Category: Events

Date: Friday, Nov. 12, 2010
Time: 7:00pm
Location: Unitarian Church, 949 W. 49th (at Oak), Vancouver
Admission: Admission: $10 (limited income) and $15 (regular) Door prizes, Silent Auction – All monies collected will go to the Canadian Boat to Gaza http://canadaboatgaza.org

Facebook Event Link: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=164447990251209

Featuring the Vancouver Premiere:
SEVEN DAYS FROM A GAZA DIARY – A riveting personal account of the first seven days of Israel’s 2008-09 military assault on Gaza, written by a young woman living under the bombing. The first part of 27-year-old Khulood Ghanem’s diary has been adapted for reading performance by Seattle playwright Edward Mast.

Also Featuring:
Victoria activist and Mavi Marmara survivor, Kevin Neish
This is your chance to concretely help the people of Gaza. Commemorate the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinians by supporting this people-to-people project.

Sponsored by:

• Canada Palestine Association (www.cpavancouver.org)
• Social Justice Committee, Unitarian Church of Vancouver

A Public Forum With Flotilla Survivor Kevin Neish

Date: Friday, June 18, 2010
Time: 7:00pm
Location: Vancouver Public Library (Central Branch), Alice McKay Room
350 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, B.C., Canada

Free admission. Donations will be collected and all proceeds will go the next Freedom Flotillas.

For more information email sphr.ubc@gmail.com or phone Omar Shaban 604-379-4050

Sponsored by:

• Boycott Israeli Apartheid Campaign (BIAC)
• Canadian Islamic Congress
• Canada Palestine Association
• Canada Palestine Support Network
• Independent Jewish Voices (IJV)
• Jews for a Just Peace
• No One Is Illegal
• Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR) UBC
• StopWar.ca
• Voice of Palestine

Background:

Kevin Neish, from Victoria, B.C., was a part of the international solidarity flotilla to break the siege and blockade of Gaza which was brutally stopped by the Israeli commandos in the early morning hours of May 31, 2010. The flotilla, which included six ships with over 600 activists from more than 30 countries, was carrying 10,000 tons of humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza.

Neish explained, “I got a taste of life in Gaza for the day,” after witnessing the massacre on board the MV Mavi Marmara, where Israeli Forces killed at least nine people. In addition to witnessing and speaking out, Neish smuggled out photographs documenting the Israeli massacre which have been published in the Turkish press.

This latest Israeli crime has been condemned worldwide. There have been protest actions across Canada — including three rallies in Vancouver alone — condemning the flotilla assault and the Harper government’s uncritical support of Israel, whose Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was visiting with Harper in Ottawa when the May 31 massacre was carried out.

Further reading: Victoria’s B-Channel News has compiled stories about Kevin Neish here: http://bchannelnews.tv/?p=5144
Facebook Event Link: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=100608743323783&ref=mf

Rally and March
Date: Saturday, June 5, 2010
Time: 1:00 p.m.
Location: Vancouver Art Gallery (Georgia Side)
750 Hornby Street, Vancouver, BC

Facebook Event Link: http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=118805384828639

On Saturday, June 5, human rights and community organizations will mobilize to join an emergency Global BDS Day of Action called by the Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions National Committee (BNC). In Vancouver, join us to protest the fatal attacks by apartheid Israel on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla carrying humanitarian aid to the occupied and besieged Gaza Strip (please see full BNC call-out at:
http://bdsdayofaction.net/2010/06/02/emergency-bds-day-of-action-june-5th-2010/

June 5 also marks the 43rd anniversary of the Israeli occupation of Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Our action aims to draw the world’s attention to Israel’s continuing illegal occupation, its refusal to abide by international law, and its massacre of innocent humanitarian workers.

Please join us, and stand with Palestine!

Tell your friends and family. Bring Palestinian flags.

Sponsored by:

• Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights – UBC
• Canada Palestine Association
• Independent Jewish Voices
• Canada Palestine Support Network (CanPalNet)
• Boycott Israel Apartheid Campaign (BIAC)
• No One Is Illegal
• Stop War
• Jews for a Just Peace

To endorse, please email sphr.ubc@gmail.com or call 604-379-4050

Date: Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Time: 6:00pm – 8:30pm
Location: Vancouver Public Library (Hamilton Side)

There will be a demonstration at*** 6 pm tomorrow at the Vancouver Public Library*** to denounce the Israeli military massacre of activists on a Gaza aid convoy. (To show solidarity with those brave activists who were killed fighting for the rights of Palestinians we ask that everyone please wear black and a kuffiyeh if you have one.)

At least 19 international activists were killed by Israel, with dozens injured. The death toll may rise. In an act of piracy and a blatant violation of international law, the Israeli government has committed a cold-blooded massacre on the high seas against a group of courageous individuals whose only crime was to extend a hand of solidarity to the besieged and blockaded people in Gaza.

The Gaza aid flotilla is made up of seven ships carrying 700 people and bringing medical, construction and school supplies to besieged Palestinians in Gaza. It was attacked in international waters by 14 Israeli ships. Heavily armed Israeli commandos dropped onto the ships from helicopters and opened fire on the activists.

Gaza has been blockaded by Israel since 2007 with full backing by the Canadian government. The blockade is a brutal form of collective punishment aimed at strangling the Palestinian people.Since coming to office, the Harper Government has continued with enormous support for Israel allowing the continued siege of Gaza, the occupation and expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, and Israel’s non-stop war against all of the Palestinian people.

Please come out and condemn this outrageous massacre and call for an immediate end of the siege of Gaza. Please wear black and your kuffiyeh if you can.

For more info, email: sphr.ubc@gmail.com or called 604-379-4050.

Date: Monday, May 31, 2010
Time: 12 Noon
Location: 300 W. Georgia (at Hamilton St)

Israeli forces have attacked a flotilla of humanitarian aid-carrying ships aiming to break the country’s siege on Gaza.
Reports are still coming in, but according to the latest news 16 human rights activists were killed and many more injured when Israeli commandos stormed the Freedom Flotilla early on Monday.

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu is in Ottawa today, after speaking in Toronto Sunday. As John Ibbitson writes in today’s Globe and Mail, “the official portion of Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Ottawa on Monday reflects Canada’s status as Israel’s best friend”.

While Harper and Netanyahu meet in Ottawa, activists across Canada and around the world are responding with emergency actions protesting against this outrage.