Bristol Computers 4 Palestine Project. - Mailing list archive.


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January 2008
Computers4Palestine Mailing 16

1) Letter-writing for Gaza and Marda

By the time you receive this mailing many people may already be involved in protests up and down the UK in response to the horrendous pressure being applied to the civilian population of Gaza. Find out more of what's happening by visiting the EVENTS and END THE SEIGE ON GAZA buttons on www.palestinecampaign.org

Because our British government gives tacit support to Israel's actions, please contact your MP. You'll find a pro-forma letter attached to this email. Simply print it out and add your details. Or feel free to adapt as you think best.

MPs seem to respond to paper-based letters better than emails or on-line petitions. On the other hand because of the multiplicity of our MEPs, email seems to work best for them. Contact them via www.writetothem.com You can copy and paste from the same letter.

While the spotlight has been on Gaza, let's not assume the West Bank has been quiet. The number of checkpoints has risen, meanwhile army raids, abductions, land-theft, Wall-building, and killings continue unabated. One of the olive harvesters contacted Marda by phone recently and this was the situation last week:-

“Yesterday the army closed the main gate to the village and put barbed wire on the entrance at the other side (near the earth mound). They were in the village in the middle of the afternoon, chasing children and shouting at people to close their shops and for all to go home. They were also using sound bombs.”

You'll remember this time last year IWPS documented a spate of attacks on Marda during February & Match 2007, some shocking violent. We don't have to feel powerless. There are examples where letter-writing from this country has helped the situation in Palestine. So also attached you'll find a pro-forma letter about Marda. You can enclose it in the same envelope a the one on Gaza to your MP.

Please do it now to help Palestine.

You can download the email attachments here:
Letter to MPs re Marda (plain text) JAN2008.doc
Letter to MPs re Gaza (plain text) JAN2008.doc


2) More information on Palestine

Janie Roberts, one of the visitors to Palestine for the olive harvest this autumn, has been busy pulling together a huge amount of information onto a website at http://israel-palestine.janineroberts.com You'll find a complete set of photo albums, the interesting history on Marda, a unique collection of photographs taken INSIDE the settlement of Ariel, links to many other useful sites, and much more. For the background to the tyre-slashing incident during the settlers land-grab, watching the setter's own videos of themselves on YouTube gives an interesting insight into their methods and motives. Well done!


3) Nakba-60

2008 is Nakba-60 year, the anniversary of the ethnic-cleansing of Palestine in 1948. Read more at www.palestinecampaign.org/?sel=81 In Bristol we're fortunate to have a wide range of groups already concerned with Palestine, plus of course the large number of recently returned olive harvesters. Together we're keeping track of a whole program of meetings and other events in the local area for 2008. These will build up to a one-day conference on Saturday 26th April, drawing all the local groups together with stalls and workshops, and with Ilan Pappe as the Keynote speaker.

To be added to the special Bristol Nakba-60 email list reply to this email or contact BristolNakba60@yahoo.com


4) Join a campaign group

Many people may already be in a campaigning, faith or similar group. However for those of you that aren’t, we recommend the PALESTINE SOLIDARITY CAMPAIGN as a broad campaigning and information group. You can join at a national level and receive their excellent quarterly magazine and their website serves as an indispensable information source, see www.palestinecampaign.org. They also have a network of local branches in most areas and cities for you to get actively involved.


5) Thank you

Thank you to all the people who supported the Christmas cards fund-raising for the Marda Permaculture Project. An exciting development is that the Permaculture Association of Britain can process donations to the project, and can even increase it's value with the Gift-Aid scheme. One of the Olive Harvesters has produced a two page leaflet explaining more about the project and how more people can help. This a well illustrated leaflet is available in electronic form. Plus the excellent dvd is still available, free through the post, to anyone seriously interested in this project. If you can use the leaflet or the dvd for spreading information or fund-raising reply to this email.



6) Plaudits continue for Palestine film

The film of last years Zaytoun Olive Harvest trip, RETURN TO PALESTINE won praise in the magazine THIS WEEK IN PALESTINE in a review by renowned writer Sam Bahour. Read the full review at:- http://www.thisweekinpalestine.com/details.php?id=2341&ed=148&edid=148

This review is also available on the online publication www.palestinechronicle.com/story-12070732241.htm

Since then it has also been reviewed by the UK by Socialist Worker see http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=13790

Reviews are also hopefully in the pipeline of the Morning Star and the Palestine News.

The Islam TV channel, who broadcast the first film, have just asked to see a copy.

You can view the trailer and order copies from www.BristolComputers4Palestine.co.uk. As a special discount you can buy both the 2005 film “ OUR SUFFERINGS IN THIS LAND” and “RETURN TO PALESTINE” for a combined price of only £15 (including P+P world-wide). The new PayPal facility on the website makes payment easier, from anywhere in the world.

Sometime later in 2008, Insha’Allah, there will be a new film. The working title is currently “BRISTOL GOES TO PALESTINE” and hopefully will be narrated by various of the harvesters. The aim is for people to see honest eye-witness account of what is happening in Palestine, to encourage more people to visit and to campaign to halt the injustice. If you know of special events, meetings, film-festivals, etc anywhere in the world that this film may be suitable for, get in touch.

This feedback has just been received:-

"I've just watched your terrific film - many congratulations. You managed to cover so many angles, and the low-key, personal approach really involves the viewer. I was very moved without feeling manipulated - I can see how it is a great campaigning tool. Thanks again."

7) Removal facility

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ENDS

December 2007
Computers4Palestine Mailing 15

This email includes thumbnail pictures, but if your computer has restrictive filtering they may appear as empty squares. If so, you can view the complete mailing under the "Mailing Archive" button on the website at www.BristolComputers4Palestine.co.uk

1) Biggest Zaytoun Olive Harvest Trip ever!

In October, it was a privilege to be part of a group of ten people from the Bristol & Bath area who joined the activists from elsewhere in the UK for the Zaytoun Olive Harvest trip. The largest Harvest trip so far.

The Bristol group was spread across two locations and here is a very brief summary:-

MARDA: It was wonderful to see old friends in this town, but as in all of Palestine the problems are getting worse every year. Farmers were again denied access to the olive trees cut off beyond the new Wall/fence around the settlement Ariel, and as a new tactic soldiers now patrol outside the fence and bully the farmers. A week prior to our arrival the town had been subjected to curfew when the army had occupied a rooftop for 24 hours using live ammunition, tear-gas, sound-grenades. We saw damage to windows & water tanks and heard of trauma to the children. On the positive side some activists stayed on to help on the Permaculture Farm which now has new poly-tunnels and aims to run a design course in the spring.

Kufr Quddum: A few miles north of Marda this town is suffering from a fast developing settlement bloc nearby. Electricity had been severed leaving the town on an intermittent generator supply. The main road to Nablus has been permanently blocked and the only other road was blocked occasionally with earth mounds by the army. Along the route of the proposed Wall/fence farmers were being issued with restricted harvesting permits, and these were being revoked day by day by army patrols on the access routes. There were also shocking stories of random killings by settlers or under-cover military.

Roaming Group: three of us formed a roaming “media” group. Using a hire-car with Israeli plates we could move more freely and even enter the settlements themselves! We can refute any accusation that the “problems” are in just a few isolated areas. Where-ever we went the evidence of injustice and slow-ethnic-cleanings was more than obvious. You can view a complete library of pics at http://picasaweb.google.com/janineofleonid/OlivePickingFriendsOnWestBank and
http://picasaweb.google.com/janineofleonid/WestBankMilitaryIncidentsTheWallAndCheckpoints.

