April 30: Freedom of Speech and Press – with Across the Divide

Join us on April 30, 2024 as we partner with the Across the Divide podcast to discuss free speech and freedom of the press in relationship to Palestine. We will also engage in activism for Gaza.

Time: Tuesday, April 30 at 6:00 pm Palestine time (UTC+3). That’s…​

• ​Pacific (Seattle/Vancouver): 8 am
• Central (Chicago): 10 am
• Eastern (New York/Toronto): 11 am
• Atlantic: 12 pm
• Newfoundland: 12:30 pm
• Greenwich (London): 4 pm
• Central Europe (Paris/Stockholm): 5 pm
• South Africa: 5 pm
• Manila: 11 am
• Sydney: 2 am (+1 Day)
• Auckland: 4 am (+1 Day)

Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/94679502800 (You might need to do a quick registration. This link is the same, either way.) Remember, if you’d like to receive a reminder about the gathering an hour before it begins, please use the registration form at the bottom of the page.

Urgent Actions

Worldwide: Sign Christian Zionism Petition

The Temple Institute, by any measure an extremist organization, aided by extremist Christian Zionists in the United States, plans to sacrifice what they claim to be a “red heifer” in the coming days, on a plot of land overlooking the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem. This is part of their plan to bring about the building of the Third Temple. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/israel-war-hamas-red-heifers-from-texas-jerusalem-jewish-temple-al-aqsa/

World: Share Bisan video

During last week’s Kumi session, we watched a 10 minute short film produced by one of our Kumi partners, Bisan Center, which highlights the Israeli occupation’s targeting of hospitals, health facilities, and basic supplies in the Gaza Strip, for the purpose of using these vital health and humanitarian resources as weapons of war.

Please watch and share this short film as a powerful tool for education and advocacy. https://youtu.be/Vh5JHZ-ANok?si=CwgZ5Id01XmOULvn

Europe: Support Eurovision boycott

Palestinians have called for a boycott of this year’s Eurovision Song Contest because of the refusal of its organisers to expel genocidal and apartheid Israel from the competition. Participation in Eurovision provides Israel a platform to artwash its ongoing genocide.

Learn more, and use this template letter to send venues screening the contest to ask they host alternative events instead: https://docs.google.com/document/d/12pYZIYuDcCOUlWfx3IbuAl3uW_5Hl7BcZxdXKKm14mQ/edit?usp=sharing

U.S.: Oppose U.S. funding of Israel’s military

While many eyes are on Iran and the wider region, the devastations in Gaza continue, along with U.S. funding of Israel’s military operations. 

On Saturday the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill which, if passed by the Senate, will allocate some $17 billion in military supplies to Israel, along with $9 billion pledged for humanitarian support. The bill also continues the prohibition of U.S. funds to UNRWA. 

Please use this link to check how your representative voted on this bill, and then write to them either thanking them for voting no or urging them to stop funding Israel, customizing this template from USPCR. https://act.uscpr.org/a/stop-genocide

From the Presentation/Chat

Coming after the session