Gulf News reporter Abbas Al Lawati, traveling aboard the Gaza bound freedom flotilla, has ceased all correspondence since the Israeli forces stormed the boat. Colleagues and family are anxious to know his whereabouts.

Watch video here: http://video.gulfnews.com/services/player/bcpid4267205001?bctid=89132776001

Where could I cry out the despair and rage I felt for all this terrible fate we saw at such close quarters? Would the heavens hear? Will the world hear? They know that this is happening, after all. The numbers tick into the West every single afternoon, to the news agencies, to the intelligence services and to the diplomatic missions of the world’s most powerful nations, who do not even make an attempt to pull in the reins and control the wildness of the Israeli war machine."

[This is a sneak excerpt from Dr. Mads Gilbert & Dr. Erik Fosse' new book - "Eyes in Gaza" soon to be published in English.]  

 
Dr. Mads Gilbert, internationally acclaimed Doctor, Head of the Department of Emergency at the University of North Norway, Professor, and local politician embarks on a journey to describe his experiences last winter, during "Operation Cast Lead." During the Israeli Offensive against the people of Gaza, Dr. Mads Gilbert and Dr. Erik Fosse were the only two foreign doctors allowed into the region, spending days and nights at the busy and over-crowded Al-Shifaa Hospital in a region forbidden to the rest of the world. With a complete blockade on Gaza, including medical aid and media, Dr. Mads Gilbert became a common face, keeping the world informed of the atrocities taking place in the virtual prison known as Gaza. As such, he was seen on Al-Jazeera, BBC, CBS, ABC, CNN and more.

Dr. Mads Gilbert described his experience in Gaza as the most horrific, terrible thing he has ever witnessed. A long time activist and solidarity worker for the rights of Palestinians, he co-authored the book "Eyes in Gaza" with Dr. Erik Fosse on the realities of this offensive. And now, Dr. Gilbert has kindly taken the time to embark on an SPHR North American tour- on 14 different campuses- to continue sharing his experiences and the stories of Palestinians silenced. This tour is taking place approximately one year after 1300 Palestinians perished, with thousands more injured, and the stories and experience that Dr. Gilbert will share is like no other. As a leading medical expert and moving speaker, Dr. Mads Gilbert will share with us stories and experiences we are likely to never forget.

To donate money towards the tour or for any other information, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
For interviews with Dr. Mads Gilbert  or for more information about the tour please contact Nina Amrov, SPHR National Media Coordinator: (514) 817-0583

 Check us out on YOUTUBE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqGJytyz7w4

LISTEN TO A Preview of the Tour with his radio interview: http://soundclick.com/share?songid=8616041

TICKETS/Suggested Donation: $10 (Varies per venue, please check website for more details and individual events)

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

(Click Individual Events for Details!)

Monday January 18th : Ottawa (UofO)

Tuesday January 19th: Sudbury (Laurentian)

Wednesday January 20th: Toronto (Ryerson)

Thursday January 21st: Kingston (Queen’s)

Friday January 22nd: Hamilton (McMaster)

Saturday January 23rd: London (University of Western Ontario)

Monday January 25th: Waterloo University

Tuesday January 26th: Calgary (UofC)

Wednesday January 27th: Edmonton (UofA)

Thursday January 28th: Victoria, (UVIC)

Friday January 29th: Vancouver (UBC)

Monday February 1st: Chicago (Benedictine)

Tuesday February 2nd: Chicago (DePaul)

Wednesday February 3rd: New York (Columbia)

Thursday February 4th: New Jersey (Princeton)

Friday February 5th: Montreal (McGill)

Thank you for your support. 

PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR DETAILED INFORMATION AND UPDATES!

Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights is proud to announce a national tour with Ben White and his new book "Israeli Apartheid: A Beginner's Guide"! A young journalist from London UK, Ben White has proven his capabilties in this enlightening book, which has a foreward by John Dugard, and excellent reviews from Ali Abunimah, Ilan Pappe and the Archbishop Desmond Tutu!

Ben White will be speaking across Canada beginning in October of 2009, and here is the preliminary schedule:

 Limited Copies of the book will also be available for a discounted price of $18

Entrance Fee: $5-10/person

 For more info and reviews on Ben White's new book, visit http://israeliapartheidguide.com/

TO DOWNLOAD A FREE PREVIEW OF THE BOOK, THE FAQ SECTION, CLICK HERE! 

 Stay tuned for details on venues, times and contact information for each city!!!!

SPHR CONFERENCE CALL-OUT

Solidarity  for  Palestinian  Human  Rights (SPHR) is  proud  to  invite  you  to  its  11th annual conference scheduled for May 1-3, 2009. The conference will be held this year at the University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Ontario,  where the SPHR chapter Students for Palestinian Rights (SFPR) is currently active.
 