Despite the appalling experiences (was it having to lift our shirts at gun-point at a checkpoint or our tyres being slashed by settler youths) everyone was touched by the genuine and warm-hearted welcome from the Palestinians. The Harvesters have returned “changed” by their experiences. A typical remark was “my eyes had been opened so far, they hurt!” If anyone reading this is curious, find out more about the Zaytoun Olive Harvest trips at www.Zaytoun.org

Thank you to people who supported the Peace Fund that helped two low-income individuals. Thank you to people who contributed to the Dabka Dance group - the money was delivered and will be used for costumes for the group to perform at events. Thanks for donations of laptop computers, from both Bristol and Sheffield. Five were carried by activists during the trip and donated to organisers for community projects or families where they will assist young people’s education. Three more are awaiting couriers, so if you’re going to Palestine in the near future get in touch.

3) Palestine film receives plaudits from Palestine

The film of last years Zaytoun Olive Harvest trip, RETURN TO PALESTINE has won praise in the magazine THIS WEEK IN PALESTINE in a review by renowned writer Sam Bahour. Read the full review at:- http://www.thisweekinpalestine.com/details.php?id=2341&ed=148&edid=148

The film has continued to be seen far and wide. While we were picking olives in Palestine, the Zaytoun group in Canada showed the film at a meeting in Toronto. In the UK it has been used by the Reading PSC group, the Palestine Twinning Conference in London, and just recently in mid-Wales.

View the trailer, and order copies from www.BristolComputers4Palestine.co.uk. As a special discount you can buy both the 2005 film “Our sufferings in this land” and “Return to Palestine” for a combined price of only £15 (including P+P world-wide). The new PayPal facility on the website makes payment easier, from anywhere in the world.

The aim is for as many people as possible see an honest eye-witness account of the injustice happening in Palestine and to encourage campaigning to halt it. If you know of special events, film-festivals, etc anywhere in the world that this film may be suitable for, get in touch.

4) Plans for 2008

The large response from Bristol seems to prove the old saying “Think globally - act locally”. With help from other local groups and organisations the plan is to run a regular series of public meetings during the first half of 2008. The aim is for more people to see the films and to hear report-backs from the local Harvesters. Plus, to network the large number of groups in Bristol already involved with Palestine work.

We hope this will culminate in a day-conference to mark NAKBA DAY in May. As the program develops it will be listed on the Bristol-Palestine-Solidarity-Campaign website at the slightly long-winded web address of http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/Bristol_PSC/ If you live in the Bristol consider joining this email groups to be kept in touch with events. You will also automatically receive the excellent Shadi Fadda news reports from Palestine.

Sometime later in 2008, Insha’Allah, there will be a new film. The working title is currently “BRISTOL GOES TO PALESTINE” and will hopefully be narrated by various of the harvesters.

5) Shipping desktop Computers

It is unfortunate this part of the project has been progressing only slowly and at the moment we are not accepting donations of desktop computers. We hope this will be only a temporary setback. However we will be watching the situation closely to learn from the experience and to maximise our chance of success. However, as you’ve read earlier, donations of laptop computers are extremely useful.

6) Miscellaneous wants

The Permaculture project in Marda has a laptop but the mains-power-supply has broken. Does anyone here in the UK have a replacement? It’s a COMPAC 240V 50Hz 18.5 Volt 2.78 Amp version terminating in a long narrow cylindrical plug. If you have one in your bottom drawer, get in touch.

7) Don’t Buy Israeli “Peace Oil”

Media report:-

Peace Oil, an olive oil made in Israel by Jews and Arabs, would seem an ideal Christmas gift for those wishing to take a stand against consumerism. Despite its laudable intentions, however, Cat has come under fire from those who claim it is undermining products made by Palestinians and brought into Britain by cooperatives such as Zaytoun.

Full story at:- http://www.zaytoun.org/ . http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,2223924,00.html

8) Join a campaign group

Many people may already be in a campaigning, faith or similar group. However for those that aren’t, we recommend the PALESTINE SOLIDARITY CAMPAIGN as a broad campaigning and information group. You can join at a national level and receive their excellent quarterly magazine and their website serves as an indispensable information source, see www.palestinecampaign.org/. They also have a network of local branches in most areas and cities for you to get actively involved.

9) Palestine projects you can help now at Christmas & the New Year

MARDA PERMACULTURE FARM - Christmas cards

This farm aims to improve the quality of life in the region by demonstrating and teaching practical permaculture techniques. This will enable people to produce their own food and energy and innovatively manage waste and water. The cards are £2 each, all of which goes to the project. The cards have a lovely design and a description of the farm project. (Where appropriate you can also do gift-aid). Contact the Permaculture Association Britain (BCM Permaculture Association, London, WC1N 3XX)

EMBROIDERY BEHIND THE WALL

Fair-traded high quality products, hand-made by BajeS Women’s Cooperative in Aizariye, an East. Jerusalem suburb cut off behind the Separation Wall. This project generates income and empowers women living in poverty. The designs combine ancient patterns and techniques with modern designs and finish. The range includes bags, purses, shawls, cushions and many more designs. Goods can be posted. FFI and pics of the product range contact Suzana Zorko suzanai2001@yahoo.com

WI’AM CENTRE FOR PEACE & CONFLICT RESOLUTION
Corina writes:- Having taken part in the Zaytoun Olive Harvest this October, I am now volunteering at the 'Wi'am' Centre in Bethlehem. This centre works to promote peaceful and just relations at all levels of society, from the domestic, social, and economic, through to the political issues that influence life here so starkly. The centre is aiming to create a youth computer project and appealing for funding. More information about the work and goals of Wi'am can be found at http://gbgm-umc.org/NWO/99ja/wiam.html Cheques can be posted (payable to the Wi’am Centre) to: : Wi'am Center, P.O. Box 1039, Bethlehem, West Bank, Dr.Gemnier St. (SOS) Al Karkafeh Build. Number 231 Tel & Fax: +972(0)2-2770513 /+972(0)2-2777333.

10) Palestine and the Palestinians - special book offer

Fed up with high-street travel books that give only the Zionist version of history. Then you'll want to see this excellent book, produced by the Alternative Tourism Group in Bethlehem this is probably the only popular tourist guide book written from the Palestinians perspective. Just a few copies of the first edition of this excellent guide book available at a discount price of £10 including P+P. Email EdwardHill1@yahoo.co.uk

11) Removal facility
If you no longer wish to receive these mailing, or if you accidentally get more than one, please let us know.

ENDS

October 2007
Computers4Palestine Mailing 14

This email has been sent with thumbnail pictures. But if your system has restrictive filtering they may appear as only empty squares. You can view the complete mailing under the "Mailing Archive" button on the website at www.BristolComputers4Palestine.co.uk

1) Special Appeal for As Sawiya Dabka Dance Group

You will remember this marvellous group performing in the 2005 film. But, when you see the latest film you will know the bad news. Due to the financial disaster caused by the sanctions, the Youth Club and the Dabka Dance group have had to close.
This is the only youth activity in this town. Visitors will know Dabka dancing is the life-blood of Palestinian culture and identity. Organisers in the town have launched a special appeal to relaunch the group. They need £500 to reopen the premises and re-equip with costumes and to pay for transport costs etc. If you can help with this, please send cheques (payable to Bristol Computers 4 Palestine but marked ASDDG on the back) to Box 110, 82 Colston Street, BRISTOL BS1 5BB. Or use the PayPal facility on the website and send an email to let us know of your donation.

