An evening of music, culture and struggle to honor Palestinian icon Rasmea Odeh. With keynote address by former political prisoner Angela Davis. The event will be held at:
International Union of Operating Engineers
2260 S. Grove Street
Chicago, IL 60616
Space is limited. Buy your tickets today by visiting bit.ly/Rasmea1 or by calling (312) 899-6392
For more information: justice4rasmea.org or uspcn.org or stopfbi.org
sponsored by the Rasmea Defense Committee
http://handsoffsyriacoalition.net
As the US steps up its illegal war on Syria with attacks on Syrian forces and Russian and Syrian planes, it has declared “protected zones” in Syria, which are effectively “no fly zones” that threaten greater war. Stephen Gowans will discuss the role played by the US in Syria over the past decades that has led to this moment.
If your organization would like to join the UNAC coalition, please click here: https://www.unacpeace.org/join.html
The International Action Center publishes this call for support of a world-wide campaign for Gaza that is contained in a July 13 press release by the organizations listed at the end of the call.
With the life of people in Gaza seriously endangered, it is the duty of the people of the world, of associations, groups and religious denominations to take responsibility and act. We need to take action to ensure this slow genocide finds its place on the international agenda.
First and foremost, our sights must be on the siege, imposed by the Israeli authorities and actively supported by the Egyptian government. Culpability is also shared by those of their allies who, actively or passively, persist in colluding to deprive Gaza’s people of human rights, essential supplies, medicines, sewage treatment, drinkable water, energy and freedom of movement.
This is not a natural catastrophe, but a man-made one.
Gaza’s slow strangulation highlights not only the sacrifice of the civilians there, but also what hopes may be left for autonomy, freedom and the survival of Palestine.
To those who ask, “Who profits from Gaza staying alive?” the answers are obvious: two million human beings living in Gaza and three million human beings living in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Gaza has been under siege for 10 years now. The 2014 ceasefire agreement between the Gaza Government and factions and the Israeli government included negotiations to open its land borders and provide a seaport, thus providing some relief from the siege.
Over the following three years, with some rare exceptions carried out by rogue actors, Gaza has honored its side of the deal. This has not been the case with the Israelis: low intensity attacks from land, sea and air have been an almost-daily occurrence, and have killed at least 30 Gazans, including fishermen. Rather than enforce the agreement brokered by them, the Egyptian authorities have tightened the siege and increased the suffering by bombing and flooding tunnels, and implementing an almost total closure of Rafah Crossing; the only alternative transit point for people, food, medicines and many other civilian supplies not permitted entry by Israel – not even after the elaborate agreements reached with the United Nations for the entry of construction materials to rebuild the thousands of destroyed homes these have been respected by Israel.
Hundreds of deaths have already resulted from a lack of medicines, treatments such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and of instruments for diagnostics and care, and more will inevitably result from environmental contamination, poverty and subsequent poor nutrition of the most fragile sectors of the population- especially children. The electricity, fuel, sewage and water situations have become unbearable and untenable, impacting severely on public health. The collapse of productive and commercial activities has resulted in an unemployment rate of over 40 percent and a consequent sense of despair among the population, affecting mostly the youth.
The currently silent European Union has failed to maintain even its pre-existing commitments. Most obvious is its failure to keep the Rafah border open under the still-active EUBAM mechanism. Similarly, it has abandoned an approved project for a Gaza seaport. Both of these were contained in the 2014 agreements for the cessation of hostilities.
The UN has failed to implement its many resolutions.
We have been urged to act also by the most recent calls of the PHROC (Palestinian Human Rights Organizations Council), Physicians for Human Rights and by the condemnation expressed by Gisha (Israeli Legal Center for the Freedom of Movement in the Occupied Palestinian Territories) and the many others now being issued to build up an international campaign for Gaza that presents not only emergency requests, but a list of structural needs to be satisfied.
The list of the interventions is long – because inaction has persisted even longer and it will just keep mounting until change occurs. The time to act and provide what is so urgently needed is short.
