-Mike Kay

The carnage rained down on Gaza has had a profound effect on the activism of Arabs within Israel. Around 1.5 million Arabs remain living within Israel’s pre-1967 borders. They constitute about 20% of the population, but are treated as second-class citizens. The past few weeks have seen large anti-war demos by Palestinians and some Jews. Not surprisingly, these acts of defiance have been met with clamp-downs by the Israeli state. As Karl Marx put it, “a nation that enslaves another forges its own chains.”

At least 100,000 in people demonstrated in the northern Arab town of Sakhnin and in Tel Aviv against the assault on Gaza on 3 January. According to organisers, Sakhnin was the largest protest held by the Palestinians in Israel in many years. During the first two weeks of “Operation Cast Lead”, 471 protesters were arrested in Israel, including 149 minors. Almost all of those detained were Arabs.

The Tel Aviv protest took place in the face of opposition from far-right Zionists and the police. Among other things, the police demanded that the organisers undertake to prevent the hoisting of Palestinian flags. The organisers petitioned the High Court of Justice, which decided that the Palestinian flag is legal and ordered the police to protect the demonstration from rioters. However, according to Israeli peace group Gush Shalom, the police disappeared towards the end of the march, allowing the far right to attack and disperse the protesters, preventing a planned rally from going ahead.

[Read more…]

Around 200 people protested outside the Rakon factory in Mt Wellington, Auckland today.

Rakon produces crystal oscillators for targeted bombs used by the Israeli air force in their attacks on Gaza. The Rakon parts are supplied to the US which provides the bombs directly to the Israeli military.

As police tried to push the crowd off the Rakon carpark demonstrators pelted the building with red paint bombs shouting “Rakon: blood, blood, blood on your hands”.  A fair bit of red splatter ended up all over the police.

(http://nz.youtube.com/watch?v=9p47L9INLAw)

Police seized a demonstrator on the top of the building who had painted Rakon kills.

The demonstration finished with the crowd giving three cheers to the painter-protester.

Rakon was clearly rattled by the demonstration – which got coverage in all the main media – and within a matter of hours they had painted over the paint bombs. But the word “kills” could still be seen through the whitewash.

PROTEST AGAINST RAKON HELP IN ISRAELI BOMBING OF GAZA – 3PM SAT JANUARY 17

Assemble Outside Sylvia Park Carpark Entrance 1, Mt Wellington Highway

Rakon Industries in Mt Wellington will be targeted in a protest this Saturday against the massacre of Palestinian civilians.

Rakon provides crystal oscillators for targeted bombs used by the Israeli air force in their attacks on Gaza. The Rakon parts are supplied to the US which provides the bombs directly to the Israeli military.

CHRISTCHURCH MARCH ON SATURDAY

Protest march against the Israeli bombing and invasion of Gaza. Saturday the 17th of January. 12pm. Meet at the Canterbury Museum on Rolleston Avenue. This has been organised by Justice for Palestine Christchurch and is a protest march against the Israeli bombing and invasion of Gaza. We will be marching in solidarity with the Palestinian people and their right for self determination. We will march from the museum to Cathedral Square where there will be speakers.

Please come and express your protest at the latest actions of the Israeli Government.

From more information contact: palestinesolidarity@katipo.net.nz or garage.collective@gmail.com or phone Dan 377 6290. If you would like to help organise this march then you are welcome to come to the next Justice for Palestine meeting which is this coming Tuesday night (the 13th) 6.30pm at the Quaker House ( 72 Creswell Avenue, off New Brighton Road). We will also be making banners for the Saturday march. Thanks, Dan. If you want further colour or black and white posters to distribute then contact: garage.collective@gmail.com 

DUNEDIN PROTEST SATURDAY

Peace and Justice for the Palestinian people of Gaza: The Dunedin Coalition against War is organising a Rally in the Octagon at 12 midday this Saturday, 17 January. Speakers will include members of churches, the International Socialist Organisation and the Muslim community.

There will be a Die-In, in which as many people as possible are asked to take part, to represent the 1000 Palestinians killed in the conflict. Please bring a piece of ‘bloody’ clothing or rags if possible. This will be followed by a Prayer Vigil. There will be an opportunity to make a donation to the Christian World Service Appeal for Gaza, and to sign a letter to the Prime Minister John Key and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Murray McCully.

WELLINGTON PROTEST TUESDAY

Stop the Massacre in Gaza! End the Occupation! Tuesday 20 January 2009 12:00 Midday. Meet Cuba Mall (near Bucket Fountain) March to Parliament. Make or bring a Key* (*The key is a symbol of Palestinian Dispossession from their homes and land. This dispossession continues in Gaza as Israel commits another massacre.)

Wellington Palestine Group, P.O.Box 642, Wellington, wpgnz@clear.net.nz 

http://wellingtonpalestinegroup.blogspot.com/ 

WHAKATANE MEDICAL AID FOR GAZA FUNDRAISING

Two fundraising film evenings: Wednesday Jan 21^st, Opotiki Theatre, Church St. Thursday Jan 22^nd, REAP House, Pyne St Whakatane. Times the same for both evenings: 6.00 pm – Occupation 101 – The current and historic root causes of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; 7.30 pm sandwich and refreshment break; 7.45 pm – The Iron Wall (45 mins) Israeli settlements and ‘the Wall’ inside the ocupied territory of the West Bank. Whakatane/Opotiki Peace Group contact Lynne 07 315 4646