Friday 21 December 2012

Veolia pulls out of NLWA contracts! We won!

Dear supporters

Tremendous news!  Veolia has announced it is withdrawing from the North London Waste Authority procurement process!
 

WFPSC team would like to acknowledge the huge campaign involving a vast number of groups and individuals that we drew off continually in our own local campaigning, only some of whom include No2VeoliaActionGroup, Jews for Justice for Palestinians, Pinkham Way Alliance, Barnet Green Party, Veolia London Action Group, UK Dump Veolia Information Group, the Global Dump Veolia Campaign, Boycott National Committee, Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Friends of the Earth, Human Rights Watch, Who Profits (Coalition of Women for Peace), the Civic Coalition for Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem and dozens of other organisations and groups.  Plus lots of local groups including Waltham Forest Council of Mosques with a large number of businesses in the borough, WF Unite, WF Unison, Waltham Forest Trades Council, members of We are Waltham Forest, Wanstead and Leyton Labour Party, WF Labour Group, WF Lib Dems, WF Green Party, plus many other groups and beautiful individuals - all of whom passed motions, signed and gathered in petitions and open letters, emailed, met and debated with Councillors, lobbied the NLWA relentlessly and kept going.

It is hugely inspiring that together everyone has achieved this enormously important success.  This is a win for more than just the constituents of 7 north London boroughs holding their municipalities to account over the two 30-year, £4.7 billion totalling contracts, safeguarding their hard-earned taxes and stopping a likely series of ecological disasters.  This is a win for all fighting peacefully to free Palestinians from oppression, and to make the world a more responsible, financially fair and ecologically sustainable place.

TONIGHT, FRIDAY,  campaigners are heading into central London to celebrate at a pub in Holborn from 6pm - that big pub on the left as you come out of Holborn tube station, down Kingsway!

TOMORROW, SATURDAY,
we will hold the WFPSC stall from 11am in Walthamstow Town Square - please pop by to CELEBRATE and spread the news of this fantastic success - and help out at our last stall of 2012!

NEXT WEEK, THURSDAY 27 Dec 1-3pm - a national protest for GAZA outside the Israeli Embassy on Kensington High Street, London W8 5EB to mark the anniversary of Operation Cast Lead - the horrific bombardment of the Palestinian people in Gaza in 2008/2009.

AND IN THE NEW YEAR WFPSC IS CANCELLING OUR 'DUMP VEOLIA' PUBLIC MEETING!  We are reverting to our New Year 2013 WFPSC Branch Meeting open to everyone at 7.30pm, on Mon 14th Jan 2013, at Hornbeam Centre, Walthamstow, to organise Gaza support and other activities instead.

It is so encouraging that peaceful, non-violence campaigning is having a strong impact, pulling apart the international mechanisms propping up Israel's unjustifiable, unsustainable, illegal occupation of Palestine.


Free Palestine!  And very best wishes for a Very Happy Christmas and Seasons Greetings to All!

WFPSC Team

Waltham Forest Palestine Solidarity Campaign
Patrons:  Neil Gerrard, Jean Lambert MEP, Prof Nur Masalha
Facebook:  www.facebook.com/walthamforestpsc
Twitter:  @wfpsclondon
Web:  http://wfpsc.blogspot.com
Post:  WFPSC c/o Hornbeam Centre, 458 Hoe St, Walthamstow, E17 9AH
Email:  wfpsc@yahoo.com

_____________________________________________________

Palestine Solidarity Campaign has issued this statement:


Veolia pulls out of bidding for multi-Billion pound contract in North London

Today (21 December) the North London Waste Authority announced that Veolia Environmental Services ‘ will not be submitting final tenders for either NLWA’s waste services or fuel use contracts’.  http://www.nlwa.gov.uk/news/2012/2012/12/21/announcement-on-nlwa-procurement

Sarah Colborne, Director of Palestine Solidarity Campaign, said:
‘Veolia’s bid for this waste contract which covers a vast area of North London was deeply controversial, with local residents outraged that such a toxic company could potentially provide services to them. Veolia is complicit in Israeli violations of international law in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Veolia operates bus services to illegal Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian land, is involved with the Jerusalem Light Railway which was designed to serve the needs of Israeli settlers, and Tovlan landfill which operates in the Jordan Valley.

This decision comes after a recent report by Professor Richard Falk – the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories – in which Veolia was singled out for its activities in the Occupied Palestianin Territories and after Palestine Solidarity Campaign members in the area have been actively campaigning against Veolia’s bid.

‘Desperate measures were used in an attempt to silence those who were standing up for justice and human rights, and opposing violations of international law. A Hackney council resident, Caroline Day, who wanted to put the case that the North London Waste Authority should not work with Veolia, was prevented from speaking at a full meeting of Hackney Council in November 2012. Local media reported that an organisation called UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) were involved in drafting the motion to prevent Ms Day from speaking.’