The right to health, and to life, can only be guaranteed by a fully-functioning health system, by the provision of essential infrastructure and by a functioning economy. These should be provided by the authorities enforcing the siege. With no firm deadlines or sanctions in place, the international humanitarian laws requiring the occupying entity to provide to the needs of the occupied population have been disregarded and violated for too long. Time has now run out.
In the establishment of an integrated plan for the provision of tools, to accompany the first step in exercising international pressure on the Israeli authorities to fulfill their responsibilities and obligations under international law, it will be necessary to be ready to directly meet the Palestinian people’s essential needs and to do so within a framework that is independent of the parties denying these needs and upholding the siege.
So, we ask the international community of States, the European Union and the UN to act immediately and on a long-term plan of action. There are already frozen funds and approved projects that could accommodate many of the following requests:
– Immediate and stable supply of medicines, medical surgical devices, instruments and their parts, to restore very rapidly the deficits in provision of health services, and grant their maintenance.
– Immediate provision of a stable supply line of fuel to generate energy and of new energy cables to cover needs during construction of a second power plant in Gaza.
– Immediate, stabilized 24/7 opening of the Rafah border by EUBAM.
– Construction of a desalination plant of the size needed to provide drinking water for the whole community.
– Construction of the promised sea port while temporarily ensuring the activation of a small passenger and small items vessel service between Gaza and Cyprus.
– Provision of solar energy plants for all hospital structures serving more than 500 patients per month and for advanced specialist care departments regardless of the number of patients treated, and, in the interim, temporary provision of fuel to cover the requirements of existing generators.
– Delivery of cement and other items needed for housing reconstruction as already ascertained by the UN and UNRWA.
– Reconstruction of the destroyed sewage system and its expansion to meet the population’s needs.
– Establishing and building rubbish recycling and disposal services and plants. – Granting independent access to satellite and telephone communications.
– Granting the possibility to produce and use local products for trade abroad and to purchase consumer goods from the free market.
If any of the above requests are met, work will restart and the education sector will also see improvements, the circulation of money and goods will make a return in Gaza, and young people may once more have a future to look forward to.
The slow genocide being imposed on the people of Gaza can no longer be accepted. A free Gaza represents the only healthy leverage in the forging of a democratic process in Palestine and its self determination.
This is the only realistic step on the road to peace. Act now!
Call started on July 1, 2017 by Appello per i Bambini di Gaza, Genova, Italia Cultura e Libertà, una campagna per la Palestina, Italia NWRG, onlus, Italia.
To sign and see signatories visit we4gaza.org
Contact: wexgaza@gmail.com
Hosted by Madison Socialist Alternative
Wisconsin State Capitol, 2 E Main Street, Madison, 3-5 P.M.
DON’T GET FOOLED BY GOP TRICKS! The Senate bill isn’t dead yet. We have to act to build actions to kill it for good! Establishment politicians of any stripes aren’t gonna do it for us! Come to this protest as a first step to escalated action.
We will not stay silent while Trump and the GOP aim to steal healthcare from 22 million more people so they can line the pockets of the richest familes & corporations with tax breaks. We won’t stand still as Medicaid & Planned Parenthood are gutted, & the parasitic insurance companies get to charge more for crappier healthcare. TRUMPCARE WILL KILL THOUSANDS!!!!
JOIN US TO DEMAND:
– Kill TrumpCare not people who are sick!
– Defend, improve and expand Medicaid!
– Hands off Planned Parenthood funding! Defend Women’s right to full access to reproductive healthcare
– No more tax cuts for the 1%, Tax the Rich & Big Business
– NOT JUST a defense of the best parts of ObamaCare – Fight for the real soluton, SINGLE-PAYER Medicare4All
– For unions, progressive organizations and movements to mobilize millions in a sustained and escalating struggle for real universal healthcare
Multiple actions have been taking place across the country and in Madison since this first week of July while Senate has been in recess. We need to keep the pressure up when the Senate is back in session. The bill is threatening to be resurrected full steam towards Trump’s desk and towards mass devastation.