2) The Latest film

The film/dvd RETURN TO PALESTINE (filmed during the olive harvest 2006) has now been shown at festivals and in Bristol. Feedback has been excellent. It has undergone some further editing and is now also available as a one-hour abridged version. This is more suitable for new-comers to the subject of Palestine, and for public meetings, etc. You can view the trailer on the website at www.BristolComputers4Palestine.co.uk. Further information and stills are available under the 'Gallery' button on the website. Please order now, price only £10 including p+p. There is also a special deal for campaign groups. Plus, as a special discount you can buy both the abridged one-hour version and the full length version for a combined price of only £15. The PayPal facility on the website makes payment easier, from anywhere in the world. The aim is for as many people as possible see a realistic eye-witness account of the injustice happening in Palestine, and to encourage campaigning to halt it. If you know of special events, film-festivals, etc that this film may be suitable for, please contact via the website.

3) Olive Harvest Tour autumn 2007

People in the Bristol area who have seen the film of the previous olive harvest have been keen to join the Zaytoun Olive Harvest Tour this autumn. The group, the largest so far, will be departing shortly. If you feel you may be missing out on a life-changing experience you can start planning now for next years harvest trip. Contact www.zaytoun.org



4) Funding Appeal

Visiting Palestine for the olive harvest takes significant time and money. There seems an inevitable rule of life, that there are people with the money but without the time to consider such a trip. And conversely there are people with the time, but without enough money! To solve this issue for previous groups visiting Palestine, Monica (Margaret Jones) set up "Peace Fund" here in Bristol complete with a bank account and steering group.
Thank you to the many people who have generously contributed to this appeal. However we're still short of our target of raising a thousand pounds to contribute towards air-fares for low-income members of the group.
If you can support this appeal, please post cheques (payable to THE PEACE FUND) to:- APPEAL FOR THE OLIVE HARVEST OCTOBER 2007, FLAT 4, BURLINGTON COURT, BURLINGTON ROAD, BRISTOL BS6 6TN.
If you would like to know more details of the appeal, or if you need a speaker to a meeting, reply to this email.

5) Laptops, memory sticks, etc.

Laptops are the easiest to transport and will make a real difference to an individual for their work or studies. A big THANK YOU to the people who have donated laptops (plus other portable IT equipment). These have now been cleaned of personal data, new software installed, and will be departing in peoples luggage shortly. We can accept other portable equipment such as digital cameras, memory sticks, etc. Post them, asap, to BC4P Box 110, 82 Colston Street, BRISTOL BS1 5BB.
TECHNICAL QUESTION - we have just discovered that only Windows XP will accept downloads of the Arabic language set. If anyone can tell us how to install Arabic in older operating systems such as Windows 98 please let us know urgently.

6) Shipping desktop Computers

It is unfortunate this part of the project has been progressing only slowly. We are aiming to meet up with the shipping agent in Palestine during the harvest trip. Meanwhile, a shipment of books from another charity group has been recently been seized by the Israelis. We hope this will be only a temporary setback and will be watching the situation closely to learn from their experience and to maximise our chance of success.

7) Removal facility

If you no longer wish to receive these mailing, or if you accidentally get more than one, let us know.

ENDS

August 2007
Computers4Palestine Mailing 13

This email has been sent with five thumbnail pictures. However you may see them as only empty squares if your system has restrictive filtering.
You can of course view the complete mailing under the "Mailing Archive" button on the website at www.BristolComputers4Palestine.co.uk (you are already there)

1) Big Green Gathering

Raising the Palestinian flags at the BGGGeneral view of our Palestine Campaigns corner

The Big Green Gathering, which ran from 1st to 5th August is probably the biggest annual activist's festival gathering in the UK or maybe even Europe! As the name suggests it's politically and environmentally the greenest large festival in the UK scene. FFI www.big-green-gathering.com
This was the first year the BGG has hosted a meeting space specifically for Palestine Campaigning. We planned a full program of four talks/workshops every afternoon and two films every evening, over all five days of the festival.


General view of our Palestine Campaigns corner

The original plan of being "hosted" in another marquee changed as we found it better to work in our own workshop/mini-cinema/stall space. Many thanks to all our crew and speakers who made it all possible and coped with the changes. Over 250 people attended our talks or films over the five days. We all know from our own experience that it's quality-contact that leaves a lasting impression. Many more visited our information stalls, talked to us or colleted literature. And a constant stream of passers-by studied out display boards.

Some of the crew and speakers

The festival organisers are keen we should return next year and using this experience it's worth investing in better equipment and adapting the program to run more easily. Next year will be the sixtieth anniversary of the Nakba, the ethnic-cleansing of Palestine in 1948 - so we know we have an important our message to get out.


Workshop in progress


Mini-cinema in progress

2) Olive Harvest Tour autumn 2007
People who have seen the film of the previous olive harvest may well be keen to join the next Zaytoun Olive Harvest Tour this autumn. You should register your interest with Cathi at Zaytoun at Cathi@zaytoun.org to receive the information pack. For more information on the background to the Zaytoun Olive Oil visit www.zaytoun.org and for a growing library of photographs from the Olive Harvest Tour last November visit www.simulacrum.org.uk/harvest2006/
Here in Bristol we have a growing group of potentially interested people and six of us have already registration. We're getting ourselves in training for the rigours of the olive harvest by meeting about once a month in cafes and force feeding ourselves mint tea, sweet cakes, and Middle-Eastern meals. If this appeals and you live locally contact EdwardHill1@yahoo.co.uk to be added to the mailing list.

3) Funding Appeal

Visiting Palestine for the olive harvest takes significant time and money. There seems an inevitable rule of life, that there are people with the money but without the time to consider such a trip. And conversely there are people with the time, but without enough money!
To solve this issue for previous groups visiting Palestine, Monica (Margaret Jones) set up "Peace Fund" here in Bristol complete with a bank account and steering group.
We've set a target of raising a thousand pounds to contribute towards air-fares for low-income members of the group.

If you can support this appeal, please post cheques (payable to THE PEACE FUND) to:-
APPEAL FOR THE OLIVE HARVEST OCTOBER 2007,
FLAT 4, BURLINGTON COURT, BURLINGTON ROAD, BRISTOL BS6 6TN.

If you would like to know more details of the appeal, or if you need a speaker to a meeting, reply to this email.

4) Laptops

As has been mentioned before, laptops are the easiest to transport and will make a real difference to an individual for their work or studies. The olive pickers team from Bristol gives the opportunity to transport even more laptops out to Palestine. If you have recently retired your old laptop, Windows 98 and onwards, please consider donating it. We will completely & permanently erase all data from the Hard Drive so your security is safe.
Please get in touch.
5) Next Film

The next eye-witness documentary of last autumns olive harvest trip with Zaytoun, has now been completed and was previewed at the Big Green Gathering. Be prepared, it's powerful stuff ! It's currently undergoing some final tweaking. There will be a full version at about an hour and 45 minutes (phew!) and an abridged version of under an hour for use at public meetings.
The first showing in Bristol will be at the Bristol Indymedia Film Night on Monday 3rd September, 8.00pm at the Cube Cinema, off Kings Square, Bristol see http://microplex.cubecinema.com/cubewebsite/. The evening will also feature a talk by members of the Bristol-based group who are preparing to travel out to help with this autumn's olive harvest in Palestine.
There will shortly be more details, plus a full "Return to Palestine (R2P) Film Information Pack" of stills & text under the "Gallery" button on the website at www.BristolComputers4Palestine.co.uk.

6) Islam Channel - exciting news!

The pervious film, shot during the 2005 olive harvest trip, entitled "OUR SUFFERING IN THIS LAND" will be broadcast on the international Islam TV Channel shortly as follows:-
Sunday 2nd September 9.30pm and repeated Tuesday 4th 10pm.
A trailer/advert is going out currently on the channel about every two hours.
You may have the Islam Channel as part of your cable/TV bundle.

Alternatively you can see it on your computer via the internet
Log onto www.islamchannel.tv then click the "Watch-Online" label at the bottom of the picture of the TV, then select Broadband or Mediaplayer and the channel will appear on your screen.