‘But even these desperate measures don’t stop the truth from coming out about Veolia’s toxic activities.’

It seems that Veolia's complicity with occupation is causing it to be shunned across the world. In the USA, the St Louis City Board (Missouri) this week declined to approve a city contract with Veolia Water, putting off a vote on the matter until there can be a full investigation into the company's involvement in ethnic discrimination in Palestine. The decision comes after campaigning by St Louis Palestine Solidarity Committee and St. Louis Jewish Voice for Peace. http://www.stl-psc.org/?p=385

Ends

Notes for the editor


Veolia loosing contracts:
http://www.dumpveolia.org.uk/2012/11/16/veolia-campaign-victories/

NLWA announcement: http://www.nlwa.gov.uk/news/2012/2012/12/21/announcement-on-nlwa-procurement

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, Richard Falk: http://www.bdsmovement.net/2012/boycott-businesses-that-profit-from-israeli-settlements-un-special-rapporteur-9893

More on Veolia: http://www.bigcampaign.org/veolia/

Saturday 17 November 2012

EMERGENCY DEMO - TODAY

EVERYBODY IN LONDON - time to get yourselves together. PROTEST at 2pm this afternoon, Saturday 17 November 2012, outside ISRAELI EMBASSY at 2 Palace Green London W8 4QB, on Kensington High Street.  Although it is near High Street Ken tube, note the District & Circle lines are down. So, to get there, go to Notting Hill Gate tube, and walk (no marching, mind) down Church Street to get to the demo.   See you there.  

Friday 5 October 2012

WALTHAM FOREST PALESTINE SOLIDARITY CAMPAIGN - For latest news, join PSC - http://bit.ly/ieoJf8
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Nearly the second Monday of the month again!  Join us next week for:

Mon, 08 October 2012
7.30pm-9.30pm
WFPSC Branch Meeting
Hornbeam Centre, 458 Hoe Street, E17 9AH


Agenda

1. Apologies

2. Feedback on actions from last meeting

3. 'No to Veolia!' - further updates on this vital local issue, planning the next steps and local campaign activities

Due to this campaign's importance in this borough, a number of visitors may attend this branch meeting from national PSC Exec, Friends of the Earth, PInkham Way Alliance, NO2VAG, Council of Mosques, WF Councillors and others.  Please come along too, to help out with this cross-community campaign to dump Veolia.

4. Updates on other local and national issues

PSC Branch Forum (13 Oct, for PSC paid-up members only); We Are Waltham Forest protest against the EDL (27 Oct); Palestine Lobby of Parliament and protest against Bathsheva (end of Nov); WFPSC churches event (Christmas).

5. AOB

Monday 18 June 2012


Please note - meeting on 18 June has been postponed.

Sat 23 June @ 12pm noon
Please take action on Saturday against Veolia
Walthamstow Town Square, gathering initially under big TV Screen

Alongside our colleagues from London BDS, please join us to gather urgent petition signatures for the anti-Veolia campaign.  Stop criminally-liable international conglomerate Veolia, a financially-discredited company thoroughly complicit in Israeli Occupation malpractice and countless human rights violations against Palestinians, from spending your hard-earned taxes on questionable processes turning our homes' recycling into fuel.  Kick international criminality out of Waltham Forest: don't let Veolia get our taxes.  See our "Say No to Veolia!" page on this site for the legal and moral submission sent to North London Waste Authority in preparation for their Board meeting happening at the end of this week on Friday 22 June.  If you get a chance, join the protest outside that meeting at Camden Town Hall, Judd Street, just opposite the British Library near Kings Cross, from 9am on Fri 22 June.

Mon 16 July @ 7.30pm
Rescheduled - WFPSC AGM
Hornbeam Centre, 458 Hoe Street, E17 9AH
- Reports on WFPSC activity over the last year
- Elections for officer roles
- Social gathering, a chance to catch up

Other vital campaigns
Please also check the PSC website (http://www.palestinecampaign.org) for all the latest campaigns that need your urgent support, including petitions and ways to lobby your MP on Hunger-Strikers including renowned footballer Sarsak, Child Prisoners and much more.  Your support and simple contribution of time and thought to help Palestinians at this particular juncture is vital.  Please also note WFPSC is supporting an important Waltham Forest community campaign to remove racism, anti-semitism and fascism from our borough, "We Are Waltham Forest", and would urge you to participate as well.

