Video clips from “Protest against the JNF Negev Gala Dinner, Vancouver” Sunday, June 9, 2013.
Thanks to Jase Tanner for producing the video.
Author: cpaadmin
Protest against the JNF Negev Gala Dinner, Vancouver
No Canadian “Charity” for the Israeli Military!!
On June 9, the Jewish National… Read more
No Canadian “Charity” for the Israeli Military!!
On June 9, the Jewish National Fund JNF Pacific Region is holding its Negev Gala Dinner. Palestinian supporters in Vancouver will be picketing the event to protest not only the JNF’s well-documented racist policies but also this year’s honourees, the “Israel Defense Forces”. It seems the JNF has given up on their attempts at greenwashing their ethnic cleansing of Palestinians and are now openly embracing Israeli military aggression. Lets mark the 65th anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba by protesting the JNF and the Canadian government’s refusal to even question the JNF’s charitable status, as revealed in recently released documents.
Come out and add your voice to the protest against the racist JNF and its guest,
proclaimed “war hero” (war criminal) Brig. General Avigdor Kahalani
Stop the JNF!
Sunday, June 9, 4-6 pm
Gather across the street from Schara Tzedeck Synagogue, 3476 Oak St. (at 19th), Vancouver
The program for the picket will be as follows:-
First hour – 4:30 pm: Indigenous Peoples “Gala” with Bannook and Arabic snacks including Mana’eesh made with Palestinian olive oil and zaatar, along with solidarity messages (contrary to the $250 and up ticket for the JNF gala, the only ticket needed for our gala is to support Justice for Palestine)
Second hour – Full Picket, Bring drums and noisemakers
Organized by: Canada Palestine Association
Endorsed by: Boycott Israeli Apartheid Campaign, Gaza’s Ark, Independent Jewish Voices-Vancouver, Samidoun Prisoner Solidarity Network, Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights-UBC
Download leaflet
Join our Facebook Event
The JNF is holding 2013 Negev Gala Dinners across Canada from June 2-Dec. 1st, where Canadian PM Harper will the honouree.
Article by Charlotte Kates in the Vancouver Media Coop on the successful protest against the JNF in Vancouver: Protest greets JNF fundraiser for Israeli apartheid in Vancouver
The article was also published by Al-Jazeerah: Cross-Cultural Understanding
Videos of solidarity messages during the June 9 protest against the JNF in Vancouver, from Cynthia Taha, Khaled Barakat, Hanna Kawas, Martha Roth and Nino Pagliccia.
Charlotte Kates’ photos of the protest on Facebook.
John Soos’ pictures of Vancouver Police chatting with an Israeli soldier as they “guard” the JNF dinner Photo 1, Photo2
Video clips from the Protest (Thanks to Jase Tanner)
Conference of the Palestinian Shatat in North America
LIBERATION and RETURN: The Conference of Palestinian Shatat in North America
May 3-5, 2013
Buchanan A Building
University of British Columbia
Vancouver, Unceded Coast Salish Territories, Canada
As we approach our 65th year of exile from our homeland, the need for Palestinians in the shatat (diaspora) to reinvigorate, develop and carry out an effective strategy for our national movement for liberation and return is as urgent as ever. For too long our voices have been excluded and the majority of us have been unrepresented in the decision-making and direction of our movement.
We call on all Palestinian activists, organizers and community members in the shatat to join us in this historical gathering to re-examine our history and build together towards a free future for our people and land by putting an end to Zionist colonization and normalization everywhere throughout the Palestinian and Arab homeland.
Join us to plan, discuss and learn from each other about our homeland and how we can become active participants in reviving our movement. The conference will include facilitated workshops, plenary discussions, conversations, and presentations – it welcomes your participation, your voice, and your active involvement in reclaiming the voice of the shatat.
At a time when Zionist colonization continues its incessant destruction and exploitation of Palestine and our people, our body-politic remains fragmented, with empty, unrepresentative and often corrupt national institutions and leadership, and a clouded vision of how to move forward towards our national aspirations for return and liberation.