The Israeli massacres committed in Gaza at the beginning of 2009 came as a painful reminder of the realities of daily Palestinian life and the need for continued struggle in Palestine and abroad to  help  alleviate  the  suffering  of  innocent  civilians  and  to  bring  an  end  to  the  injustices committed  in  Palestine.  As  this  sad  reality  daunts  our memory, we  choose  to  dedicate  this conference  to  the people  of  Palestine  and  especially  the  people  of Gaza who  suffered much pain and heartache in the past few months. To Gaza, with love. 

An organization that planned to blow up Concordia University, and that the FBI, the U.S. State Department, and U.S. courts have branded a 'terrorist organization', has given advice to the Harper government that led Immigration Minister Jason Kenney to barring a British MP from Canada.

A Kenney spokesman said Kenney first heard about British MP George Galloway's visit from a Jewish Defense League (JDL) March 16 letter.

The Jewish Defense League, is categorized by the FBI as a "right-wing Jewish terrorist group", founded in 1968 by ultra Zionist Meir Kahane. Kanahe then founded the terrorist group Khach in Israel. JDL leader Meir Weinstein (no relation to the author) boasts of getting the Canadian government to ban Galloway.

Mr. Galloway, labeled a terrorist threat by the Conservative government, is freely touring the U.S. now. Galloway is scheduled to speak in four Canadian cities from March 30 to April 2 on "Resisting War from Gaza to Kandahar". He plans to speak against the Conservative government's war in Afghanistan and uncritical support for Israel, which is why his Canadian defenders - and even some opponents - feel he is banned from speaking here.

The JDL can now claim further success because Concordia University just forbade a planned Galloway live video feed into their auditorium, citing Canada's banning his entry into the country.
 
The JDL's well documented history of terrorism

It is impossible that the Harper government is unaware that the JDL's terrorism designation given how earnestly Canada and the US share such information, and how public information of some of their dozens of domestic terror acts is. (See here)

The US State Department designated the JDL's Israeli affiliates, Kach, founded by Kahane, and the Kahane Chai, named in honor of Kahane after his murder, as "foreign terrorist organizations" - a decision recently upheld by a US Appeals Court. The Israeli Cabinet declared them terrorist organizations in 1994.

Baruch Goldstein massacred 29 Palestinians praying in a mosque in Hebron. The Jewish Defense League's states, "We view Dr. Goldstein as a martyr in Judaism's protracted struggle against Arab terrorism. And we are not ashamed to say that Goldstein was a charter member of the Jewish Defense League". 

The JDL is still active with Hebron's Jewish settlers, most visibly remarkable for its hate graffiti such as: "Arabs to the Gas Chambers".  (See here)

 In a 1986 study of domestic terrorism, the US Department of Energy concluded: "For more than a decade, the Jewish Defense League (JDL) has been one of the most active terrorist groups in the United States. Since 1968, JDL operations have killed 7 persons and wounded at least 22."

Despite their terrorist designation, and the post 9-11 war on terror, JDL leaders, members and chapters still function unhindered by security agencies in North America. One can only attribute it to the similarity between the JDL's ideology and our governments' Middle East and Muslim policies.

In 2001, JDL leader, Canadian Irv Rubin and another member were convicted of planning a terror attack in California against an Arab American congressman and a mosque. Rubin was also accused of planning to bomb Concordia University. Both JDL members were murdered in prison, although authorities claim Rubin's slashed neck and two-story fall was a suicide.

Rubin's death appeared to be the end of the JDL in North America.
 
The JDL resurfaces in fertile Canada

Canadian Jewish critics of Israel have noted the Harper government's numerous unholy alliances to contain opponents of its Middle East and Afghanistan policies. Some believe that the little known Canada-Israel Security Agreement maybe behind the Galloway ban. Certainly, the Conservatives have provided a political terrain that is now fertile for the JDL to operate.

It is contemptible that the Conservative government for "national security reasons" bans outspoken anti-war critic and Palestinian supporter British MP George Galloway while allowing a known terrorist organization a free pass to operate in Canada and advise their policies.

Given that Concordia University's Security Department is run by a former RCMP officer, we should question their readiness to accept such a politicized chain of events leading to the University banning the Galloway video feed.

The recent past appears forgotten and forgiven for the JDL, which resurfaced in Toronto two years ago. Meir Weinstein answered the question by The Jewish Press if the JDL in Toronto adheres to the ideology of Meir Kahane?  "I will always be a loyal disciple of Rabbi Kahane. Our ideology is based on the Jewish Idea as taught by Rabbi Kahane."