7) Links.

CONSCIOUS CLOTHING
If you live in the Brighton area, or visiting stalls at festivals, you may already know Jaya who runs the ethical clothing company -Conscious Clothing. Half the profits go to peace and environmental campaigns including work in Israel/Palestine. In addition, Jaya has offered to donate a batch of t/shirts printed with a design of our choice. Many thanks. You can check out his website at www.conscious-clothing-brighton.co.uk for some cool clothes. Jaya was also part of a group that produced an eye-witness documentary in 2003/04, entitled "Bury my heart in Palestine" it includes powerful footage made during the olive harvest, work with IWPS, Women in Black, JFJFP, ISM, PSC, and an excellent interview with Jeff Halper. Contact Jaya via the website for availability.

BUSTAN The Green Centre in Beersheva, Israel, is just about to open. They are working with Bedouin and Jewish communities in the Negev in israel to fight for sustainable development for all peoples in the region. The Bedouin, despite being citizens in Israel, do not receive basic services such as electricity, water, schools, or health services in their villages, and are being concentrated by the Israeli government in development townships located right up against some of the worst toxic waste facilitates in the country. The new Green Centre in Beersheva will model sustainable, cost-effective alternative ways for the Bedouin to receive the equal services they should, such as solar and wind power, as part of the green technologies project, as well as providing a meeting place for residents of the Negev, Bedouin and Jewish, to work and plan together, an art exhibition space, a community garden with indigenous plants, a library on environmental justice issues, and any other creative, sustainable projects our volunteers and members can think of. FFI about this important project visit www.bustan.org

8) Computers

The plan to ship a test batch of computers is still progressing.

9) Twinning Network Palestine Trip

The UK Twinning Network also organises trips to Palestine, to encourage and foster twinning links. Even if your town/organisation isn't twinned yet, this could be a very good introduction. Here's their information:-
Taking the same tried-and-tested method... a political tour of Palestine with the last couple of days in your twinning place. A great time of year to go - just after Eid and around the olive harvest. Probably tour this time will concentrate on the south of the West Bank, and we will do it as we have done it before (to critical acclaim!) though we will take your suggestions into account - easier for us if you get back to us soon.
Two possible suggested dates - we have to decide on dates and will then make the visit happen.
Please get back fast if you are interested in going and say which of these would suit you better
20th/ 21st to 28th October (in school half term)

OR

28th October to 3rd November
Probable cost £380 plus flights. Details to follow when it is clear how many are going, etc.
Please tell people in your twinning group - and SPECIALLY people who have not been to Palestine before. This will be a good introduction with knowledgeable guides and drawing on a lot of experience of these visits, by now.... If you would like to talk to someone who has done this with a previous group, please get back to us!

We will also be organising another trip at the time of the Easter conference, though dates have not been settled for that yet.
FFI contact www.twinningwithpalestine.net/
10) Removal facility

If you no longer wish to receive these mailing, or if you accidentally get more than one, please let us know.

ENDS

July 2007
Computers4Palestine Mailing 12

This is a shorter mailing than usual due to pressure of other work
1) Recent Events

Many people will have made up their own minds about events in Gaza/Palestine over the last couple of months or so, but I found this article by Robert Fisk very helpful http://news.independent.co.uk/fisk/article2663199.ece
And if anyone isn't entirely convinced of the bias of our media, these links for articles by David Halpin are very enlightening, see http://www.redress.cc/global/dhalpin20070710 and http://www.medialens.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=8760#8760
He also recommends you want to weep watching this short film on YouTube - The fruits of occupation - green apricots at Ertas.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=cjwI26-zV74 If you haven't heard about David Halpin, he is a trauma and orthopaedic surgeon who founded the Dove and the Dolphin charity, a medically focussed project based in Devon, visit their excellent website at www.doveanddolphin.co.uk

A seminal article on the Hamas/Fatah situation has appeared from Jeff Halper, he is the Coordinator of the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD) and a candidate, with the Palestinian peace activist Ghassan Andoni, for the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize. See http://www.icahd.org/eng/articles.asp?menu=6&submenu=2&article=373

2) Laptops & Computer Shipments

A big thank-you to SM and MDB both from Bristol who have both recently donated laptop computers. As has been mentioned before, laptops are the easiest to transport and will make a real difference to an individual for their work or studies. We welcome donations of more, we will completely & permanently erase all data from the Hard Drive so your security is safe. Please get in touch.

A big thank-you to AA also in Bristol. We have recently accepted a donation of a desktop computer from AA in Bristol as it was a very up-to-date system and too good to refuse. However, in general we're trying to say no to older desktop system as we have a storage issue until we sort out our shipment procedure. We hope to make more progress on this over the next month or two.

3) Olive Harvest Tour autumn 2007

People who have seen the film of the previous olive harvest may well be keen to join the next Zaytoun Olive Harvest Tour this autumn. You should register your interest with Cathi at Zaytoun at Cathi@zaytoun.org to receive the information pack. For more information on the background to the Zaytoun Olive Oil visit www.zaytoun.org and for a growing library of photographs from the Olive Harvest Tour last November visit www.simulacrum.org.uk/harvest2006/
Here in Bristol we have a growing group of potentially interested people and seven of us have now completed the initial registration forms. We're getting ourselves in training for the rigours of the olive harvest by meeting about once a month in cafes and force feeding ourselves mint tea, sweet cakes, and Middle-Eastern meals. If this appeals and you live locally contact EdwardHill1@yahoo.co.uk to be added to the mailing list.

4) Next Film

The editing work on the next film is nearing completion and a first-cut version will be available in time for the Big Green Gathering Festival (see below). Doubtless there will be some checking and tidying up to be done and hopefully the final version will be available in September. The first showing in Bristol will be at the Bristol Indymedia Film Night on Monday 3rd September, 7.30pm at the Cube Cinema, Stokes Croft, Bristol see http://microplex.cubecinema.com/cubewebsite/ and the evening will also feature a talk by members of the Bristol-based group who are preparing to travel out to help with this autumn's olive harvest in Palestine.

More details to follow in due course.

5) Big Green Gathering

The Big Green Gathering is probably the biggest annual activist's festival gathering in the UK or maybe even Europe! This year it runs from Wednesday 1st to Sunday 5th August in a beautiful location on the Mendip Hills in Somerset. For those who don't know it, as the name suggests it's politically and environmentally the greenest large festival in the UK scene. FFI www.big-green-gathering.com

This will be the first year the BGG has hosted a meeting space specifically for Palestine Campaigning. We are being provided with a fantastic venue, with a marvellous solar electric system for a cinema. You'll see from the program (attached) we have four talks/workshops every afternoon and two films every evening, over all five days of the festival. It should be a fantastic experience, so if you're coming to the festival do visit our venue, it will be in the Campaigns/AMARE area which is usually the large central area in the site.

6) Removal facility

If you no longer wish to receive these mailing, or if you accidentally get more than one, please let us know.

May 2007
Computers4Palestine Mailing 11

1) The film

The film/dvd "Our sufferings in this land" continues to attract exciting recognition and to reach a wider audience.

"DVD of the month" in Palestine - The film is reviewed in the May issue of the leading English-language magazine in Palestine "This Week in Palestine". It is listed as "DVD of the month" on the website at www.thisweekinpalestine.com and as soon as the magazine is published you can read a full pdf version via the website.

Bristol Libraries - the dvd has just been accepted to be stocked in every branch of the lending library throughout Bristol - that's 27 copies all available to be borrowed and watched by Bristolians!

Film Festivals - The film has just been accepted for the Ecolnoa - Israeli International Environmental Film Festival in Tel Aviv in May and at the Swansea International Film Festival in the UK in June.

