DEMONSTRATE! TODAY, 5pm - Support the 'Jewish Boat to Gaza'!

URGENT - TODAY - 5pm - DEMONSTRATION
AT UK FOREIGN OFFICE, DOWNING STREET, LONDON

= JEWISH AID BOAT TO GAZA ILLEGALLY SNATCHED BY ISRAELI MILITARY =

Jewish Boat to Gaza - on a highly publicised humanitarian aid mission to the besieged and embattled people of Palestine in Gaza, and supported by many Jewish organisations and celebrities from around the world - has been boarded illegally in international waters by Israeli armed forces off the Gaza coast of Palestine.

Two British Citizens on board - the captain, Glyn Secker, and photojournalist Vish Vishvanath - have been siezed and their whereabouts and welfare are unknown. The Israeli military have stated that the boat, the Irene (a british flagged vessel) is being towed to the Israeli port of Ashdod. However, this has not been confirmed by the boats' supporters since all communication with the boat's passengers and crew has been cut by the Israeli military.

The British Foreign & Commonwealth office has been alerted to the plight of the two British citizens by UK supporters, and are now in liaison with Mr Secker and Mr Vishvanath's next of kin.

However, as yet, no official comment from the UK Government has been made. This despite the thorough and detailed news coverage in the UK and international media throughout the day, and the substantial knowledge of the current situation by UK diplomats. This latest act of piracy is a further grave insult to international law by the Israeli Government, and yet another instance of UK Citizens' rights being violated by that belligerent foreign power.

We call on the British Government to:

* ensure full consular access by UK diplomatic staff to the two British citizens currently being kidnapped by Israel.

* ensure the health, safety and well-being of the British citizens is made of paramount concern to their Israeli kidnappers.

* ensure none of the British citizens' possessions or personal effects of any kind are stolen by Israeli kidnappers, including ensuring that passports are left untampered with and identities are protected.

* uphold international law* actively defend the rights of its own UK citizenry to champion human and civil rights in accordance with international law wherever those rights are violated anywhere in the world

* enact its own policies of redress for previous violations and protection from current violations of humanitarian and civil rights for all Palestinians

* formally and actively hold the Israeli Government to account for its countless examples of blatant disregard and disrespect of international law.

The UK Government has long stated its humanitarian and civil rights commitments both to the Palestinians and its own British citizens.

Now is the time to act on those commitments to the full, and bring the Israeli Government to book. Enough is enough.

Further information:
Jewish Boat to Gaza - http://jewishboattogaza.org/
- Vish Vishvanath, Freelance photographer and reporter.
- Glyn Secker, from the UK, is the boat’s captain and a member of Jews for Justice for Palestinians Executive Commitee.
Jews for Justice for Palestinians - http://jfjfp.com/

WFPSC wishing the Jewish Boat to Gaza every success!

Everyone at WFPSC is excited and proud that Jews for Justice for Palestinians, the excellent UK-based civil and human rights organisation, in collaboration with a broad range of other Jewish groups from around the world, has launched the good ship Irene from Cyprus - on her peaceful mission of aid and solidarity to the Palestinians in Gaza. Click here to read Jewish Boat to Gaza's team updates and wish all the passengers, crew and its many supporters a safe and successful journey!

WFPSC - New Season Calendar

EVENTS - ON OUR WEBSITE

http://wfpsc.blogspot.com

On WFPSC website, find the list of regular WFPSC meetings (in right-hand column). WFPSC will keep this on-line calendar updated, so you will always know about meetings well in advance. Please take a moment to copy the current entries into your diaries! But remember to check back, regularly, for changes/additions/cancellations. Here is a sneak preview:

FUTURE BRANCH MTGS

(all at Hornbeam Centre, Walthamstow, 7-10pm)

Sat, 8 January 2011

Tues, 8 March 2011

Sun, 8 May 2011

Fri, 8 July 2011 - AGM

STALLS - VOLUNTEER AROUND WALTHAM FOREST

The biggest, most important contribution, you can make to WFPSC is to take a turn staffing WFPSC's information & merchandise stalls. If enough of you volunteer throughout the year, you'll only be needed once every six months, or fewer times than that!

WFPSC has come to learn that our stalls are VITAL in the borough - we have more enjoyment, hilarity, intense argument, persuasion, learning, bonding, selling, teaching, fundraising, political epihany-ing, community spirit building, cake and coffee consuming at our stall tables than at any other time or place. Our stalls are THE place for your friends and family to recognise your efforts, brimming with pride. They are extremely easy to run, and you'll be trained up. Please fill in your details below:

NAME:

POSTCODE:

MOBILE PHONE:

EMAIL ADDRESS:

(Delete as applicable:) YES, I HAVE CAR. | NO, SORRY, NO CAR.

Choose date(s) from the lists below, by typing "YES" next to them

CURRENT CAMPAIGN - UNIVERSAL JURISDICTION

We need to safeguard our right, as UK citizens, to arrest foreign war criminals when they visit the UK, and other important legal measures that enable us Brits to undertake the mammoth task of holding to account war criminals, human and civil rights abusers. Erosion of these vital rights must not be allowed to happen by any of our Governments, current or future, whichever political party happens to be in power at the time.

WFPSC's simple, local, task is to pin all our local Waltham Forest political representatives, at any level and of any hue, into a political corner and forbid them from allowing our rights to be removed. We need them to help us retain our legal rights to bring to account those who willfully perpetrate war and other crimes against Palestinians but who are not being held to account in their own countries.

In practice, this means letter writing - to all your relevant MP (one of Ian Duncan Smith, Stella Creasy or John Cryer); to any relevant prospective MP candidates from any political party (although we don't really know who they are now, so maybe we just write to your local party chairmen and women?); to all your local councillors; and to your London Assembly and EU Parliamentary member as well. To find out who these political folks are, discover them at:

http://www.writetothem.com/

For detailed info on what Universal Jurisdiction is about, take a look at:

http://bit.ly/cAZCBM - note the PDF briefing MPs

http://www.guardian.co.uk/law/2010/jul/27/universal-jurisdiction-law - Michael Mansfield's letter to the Guardian

Enjoy your letter writing!! Palestinians are relying on your every word. No pressure, then....

All the team look forwards to your deluge of volunteering replies!

Best wishes

Ellie Merton

Chair, WFPSC

Waltham Forest Palestine Solidarity Campaign

Patrons: Neil Gerrard, Jean Lambert MEP, Prof Nur Masalha

Facebook: 'Wfpsc London'

Email: wfpsc@yahoo.com | wfpsclondon@gmail.com

Web: http://wfpsc.blogspot.com

Post: WFPSC, PO Box 64002, Walthamstow, London E17 0HD

Waltham Forest PSC encourages you to Boycott Israeli Goods. Instead BUY PALESTINIAN fairtrade organic goods from our local Zaytoun distributor - lizzygentilcore@yahoo.co.uk

WFPSC and JBIG covered by Israeli Channel 10 news documentary

Click here to see the documentary, the visuals of which get going a few seconds after the sound!

WFPSC/JBIG feature at the beginning, focussing on our Leytonstone Tesco's direct action.