Last year Canadian Jewish Congress (CJC) leader Bernie Farber's opinion on the JDL was "they have the right to exist" as long as they behave. The Canadian Jewish News on March 20, 2009 wrote the " CJC commends government for denying George Galloway entry to Canada".
 
The Jewish B'nai Brith and the JDL both targeted the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF) in 2007 to prevent them from debating a motion critical of Israel. The JDL is now going after the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) for similar reasons. Liberal aide Warren Kinsella appeared last week at a meeting organized by the JDL as a surprise guest.

In last week's interview on British Channel 4 TV with George Galloway, JDL leader Meir Weinstein threatened any Canadian who attended or supported Galloway's presentation would be "monitored" by the Canadian government. (Video here)

Perhaps the Conservative government is testing whether Canadians still care about their rights, or Canada's policies in Afghanistan and the Middle East. Canada sinks into infamy when its government labels its enemies terrorist, while coddling its allies who are real terrorists.
________________

Scott Weinstein is a member of Independent Jewish Voices Canada
He can be reached at : This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Dear members and Friends,

You're invited to our SPHR Montreal Coordinating meeting.

Here is our next meeting info.:

Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR) has launched its' first of a kind Facebook picture campaign!

We Call on all our members and those who are in support of justice to change their profile picture to the one displayed below, which reads "In Gaza, I would be a tarGet".

The aim of this campaign is to shed light on the ongoing Israeli war crimes its continuous human right violations againist the Palestinan helpless population in the Gaza Strip.

Here is a leaflet that Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid and Students Against Israeli Apartheid has been using.  We would like to make it available for other groups who are trying to provided leaflets to hand out at demos etc to base it on this one.

* Gaza leaflet
* Palestine House Press Kit

How Did You Get to School Today...?

Was the metro broken down this morning? Did road construction delay the bus? Well what if you had to consider preparing for the delay of crossing a military checkpoint on the way to class, how would that change your commute...?
 
Come and join us this Monday for a discussion with Danny Glenwright, human rights media specialist and the coordinator of the "Right to Education" campaign at Bethlehem University in Palestine as well as other special guest speakers.

{mosimage}28th February 2008
To: The public meeting organised by the SPHR and MMPJ

The Freedom of Expression Institute has been following with interest the events surrounding the banning of the use of the term “Israeli Apartheid” on the McMaster University campus. While such incidents no longer shock us, we are still not beyond being disgusted when they do occur.

That we live in dangerous times is confirmed by the manner in which a number of universities in the USA routinely violate academic freedom and freedom of expression on their campuses. It is concerning that this is becoming a trend in Canada as well.

{mosimage}25 February 2008

We, students at South Africa’s University of the Witwatersrand, consider the banning of the phrase “Israeli Apartheid” a tactic similar to one that the erstwhile apartheid regime of South Africa employed and current Apartheid Israel practices; devices that attempt to silence the voices of justice and truth through intimidation and coercion.

South Africans who were part of the liberation struggle unequivocally understand Israel to be an Apartied State – in fact, some have even gone further to regard apartheid Israel worse than apartheid South Africa.

McMaster Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights is compelled to respond to the recent statement by McMaster University President, Peter George, regarding the position of the British University and College Union on a boycott of Israeli academic institutions.

{mosimage}Only days before the opening events of the International Israeli Apartheid Week, the Concordia University administration has banned  Montreal organizers Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights Concordia (SPHR) from using the space which had been confirmed through the  University for over two weeks. The administration made no effort to consult SPHR, and now, almost 48 hours later, has given no adequate  explanation or provided an alternate venue. We are taking Concordia.s DeSeve Cinema as an alternate venue and demand answers to the questions  below.

1. What are the security concerns specific to the Samuel Bronfman building?

2. Why was the decision not made when we originally booked the room, but so close to the event as to put it in jeopardy?

3. Why has your reasoning for not letting us use the room changed in the last 48 hours?

4. Due to the insubstantial nature of the administrations objections, is there any reason to believe that this intervention was not motivated by external pressures?

5. If the Universities intentions are honest, why was SPHR not consulted?

• Click Here to listen to the lecture

In the Senate, March 27, 2003

Carleton University attempted hold back SPHR display on campus after a ban on a visual arts display organized by the Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights branch.

Later, followed by an SPHR victory; SPHR won over ban after a successful campaign for Canadian senate over support of group.

{mosimage}comment by Samer Elatrash

On September 9th 2002, Benjamin Netanyahu will be arriving in Montreal to give a speech at Concordia University. The Montreal Coalition for Peace urges all the citizens of Montreal to join us in a peaceful demonstration to send a message that Benjamin Netanyahu's opposition to the most basic human rights is not welcome.