Stockists -
A batch of dvds have just been shipped to a distributor to be available to the North American market and world-wide via www.palestineonlinestore.com/
It is now available on the shelf at - The Educational Bookshop, 22 Salaheddin Street, Jerusalem.
It continues to be available through our own website at www.BristolComputers4Palestine.co.uk and since expanding our production process the price is reduced to £10 (incl p+p) and we hope this new lower price will reach a wider audience.

The Film Tour - The film continues to be requested by local groups in a widening area.

  • Monday 14th May Film and stall at the Leftism Film Club at the Victoria pub, Victoria Rd, Swindon, SN1 3BD
  • Tuesday 15th May Chairing the meeting and doing stall at the film "The Iron Wall" at 7.30 at the Northgate Methodist Hall in Northgate St , Opposite Debenhams, in Gloucester.
  • Monday 21st May Film and stall for Hereford PSC at 7.30 pm at the Friends Meeting House, at 21 King St, not far from the Cathedral in Hereford, (NB The Meeting House is tucked away up a passage leading from King St) and planning ahead....
  • Tuesday 5th June Film and stall with the Swansea Palestine Community Link (SPCL) as part of the Swansea Bay Film Festival 7.30 in the Dylan Thomas Centre, Somerset Place, Swansea, SA1 1RR.

    2) Marda Permaculture Project

    This continues to be one of the glimmers of hope in Marda. The project is applying for funding from international permaculture organisations to set up a new project in the town. A start has already been made on a field in a lovely location in the heart of the town. Members of the 2006 Olive Harvest group raised funds through Christmas Card sales to buy tools for the project. If you have an idea for a fund-raiser contact the project direct at Green_Thumb_06@yahoo.com. Our donation is to copy the Marda Permaculture dvd and post it out for free to anyone who is seriously interested in learning more about this project, donating, or helping. For the dvd contact EdwardHill1@yahoo.co.uk

    3) Olive Harvest Tour autumn 2007

    People who have seen the film of the previous olive harvest may well be keen to join the next Zaytoun Olive Harvest Tour this autumn. You should register your interest with Cathi at Zaytoun at Cathi@zaytoun.org to receive the information pack. For more information on the background to the Zaytoun Olive Oil visit www.zaytoun.org and for a growing library of photographs from the Olive Harvest Tour last November visit www.simulacrum.org.uk/harvest2006/

    Here in Bristol we have a growing group of potentially interested people. We're getting ourselves in training for the rigours of the olive harvest by meeting regularly in cafes and force feeding ourselves mint tea, sweet cakes, and Middle-Eastern meals. If this appeals and you live locally contact EdwardHill1@yahoo.co.uk to be added to the mailing list.

    4) Laptops

    A big thank-you to JA from Bridgewater for donating his previous laptop computer. This was spirited over the Palestine by a delegate to the Twinning Conference at Easter. As has been mentioned before, laptops are the easiest to transport and will make a real difference to an individual person for their work or studies. We welcome donations of more, we will completely & permanently erase all data from the Hard Drive so your security is safe. Please get in touch.

    5) Computers

    We are no longer accepting donations of these computers at the moment. Until now we haven't been able to crack the problem of shipping desktop computers. However we are pleased to report we are making some progress. We have enlisted a transport company in Palestine who are donating their services, and have experience of the customs process. Provide the computers we ship comply with the requirements of the Israeli authorities they think they will be safe. We are planning a "test shipment" in the near future to find out. We have taken the decision to send this test-shipment to an educational establishment in East Jerusalem in the first instance. The reasons for this are ease of transport, working with an organisation which we hope may give better protection for the shipment, and availability of technical support and installation expertise. If this is successful then we will extend this experience to a delivery to Marda which has been the main focus of our project. More news on this will follow in due course.

    6) Appeal for Arabic-enabled software and information

    The computers we ship have the English version of Windows 98. But in Palestine they will need to switch to the Arabic language set as well. Our co-workers in Palestine have had difficulty finding Arabic-enabled versions of older software. Particularly Windows 98, 2000, and Millennium. If anyone has LEGAL versions of these old operating systems please get in touch through the website to post us the disk. Perhaps someone can tell us - if the Arabic language set is installed in the operating system, then does that apply to other packages such as Word-Processing, or do we also need Arabic-enabled WORD say to run with Windows 98?

    7) Letter-writing to Protect Marda from more attacks

    Thank you to everyone who sent the letter in the last mailing to their MPs. Reports from IWPS over the last month or so have not recorded any attacks in Marda. So this town is spared, at least for a while. Writing to our MPs, especially when in turn they contact the Foreign Office, can make the politicians and officials take some notice. This has already been the case with other outrages in Palestine (eg the attack on the school in Abu Dis earlier this year). So well done everyone. If you want to be kept informed direct you can sign up for their email bulletins from the new IWPS website www.IWPS-Pal.org

    8) and finally...

    Feedback from the other side of the pond:-
    "Just wanted to say hello and thanks for making the DVD.
    I've been to Israel once, many years ago as a young Zionist, before I got smart.
    You've inspired me to consider going again - but to Palestine"
    JS in New Jersey

    Latest Blog Spot :-
    You can keep in touch with the realities of life in Palestine by reading the blogs from a Bristol activist who is spending three months in the West Bank. Some of the best writing, photos, and down-to-earth descriptions I've seen for a long time. Don't be put off by the name and connect with www.falafelfairy.blogspot.com

    9) Removal facility
    If you no longer wish to receive these mailing, or if you accidentally get more than one, please let us know.


    March 2007
    Computers4Palestine Mailing 10

    Olive Harvest Tour autumn 2007

    A group of us in Bristol already feel committed to joining the Zaytoun Olive Harvest Tour this autumn.

    And we want like to build a LOCAL support group for others in the Bristol area who may be considering doing the same.

    If you're interested in being involved, or just interested, we will be meeting for mint tea & baklava THIS Saturday 31st March at 10.00am in the Bab Mansour Moroccan Cafe in the Glass Arcade behind St Nicholas Market, off Corn Street in central Bristol.

    We will review pictures and experiences from previous years, outline costs, dates, training & responsibly. There will be plenty of time for your to share your questions and ideas.

    If you've been wondering about visiting Palestine but have been putting it off, then the Zaytoun Olive Harvest Tour is the ideal opportunity. And with the risk of increasingly restrictive visas to the West Bank you shouldn't delay going for much longer!

    For more information on the background to the Zaytoun Olive Oil visit www.zaytoun.org and for a growing library of photographs from the Olive Harvest Tour last November visit www.simulacrum.org.uk/harvest2006/

    If you are interested, but can't manage to get to this meeting as it's short notice, there will be another in a few weeks time.

    If you don't live in the Bristol area you should contact Zaytoun direct. There may be some who consider setting up their own support group in their area.

    IMPORTANT NOTICE - We don't want to keep using the main email list which includes people all over the UK and abroad. To be kept informed of future meetings in Bristol you must contact us directly. To get onto our email list contact EdwardHill1 at yahoo dot co dot uk or visit the Contacts Page



    Protest letters to your MP to protect Marda from more attacks

    We know everyone is very busy nowadays, including reading all our emails! But if you haven't done so already, please take a moment to read through the pro-forma letter attached to this email. (Provided your computer has WORD or WORDPAD it should open as a normal document.) The report on the final page of the savage beatings of the innocent young men is particularly disturbing. Yet the risk of this, and worse, hangs over every Palestinian every day. However, experience with other international groups shows that letter-writing can provide some protection. It's worth the stamp and will also wake up your MP to what our Government tacitly supports. So please do it now.

    March 2007
    Computers4Palestine Mailing 9

    More shocking attacks in Marda
    – Please protest to your MP NOW
    Attached with the last mailing (number 8) was a letter for your MP to complain about harassment in the town of Marda. This was based on the IWPS Report number 293 (www.IWPS.info) which documented more than a week of army incursions into the town, day and night, causing disturbance with sound-bombs and attacking people.