There will be a speakers program followed by an open mic, with chanting all the way through. We will update as more pieces to the program are added.
Organized by Madison Socialist Alternative
CO-SPONSORS:
AFSCME Local 125 – Journey Mental Health Center Workers Union
Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom – Madison
– Students Coalition for Progress
– Progressive Dane
– Wisconsin Bailout the People Movement
– IWW General Defense Committee Local 100
– Immigrant Workers Union (UTI)
SPEAKERS so far:
Teddy Shibabaw – Socialist Alternative
Sarah E. Christoffersen, Vice President of Local 125 – AFSCME
Ted Glomski – Democratic Socialists of America
Speakers and Endorsers will be updated as they come in. If your organization/union would like to endorse, please email madison@socialistalternative.org
Hosted by Freedom Inc
1848 Co Rd MM, Fitchburg, 10 A.M. – 5 P.M.
Come join us for free food at the Cambodian temple, while learning how to become registered voters. There will be lots of food!
Hosted by YGB Ferguson To Madison
Pres House, 731 State Street, Madison, 6-8:30 P.M.
Join YGB, Freedom Inc, Groundwork, No New Jail, and FUS Equity and Ministry, Racial Justice Tipping Point and Operation Welcome Home for a training on Civil Disobedience and Direct Action at the Pres House, Lowell Hall.
6:00 – 8:30 Training
5:00 – 6:00 Sign making for this week’s actions
Food will be provided. Wheelchair accessible.
There will be multiple opportunities this week to support actions related to pushing back against racist police violence, calling for accountability, and people power through community control over the police. This training will focus on various roles involved to carry out these types of actions that are spreading across the country. There is a national day of action on Thursday July 21st through the Movement for Black Lives and Showing Up for Racial Justice.
Local events are planned for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
https://www.facebook.com/events/646926805460197/
https://www.facebook.com/events/220073345054764/
Hosted by Milwaukee Teachers’ Education Association and Citizen Action of Wisconsin
5225 W Vliet, Milwaukee, 9:45 A.M.
In the 2017-2018 school year, Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) expects to receive approximately $5 million in federal Medicaid reimbursements. This money is used to provide vital services including physical therapy, speech therapy, school nurses, transportation, and more. The Republican’s healthcare repeal bill, if passed would make drastic cuts to Medicaid, while still requiring schools to provide the same services they do now. This would have a devastating effect on the MPS budget, and it’s our kids who will suffer because of it.
Join Citizen Action of Wisconsin, the MTEA, School Board Director Tony Baez, parents, and educators as we stand up for our children in opposition to the disastrous Trumpcare bill.
Hosted by Voces de la Frontera
Milwaukee City Hall, 200 E Wells Street, 5-8 P.M.
ESPAÑOL ABAJO
Mayor Barrett: Stop MPD from Acting like ICE!
Rally to stop the new Milwaukee Police Department policy that has officers help Immigration agents separate immigrant families
Rally at the Fire and Police Commission meeting
Thursday • July 13th • 5pm
City Hall • 200 E. Wells Street
Shuttles from 1027 S 5th St starting at 4pm
After the rally we will stay for the Fire and Police Commission hearing
CALL MAYOR BARRETT AT 414-286-2200 to tell him to stop the anti-immigrant MPD policy changes!
Call 414-643-1620 for more info.
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Alcalde Barrett: ¡No dejes que la policía actúe como ICE!
¡Alto a la nueva política del departamento de policía de milwaukee que ayudaría a Inmigración a separar familias inmigrantes!
Manifestación antes de la junta de la Comisión para los bomberos y policía
Jueves • 13 de Julio • 5pm
City Hall • 200 E Wells Street
Camiones van a llevar gente de Voces (1027 S 5th St) a City Hall empezando a las 4pm]
Después de la manifestación quedaremos para la junta de la comisión.
LLAME AL ALCALDE BARRETT AL 414-286-2200 para exigirle que detenga los cambios antiinmigrantes a las políticas de la policía de Milwaukee!
Para más información favor de llamarle al 414-643-1620