Many thanks

WFPSC team

Waltham Forest Palestine Solidarity Campaign
Patrons: Neil Gerrard, Jean Lambert MEP, Prof Nur Masalha
Facebook: www.facebook.com/walthamforestpsc
Twitter: @wfpsclondon
Web: http://wfpsc.blogspot.com
Post: WFPSC c/o Hornbeam Centre, 458 Hoe St, Walthamstow, E17 9AH
Email: wfpsc@yahoo.com

Saturday 25 February 2012


London events: update 
Solidarity with Khader Adnan & Palestinian prisoners
Special emergency meeting to hear from Adameer prisoner rights organisation
this Monday, 27th February 2012 - 6.30pm - 8pm   ULU Malet Street, London, Room 3E  
Khader Adnan  
Murad Jadallah from Adameer, Palestinian prisoner human rights group, is coming to the UK. 

Adameer has been leading on the campaign to free Khader Adnan. They work on issues of Palestinian prisoner rights. They campaign to end imprisonment without charge or trial. Currently there are at least there were at least 309 administrative detainees in Israeli prisons. This number included 24 members of the Palestinian Legislative Council. 

Murad is also a member of the Herak Shebabi, the emerging independent Palestinian youth movementhttp://stopthewall.org/youth
This meeting is organised jointly by PSC and Israel Apartheid Week UK 
Chair
Hugh Lanning, Chair, Palestine Soldarity Campaign
Speakers
Murad Jadallah, Adameer, Prisoner Rights and Human Rights Association 
Kiri Tunks, Action for Palestinian Children and Palestine Solidarity Campaign 
Rafeef Zadiah, Secretariat Member of the the Palestinian BDS National Committee 

 
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Beats Against Apartheid 
Israeli Apartheid Week 2012
Social Event – Friday 24 Feb at SOAS, 
London
8pm - late  
A night of music, dance, food and poetry.  Featuring Lowkey and hip hop artists: Awate, Sekina, Nkez, Melissa Melodee, and spoken word: Rafeef Ziadah and Jody McIntyre, Sanasino, singer Emily Churchill, Soufian - Oud virtuoso and much more…
 
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Thursday 12 January 2012

WFPSC Branch Meeting - Mon 16 Jan, 7.30pm at Hornbeam


WFPSC Branch Meeting
Monday 16 January, at 7.30pm
Hornbeam Centre, 458 Hoe Street, Walthamstow, E17 9AH

Two special presentations followed by open floor discussions on:

1) "West Bank Update" - with Rada Daniell

Rada has just returned from three months in the West Bank with International Women's Peace Service, supporting Palestinians under occupation.  WFPSC is delighted to get an exclusive look at her short presentation on her recent findings and open a discussion on the dreadful situation for occupied Palestinians in the West Bank at present.  In December, during a memorial protest to Mustafa Tammimi (murdered by the Israeli military) Rada, along with several Palestinians and other international demonstrators, were arrested.  Alarming pictures of her violent removal into military custody were distributed around the world.

2) "A debate about Zionism" - with Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi

Naomi will lead a discussion on this issue, preceding a national debate on the subject at PSC AGM on 21 Jan (see Motion 9, submitted by various PSC individual members, below).  

PSC AGM Motion 9 - BUILDING AN ANTI-RACIST, ANTI-COLONIALIST, PALESTINE SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT - ANTISEMITISM AND HOLOCAUST DENIAL
 
One of the most potent weapons of Zionism is the accusation that those who support the Palestinians and oppose Israel’s settler-colonial practices are antisemites who want to see a new Holocaust against Jews.
 
The Zionist movement deliberately blurs the distinction between the ‘Jewish state’ and Jewish people, in order to discredit Israel's critics and cause confusion among the growing number of people whose humanitarian and anti-racist instincts make them eager to support the Palestinian cause.
 
Both racism and antisemitism are features of Zionism. Virtually all far-right and neo-Nazi parties today in Europe are Islamophobic and support Zionism (while often remaining antisemitic).
 
The Palestine solidarity movement, by its very nature, is anti-racist. To allow antisemitism or any other form of racism to gain a foothold would be to undermine the very cause that we support.
 
PSC AGM therefore:

1. Welcomes the statement on the PSC website explicitly asserting its commitment to building a mass solidarity movement, in which expressions of racism or intolerance, or attempts to deny or minimise the Holocaust, have no place.
 
2. Confirms that support for the Palestinians and opposition to Israel's policies is an anti-racist campaign
 
3. Calls on the EC to reinforce these principles by:
a) organising a series of forums to build understanding of Israel as a settler-colonial, apartheid state.
b) publishing educational material to develop understanding of:  
         Israel’s status as a client state of US imperialism; 
         - aspects of Zionist history, including the non-Jewish origins and Jewish opposition to Zionism, and Zionism's collusion with antisemitism
         - the growing alignment between the Israeli state and openly racist and fascist groups in Europe, including the English Defence League (EDL) and the British National Party (BNP)."