    You will know from previous mailings last autumn we experienced some of the nightly army patrols through the town, carrying out arbitrary arrests, throwing sound-bombs, and breaking windows.



    If you sent off this letter to your MP then thank you.

    If you didn’t, then please reconsider and make time to send the fresh one, which is attached. Further reports from IWPS number 302 and 304 document an escalation of the harassment to searching people’s houses and destroying property.
    Report 308 makes the most distressing reading giving accounts of soldiers brutally beating young men.

    During the 2006 harvest we were asked to pick with families who had trees near the main road at Marda, to give them protection for the army or the settlers. We are familiar with the “abandoned building” where the two young men in Report 308 were taken to be beaten. It used to be someone’s house, until the army commandeered it to use as an occasional headquarters.



    PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE print out the attached letter and send it to your MP.
    This will show “the world is watching them.”

    If you wish to download and/or print the letter click here

    You can adapt the text if you wish, or convert it into an email.
    If you’re not sure who your MP is, use www.parliament.uk or www.writetothem.com to find them.

    This is a situation when letter-writing is worthwhile. Recent complaints in this country about the Israeli army entering a school in East Jerusalem and beating children has led, at least, to the involvement of the British Consulate in Jerusalem which will be visiting the school and making their own report back to the UK (www.camdenabudis.org). A Scottish group has been successfully lobbying the UK Government about the fate of some fifteen men abducted by the Israeli army from the town of Jayyous three weeks ago (www.antonine.uk). The more we can form these international links the better it is for the protection of the Palestinians against Israel aggression.

    In case anyone is in any doubt, several of us have stayed in the town for the past three Olive Harvests now. There was never any “resistance presence” in the town. Nor did any of us see anyone throwing stones near the main road. On the contrary, you will recall from the film of the 2005 harvest that children are afraid even to use out-door recreation faculties, such as the football ground outside the school, and people are forbidden to go onto their own roof-tops. The allegations of “stone-throwing” near the road is a deliberate pretext used as an excuse to harass the people in the town.

    A moment from last November will always stick in our memories. A fresh-faced Israel young soldier leaned out of his jeep, as if to pass the time of day, and volunteered his opinion “Good Arab, dead Arab”. Such soldiers are extremely misinformed by their country’s propaganda system, and have absorbed deeply ingrained racism. It is easy to imagine their commanders can send them into Arab towns, time after time, to root out so-called trouble makers, stone-throwers, potential terrorists, etc. With exactly the consequences we are seeing reported.

    It is becoming inescapably obvious that this all part of a covert plan to bully the people from the town so it can be destroyed. What we are witnessing is modern-day slow-motion ethnic-cleansing - happening in Marda and throughout Palestine.

    PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE take the time to send this letter to your MP.

    And please copy this email onto friends who may also be interested in helping.

    Olive Harvest Tour autumn 2007

    The presence of Internationals is vital protection for the Palestinians against this kind of harassment, and is particularly important during the Olive Harvest.

    If you haven’t thought about it yet, come on this autumn’s Olive Harvest Tour with Zaytoun.



    With the Wall around the West Bank nearing completion, Israel may soon bring in an addition visa system for the West Bank. So if you’ve ever though of visiting Palestine, but were putting it off, NOW is the time to go before it’s too late.

    To express an interest and for more information contact Cathi at zaytoun dot org

    Here is a quick summary of what’s involved: -

    The Zaytoun tour is usually the first two weeks in November, but you can stay longer of course. Weather is similar to English May/June, sometimes very hot in the day but chilly at night, plus occasional rain. Flights are usually £300 or slightly below (you can lower your carbon-footprint by taking the time to travel over-land of course). English is widely spoken and you will make your own discoveries about the legendary Arab hospitality. Accommodation is usually a shared house/flat or with local families in the towns where we are picking (costs about £8 per night). Hostels/hotels/restaurants in Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and tourist areas somewhat dearer. Food and travel within Palestine is extra but usually quite low by UK prices. You will need to attend a preparatory training weekend held maybe early summer or autumn.

    Exceptional value for a life-changing experience!


    Here in the Bristol area some of us would like to form a support group. So if you’re local to Bristol or within comfortable travelling distance in the West Country, this is your chance. Rely to EdwardHill1 at yahoo dot co dot uk to be kept informed.

    ENDS


    February 2007
    Computers4Palestine Mailing 8

    Intro
    There has been something of a gap since the last mailing in December, as there has been a lot of catching up to do.
    Welcome to new recipients.
    Sometimes the "office" system isn't 100% efficient! So if you're getting this in error, please let us know.
    The website at www.BristolComputers4Palestine.co.uk continues to develop, it has a PayPal facility for donations, and the media section is now up-to-date with recent cuttings.
    There's been some tweaking to the mailing system to avoid the previous hiccups. Let us know if there's anything we've forgotten?
    If you've been thinking of donating, don't hold back. This gives us the financial security to move the project forward.

    Computers
    This is the "core" idea of the project but is still taking time to investigate and resolve. We've had quotes for shipping, and it's incredibly cost-effective. To give you some idea, on a small batch it's roughly £20 per computer and on large quantity it would be much cheaper still. However, we've received three authoritative reports now that the Israeli Authorities deliberately obstruct such shipments. We're "on the case" to find a solution, if one exists, but it's all taking time. In addition we're effectively researching this matter on behalf of the whole UK/Europe.

    In the meantime, we're still appealing for donated laptops. Anything W98 onwards is useable. One we had donated just after Christmas is on it's way to Gaza right now. Until we solve the shipping problems of the desktops, these are the easy alternative. Laptops can be carried by any traveller and donated to organisations or individuals inside Palestine. Our expert technical back-up will clean the data parts of the Hard-Drive and permanently erase any personal files before they go. So PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE get in touch now, so they can be checked and be ready whenever people travel over.


    The Film
    The film/dvd "Our sufferings in the land" filmed on the 2005 Olive Harvest Trip continues to be well received. It continues to "tour" and has been shown at meetings for groups at Bristol and Exeter Universities recently, plus a local church group just preparing for a Holy Land trip. We've even had an enquiry for it to be shown on the UK Islam Channel but still waiting to hear further. Here are just some comments:-



    "Your film is still doing the rounds, and I think at the present count has been seen by close on 200 people!"
    B in Swindon

    "...how did you take all that great footage?
    ....it is an amazing piece & I would like us to explore how can help get it distributed in N. America"
    R in Canada

    "...I was shocked by how little I knew. As you say, it explains so much of what is happening in the world!"
    S in Bristol

    "After I finished watching you film I had to sit quietly for twenty minutes to recover."
    D in London

    "We knew life was hard in the West Bank, but we never thought it was that bad!"
    H in Leeds

    Although the film was edited last August, it has been through numerous re-edits since then. The "crawling" subtitles have long since gone, and there are now pauses-for-breath in the voice-over. It even has a menu and some extra features! Overall it is now a fairly well polished item, and if you haven't seen it yet, NOW IS THE TIME.

    We've had feedback that a few people experience problems playing the DVD disk, or there is occasional drop-out on the sound. Suspect disks have been checked and have been ok. We can only presume there may be differences with DVD players. We're told more recent and cheaper models tend to be more accommodating than older and more expensive ones!

    For those who bought a copy some time ago, we've always promised a "free upgrade". So if you disk has anything prior to Version 5.1 just email your mailing address and a replacement will be with you soon.