This conference aims to work towards: restoring our people’s morale and commitment to our national struggle for return and liberation, reviving our transnational unity and building our national liberation movement despite our geographical dispersion, and overcoming the current impasse of national fragmentation (socio-economic, political, geographic and ideological).
Participation is a right, but also a duty. Conference participants will not only gain knowledge, but are expected to invest time, energy and willingness to collectively and democratically work with fellow Palestinians to re-build and revive our national liberation movement.
Learn more about the conference
Register online for the conference
Conference Program
The Program will include Kevin Neish’s photography of Gaza, Palestine.
Seven keynote panelists for Return and Liberation: Conference of the Palestinian Shatat in North America have been announced by the organizers.
Guidelines for Participation:
Read and support Conference Principles of Unity
Understanding of conference objectives
Commitment to developing and implementing a long-term strategy of our role as Palestinians/Arab in North America for return and liberation
Accountability, transparency and respect for the democratic decision-making process
Actively participate during conference and follow-up
Give direction, purpose, and relevance to our national movement
This conference prioritizes Palestinian and Arab participation
We look forward to seeing you at the conference and working together! Contact the organizing committee at palestinianconference@gmail.com
Statement on Syria
No to US-led intervention in Syria
April 21, 2013 – Canada Palestine… Read more
No to US-led intervention in Syria
April 21, 2013 – Canada Palestine Association-Vancouver is alarmed by the escalating violence in Syria and the huge toll on the Syrian civilian population and we feel compelled to speak out. The increasing threat of foreign military intervention will only exacerbate this suffering and could well begin a wider war. We believe that the Syrian people are the only party to decide who should lead them, and outside intervention should be condemned.
The objective of Western governments has always been to control Arab natural resources, especially the oil, and to impose Arab dictatorships that serve their interests. The West has never cared for the well being or dignity of the Arab people; we need only to look at their history for the past sixty-five years, including their role in the dismemberment of Palestine and its people. Recently, there are clear signs that the US government and its allies, including Canada and various Arab puppet regimes, are increasing their intervention in Syria – from the rapprochement between Turkey and Israel under the auspices of US president Obama, the sharp increase of military aid from Arab governments and Turkey (with the help of the C.I.A.) to the Syrian opposition (including more than 160 military cargo flights by Jordanian, Saudi and Qatari military-style cargo planes, as reported by the NY Times Mar.25/13), to the unwarranted Arab League recognition of the Syrian opposition and the statement by Adm. James Stavridis, NATO’s top military commander, “We are looking at a wide range of operations and we are prepared if called upon to be engaged as we were in Libya.”
We call for a peaceful solution through dialogue and negotiations and the implementation of long-overdue reforms in Syria. There are many sincere elements that care about the future of Syria and are pushing for urgently-needed change, but any alliance with Israeli and U.S. hegemonic designs is and will be disastrous for the Syrian and Arab peoples. The UNITY of Syria is at stake, the future of the region is at stake. History will judge all those who collaborated with Israel and the U.S. empire (and this includes the Palestinian Authority).
Accordingly, Canada Palestine Association-Vancouver strongly denounces any Western and US-led intervention in Syria, and we call on our supporters to oppose any such intervention, especially from the Canadian Government. We will not allow John Baird and Stephen Harper to practice their hypocritical policies – supporting Israeli annexation over all of Jerusalem while pretending to care about the suffering of any of the Arab peoples.
Music of Resistance: Palestinian Singer Reem Kelani
Reem Kelani in Vancouver
Friday, April 19, 7:00pm, Rhizome Cafe, 317 East… Read more
Reem Kelani in Vancouver
Friday, April 19, 7:00pm, Rhizome Cafe, 317 East Broadway
Marking Palestinian Prisoners’ Day, commemorate Palestinian cultural resistance with art and music, featuring the songs of Palestinian singer and musician Reem Kelani.
Presented by the Boycott Israeli Apartheid Campaign, organizing in solidarity with the Palestinian struggle for liberation and self-determination, and to support the Palestinian call for international boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) of Israel. Endorsed by the Canada Palestine Association, Conference of the Palestinian Shatat in North America, Independent Jewish Voices – Vancouver
$10 suggested donation, but no one turned away for lack of funds