NOTHING TO CELEBRATE I:

COMMEMORATING THE DEIR YASSIN

MASSACRE OF APRIL 9, 1948

Sixty years ago, on April 9, 1948, over 100 men, women and children in the Jerusalem district village of Deir Yassin were murdered by the forces of the Irgun and Stern gangs. As Israel calls for its celebration of 60 years, we say, “There is Nothing to Celebrate.” Instead, Palestinians and Jews alike throughout the world are marking the 60th year of the Palestinian nakba (catastrophe).

Radio Intifada’s program this week marks the anniversary of the Deir Yassin massacre, both with a historical discussion of the events and a discussion of the Palestinian, Israeli and North American Jewish efforts to counter the predominant Israeli narrative and celebrations.

Guests:

Professor Naseer Aruri, noted author, Chancellor Professor (Emeritus) of political science, U of Massachusets, Dartmouth, chair of the board of Trans-Arab

Eitan Bronstein, Israeli founder of Zochcrot and organizer of “Nakbah in Hebrew” campaigns, including the ceremony at the village of Deir Yassin,

Omar Barghouti, independent Palestinian cultural and political analyst based in Jerusalem. He is a founding member of PACBI, the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel

Ari Lev Fornari, antizionist Jew currently living in San Francisco and member of No Time to Celebrate: Jews Remember the Nakba campaign

and Al Faris, Los Angeles-based actor, who will be reading from documents related to the Dayr Yasin massacre

Produced and hosted by Sherna Gluck of SWANA (South and West Asia and North Africa Collective) of KPFK

Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR) 10^th Anniversary Conference during the 60^th year of ethnic cleansing in Palestine

www.sphr.org

May 2-4, 2008 in Montréal, Canada

Call out to all persons working in Solidarity with the Palestinian people in North America. To all student, professional, and solidarity activists; please join us in our Annual Conference, May 2-5, 2008 in Montreal to confront the 60^th year of the Palestinian Nakbah.

SPHR this year will be 10 years old. We are calling on all student groups, professors and solidarity activists working for Palestinian Human Rights in North America to join us in Montreal for the weekend of May 2nd to 4th 2008, for more than just a debate. We are organizing for a genuine exchange between all members of our community so that we can better defend our common cause for justice in Palestine.

We are holding a series of roundtables, workshops, and direct action activities that run under three categories. Those categories are:

• Zionist Apartheid and the One State Solution.
• Indigenous Solidarity from Here to Palestine.
• Tools for Justice: BDS, Direct Actions, and Movement Building.

We will also be holding the General Assembly for SPHR members, including the elections of the 2008/09 SPHR Board of Directors and Executive team.

Registration details:

Conference Registration includes lunches, refreshments, free entree to evening public panels and for non students 1 year membership in SPHR-National.

Costs: $30/Students; $50 for non-students.

Location(s): May 2^nd “Opening Plenary” event will take place in McGill University. All other events/workshops will be held in Concordia University May 3^rd and 4^th.

Registration: email info@sphr.org or at the conference locations Starting May 2 @ 5pm.

Details: Evening events are open to the public with a minimum donation of $5.

“Expressions of Nakba” Entries

DEADLINE: Sunday, March 30, 2008 (Land Day)

The year 2008 marks the 60^th anniversary of the Nakba (“the catastrophe”): the expulsion and dispossession of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from their homes and land in 1948.

The US Campaign is soliciting entries for a commemoration of the Nakba through personal expressions in the form of visual arts, essays, poetry, music, video and digital media at: http://expressionsofnakba.org

“Expressions of Al-Nakba” is an international competition which seeks to present the extraordinary narrative of a dispossessed people through a diverse range of expressions that interpret the collective identity, historic struggle, and emotional experience of the Nakba for Palestinians.  The competition strives to highlight the ongoing effects of the Nakba on the contemporary life of Palestinian refugees along with a deeper exploration of the many emerging notions of being in “exile” today.

COMPETITION

The Competition accepts original entries pertaining to the themes of the Nakba in the following categories:

1. Written Work – Poetry and Short Essays (both no more than 1500 words)
2. Recorded Audio - Spoken Word and Music (less than 5 minutes)
3. Visual Arts – Illustration, Painting, Photography and Mixed-Media Work
4. Poster Design – Poster-quality Graphic Design for use in Public Awareness Campaign
5. Digital Media – Digital Video Shorts and Interactive Media (less than 10 minutes)

Entries from youth (age 18 or under) are encouraged for special recognition by the Competition. You may submit multiple entries in any category. There is no Entry Fee.

Deadlines and Awards

Submission Deadline: March 30^th, 2008 (commemorated as Land Day)

Sunday, March 30, 2-4 PM

Westwood Blvd at Weyburn Ave. in the heart of Westwood village.

Israel’s siege of Gaza continues. 1.5 million people are still being held at the brink of starvation.
A cease fire will stop the killing on all sides.

We will have signs that read:

• CEASE FIRE BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS
  
• END U.S. SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL SIEGE OF GAZA
• END U.S. SUPPORT FOR COLLECTIVE PUNISHMENT OF GAZA
• STARVING CHILDREN IS NOT A JEWISH VALUE
• STOP THE KILLING – GAZA CEASE FIRE NOW

Bring your own signs. No flags please. Our focus is humanitarian.

Information: info@LAJewsforPeace.org

www.LAJewsforPeace.org or call Jeff at 562-694-1637

What: Women in Black
When: 5 pm Thursday March 27th
Where: VKC 256
Why: To learn more about the politics surrounding the occupation of Palestine!

Free Papa Cristos will be served for dinner.

Women in Black Los Angeles
For more information, please contact 310-422-7242