its 350 houses, and is dedicated to the memory of Haja Rasmiya Tabaki, crushed under the ruins of her destroyed home. Shai 050-6986964.

For details Adi Dagan 052-3575526, Adam Keller 050-6709603

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