    Plus you will receive a new free campaigning information resource. Did you know our main Political Parties in the UK have "Friends-of-Israel" groups. Well nor did we until recently. But you'll soon want to do something about it. A friend in Devon has already achieved something of a break-through by persuading her local politicians to set up a "Friends-of-Palestine" and this is a major step forward to counter the Zionist propaganda and political influence on our politicians. Just email your mailing address and we'll send a copy for you to get busy.

    Some people have enquired about the next film based on the footage shot on the Olive Harvest Tour last autumn. This is in the pipeline but will be several months yet.


    Plan for the Olive Harvest Tour November 2007



    There was a scare earlier this year about a new visa system to get into the West Bank. But we're reliably informed this hasn't happened...yet. So if you were thinking of a trip to Palestine, and it is a recommended life-changing-experience, then think of going sooner rather than later.

    There are many ways to go. The UK Twinning Network is organising a conference and tour this Easter. There are faith groups such as EAPPI. Campaign groups such as ISM and ICAHD.

    And of course Zaytoun (www.zaytoun.org) will be organising their annual Olive Harvest Tour in November this year. If you're tied to work and other commitments think of planning ahead now.

    We think it would be good to have a Bristol & SW group that can prepare together and keep in touch. If this is YOU, get in touch now.

    Letter writing
    IWPS have reported that in mid-February the army intensified it's harassment of people in the town of Marda. These included intimidating school children, beatings, rubber bullets, sound & gas bombs, etc. You can read the full reports on their website (www.iwps.info). Attached to this mailing should be an attachment of a proform letter for you to send to your MP.

    (IWPS Marda Human Rights Report No 293.doc)

    PLEASE PRINT IT OUT NOW AND SEND IT OFF TO YOUR MP NOW.

    We must show that the eyes of the world are watching what the Israelis are doing in Palestine.

    Palestine Film night in Bristol



    2007 is the forty year anniversary of the invasion of the reminder on Palestine (see www.enoughoccupation.org) This will be marked by many events throughout the year. Here in Bristol the first event will be Palestine film evening hosted by PSC & Indymedia at 7.30pm on Monday 5th March www.bristol.indymedia.org. The Cube Cinema is on Dove Street South (off King Square) www.cubecinema.com/directions.html The evening will include recent eye-witness reports from Palestine, slides plus short films. The main film will be THE IRON WALL (www.theironwall.ps) made in Palestine this is the most comprehensive and up-to-date film made about Palestine. The evening is a fund-raiser for grass-roots & social-justice projects in Palestine.

    If you live in the Bristol area, see you there.

    ENDS

     December 2006
    BristolComputers4Palestine Mailing Number 7
    Palestine Trip.

    Bristol man, Ed Hill, has just returned from visiting Palestine with a team of UK Peace Volunteers. They have been staying in small West Bank towns to help with the Olive Harvest have been witnessing the ongoing injustices in Palestine.

    During the second week of their trip they witnessed soldiers obstructing and delaying farmers and their families trying to reach their fields to harvest their olives. They heard accounts of threats of attacks from settlers to farmers tending their fields. And they saw evidence of deliberate acts of pollution, which have killed the farmer’s fruit and olive trees. They also spent time at checkpoints observing the obstruction of Palestinian travel between their different areas of the West Bank. Finally they witnessed the Israeli army demolishing farmers homes and buildings.

    Az Zawiya

    Some of the volunteers stayed in the small rural town of Az Zawiya. Here a large area of the farmers land is being cut off behind the infamous Israeli Separation Wall/Fence. In order to reach their olive trees the farmers have to walk for three-quarters of an hour from their nearest road, pass through a drainage tunnel under a new Israeli highway, and pass through the one remaining gap in the Wall/Fence. This gap was guarded by Israeli soldiers. Every day they blocked the farmers and their families for up to an hour & a half before they would let them pass to start their picking.



    As Sawiya

    Ed Hill visited the town of As Sawiya, where volunteers helped with the olive harvest last year. He spoke to organisers in the town to hear of the problems they have faced over the last twelve months. Farmers faced problems from the nearby settlement when they went to plough their fields this spring. An additional problem has been a deliberate release of sewerage, which poisoned the land and killed some trees.



    Last year the town had a vibrant and therapeutic youth club including billiard tables, two computers, and a Dabka dance group. Sadly this has had to close this year due to the shortage of money to pay the rent on the premises. In addition, the organiser in the town, who works during the day for a Government Ministry, hasn’t been paid since March 2006 and has had to take out a personal loan for the bus fare to work, to continue his job as a volunteer.

    Masha

    Ed Hill visited the small West Bank town of Masha. Here, surpassing any of the absurdities of the Berlin Wall, a Palestinian house has been incorporated into the midst of the Separation Fence/Wall. As the house was built before 1967 it couldn’t legally be demolished. So the Separation fences have been built all around the house while the family are still living there. The Israelis, out of vindictiveness, have built a section of 25- foot high concrete wall in front of the house to separate it from the rest of the Palestinian town.



    Deir Ballut

    This is a checkpoint that controls a Palestinian area that can only be described as an “enclave off an enclave” trapped behind multiple stretches of the Israeli Separation Wall/fence that join the (illegal) Settlements back to Israel. The gates on the checkpoint close at sunset, but if anyone is taken ill in the area ambulances aren’t allowed to pass. Since the building of the checkpoint, an elderly man has died of heart failure and a woman has given birth to premature twins (which have died) in ambulances, which have not been allowed to pass the checkpoint by the soldiers.



    Checkpoints

    Ed Hill spent some time at the various checkpoints observing the delays and heavy military domination of Palestinians as they try to pass from one part of the West Bank to another. Vehicles are minutely inspected and searched by soldiers and with dogs. Pedestrians have to queue up to be searched inside their clothes, in their bags, and to have their IDs checked. All this is done by young and nervous armed soldiers. On some days the delays can be for hours at a time. On occasions checkpoints can close altogether and people must return home. Ed heard accounts of how the soldiers can open fire at any moment and heard distressing accounts of Palestinians being shot dead on the spot, for no apparent reason.




    Demolitions

    On the final day, members of the team were called to the town of Al Funduq. Here the Israeli army demolished two family homes and two large agricultural buildings. Sound bombs and rubber bullets were used to quell protest from the Palestinians. Such demolitions are deemed to be legal, as the Israeli haven’t granted planning permission for any new buildings in the West Bank since the 1967 invasion - hence all recent buildings are under threat of such demolition. (see www.IWPS.info report number 279)



    Ed Hill says, “In every aspect of life the Palestinians are being robbed and degraded. Farmers land is gradually being stolen from them for the Wall or the illegal settlements. Their crops are being destroyed by wonton acts such as pollution. People face ever-increasing restrictions on their travel within their own country. Their resources and their precious time are being stolen from them. This is all economic sabotage of their economy. Their houses and lively-hood are being wrested from them by brutal demolitions. And all this under the barrel of a gun. It is clear to me the Israelis are engaged on slow-motion ethnic-cleansing to gradually clear the Palestinians from their own homes and lands in the West Bank so it can eventually be incorporated into Israel. This is theft of an entire land and I think it’s an international scandal!”

    He goes on to say “I recommend anyone to visit Palestine as a Peace worker. There is a wide-range of peace, faith and solidarity groups that can arrange trips. Then people can see, with their own eyes, the unbelievable and unbearable levels of injustice and oppression taking place here. ”

    Ed Hill’s film will be show in the Bristol/SW area:-

    Wednesday 6th December. 7.30pm Cardiff Social Forum, the Social Centre, Brunel Street, Riverside, Cardiff. FFI Jon Blake 0292-0213-053

    and

    Tuesday 12th December. 7.30pm Thornbury United Reform Church, FFI Candia Barman 01454-412-603

    Further media coverage:-

    Respected Middle East Journalist, felicity Arbuthnot has written up features articles in:

    Morning Star newspaper Monday 27th November

    and

    www.unobserver.com & www.arbuthnot4iraq.blogspot.com

    and at the last count copied onto about a dozen websites around the world!

    Did you miss this?

    Sunday 3rd December Bristol & SW BBC TV "The Politics Show" 12.30pm includes excepts from the video footage of the 2006 trip together with a live debate between Ed Hill and a pro-Israel MP.
    You can view "The Politics Show" again if you click here.
    If you can't view the video, you will need a "Real Player" Plugin, click here to download the plugin.

    Saturday 11th November 2006
    BristolComputers4Palestine Mailing Number 6

    New Gallery Items! click here to view images from this mailing item.

    This year the Zaytoun Olive Picking Group is much larger, and we split into three separate groups. Our group of six stayed in Marda, which will now be well known from the film.



    I have been telling the media in the UK about the town being “strangled by a ring of steel”. But when I arrived and saw the gates and the miles of fencing it was a shock to see it with my own eyes. The “Separation Barrier Wall/Fence” stretches along the hillside so-say protecting the settlement of Ariel. This will eventually become the de-facto new border with Israel, even though it is more then ten miles inside the west Bank. And the long silver/grey mesh fence that snakes along the side of the Settler-Road makes you question if there is any wire or steel mesh left in the rest of the world, because it seems there is a danger that it’s all being used up here. The massive gates have a sinister engineering logic with their massive concrete blocks, the criss-cross of the gate, and massive steel cables and fasteners which I assume can be locked up in some way to keep the gates closed. It made me want to cry, I admit.



    It is such an injustice that this innocent town of farmers, who just want to get on quietly with their own lives, are being treated in this way.

    Our team busied itself going out each day picking the olives with the farmers. Most days in the fields near the main road and alongside the house which you will have seen the film. This is the house which was commandeered by the army as a base. At the moment it seems unused but is fenced off with razor wire and the Palestinians say not to go inside for fear of danger.



    I have also been working on media coverage in the UK. I set up a photo-opportunity and presented my film (DVD) to the Mayor of the town. The Mayor is also one of the farmers in the town and needs to leave at 6 am each morning to harvest his olives, so this did require a very early start to the day!



    I also talked to local people about their experiences when the Israeli army has locked the gates and prevented vehicles entering or leaving the town. This has already happened several times this summer, for periods ranging from hours to days. When the gate is locked across the road vehicles can not enter or leave the town. People have difficulty getting to work, or students to their education in other towns. Delivery Lorries with supplies for shops in the town, and staff for the clinic, are also blocked. Farmers can not reach their fields on the other side of the road.

    In addition to this, we spoken to people who have been victims of army raids into the town. These raids have been happening almost every night over the last week, usually between midnight and four in the morning.

    Army raids this week and other incidents:-

    Night of Sunday 5th November.

    Soldiers walked the length of the town periodically throwing sound-grenades and firing flares into the air.



    Night of Monday 6th November

    Woman, a Psychologist, was asleep in her home with her two young children (aged 1 and 3 years old) and her elderly mother. At about 3am a large number of soldiers surrounded the house and started throwing stones damaging the door, the walls, and breaking a large window. She went to the door and the soldiers demanded to see her husband. On finding he wasn’t in the house they took them all out into their garden and held them at gun-point, squatting on the ground for about an hour while they questioned them.

    During this time they also attacked a neighbour’s house when someone turned on a light in the house.

    They then went to another house in the same road, searched and ransacked the house, and arrested a young man. He was released a day later without charge.



    Someone in the town phoned the Zaytoun Olive Harvest team and we walked into the town where at about 4.15am we saw and videoed army vehicles driving around and parking in the middle of the town near the mosque. We witnessed a sound-grenade being let off at about the time that people would be going to and fro to the Mosque for early morning prayers.



    Night of Wednesday 8th November.

    During the night soldiers went to the house of a Farmer. They broke the glass panel in the front door of his house. This is the third time his house has been raided. His son (21 years old) was arrested recently from his family home and held for 8 days, then released this week, without charge.

    Night of Thursday 9th November

    After visiting this man and neighbour reported that soldiers had been to his house in the night and ordered people out into the street and made them lie down. He said this was a terrifying experience for them and especially their children.



    I also met and interviewed a 14 year old boy who was arrested for going near the Separation Wall (Fence) around the settlement. This barrier is in fact a triple set of fences; an outer pair of high razor-wire barriers and a central fifteen foot high wire mesh fence equipped with sensor wires on the sides and at the top. This occupies a strip of land 50 to 100 metres wide including gravel and a tarmac patrol road. He was detained for three weeks and then released.

    The gesture of crossed hands is a sign-language we're getting used to here in Palestine to mean arrest or imprisonment.



    On Friday 10th in the afternoon the Zaytoun Olive Harvest team were working harvesting olives near the main road. Three Israeli army vehicles arrived with about twenty soldiers who spread out among the trees near the edge of the town and carried out an operation involving beatings, shouting and carrying casualties on stretchers. This caused panic to the farmers, their families, and to the people in the town as they though Palestinians were involved. The Team approached the soldiers who explained it was an exercise but made no apology for carrying it out near the town, or on Friday – the Muslim prayer day. One soldier spoke to the team explaining he thought “The only good Arab is a dead Arab”.



    Morale in the town has been low, along with the rest of Palestine. Most government workers haven’t been paid for the last seven months. Since the election of the Hammas Government the US and EU have withheld aid grants, and Israel has withheld tax refunds to the Palestinian Authority. One of the many consequences of this is the schools finally closed I the summer and most young children have not been able to attend school.

    Despite the crushing oppression of the Israeli occupation and the obvious attempts to strangle the town, there are some positive "seeds of hope" which are tribute to the Palestinian resilience and organisational skills.



    A new Human Rights monitoring office has recently opened in the town. This is a branch of the Jerusalem Legal Aid office and offers legal support throughout the area. For instance it has engaged solicitors to fight the route of the Israeli Wall and destruction of agricultural land, etc with some notable successes. The office also is planning training courses in human rights and legal work for representatives from across the West Bank.

    In addition, there are plans to restart the Permaculture project in Marda. The original project was very successful and attracted students from across the Middle East to study and research techniques in arid Permaculture. Although the first facility was destroyed by the Israeli army during the Second Intifada there are plans to buy land and to start a new centre in the town. Interestingly, the new project leader in Marda was trained by Mike Fingold (sp?) from Bristol - small world eh!

    We were embarrassed to not have been able to deliver the computers we had hoped. There is a building available in the town and there will be volunteers to run a computer centre. Fund-raising in the project is still going slowly, but you can help if you want. Cheques to the usual mailing address and you'll notice the website now has a new "PayPal" facility to make donating easier.

    I will be meeting people next weekend who may be able to advise and assist with shipping the computers from the UK through Israel and into Palestine. Watch this space for future news.

    Picture attached (Higher resolution pictures available on request)

    Ed Hill has started a project to supply computers and other IT resources to small rural towns in the West Bank like Marda. FFI see www.BristolComputers4Palestine.co.uk. This website also has more pictures.

    Olive harvest tours, such as these, are organised by Zaytoun, the UK ethical cooperative that imports Palestinian olive oil to be sold as a fair-trade product. See www.zaytoun.org

    Human Rights abuses in the Salfit region of Palestine are monitored by the International Women’s Peace Service, a team of internationals based in the West Bank town of Haris. FFI see www.IWPS.info

    CONTACTS:

    Ed Hill mobile in Palestine 00972-54-731-3690

    Email EdwardHill1@yahoo.co.uk (notice the one)

    Monday 6th November
    BristolComputers4Palestine Mailing Number 5

    Donation to “Children of Bethany” Project.

    Bristol Computers4Palestine made its first donation. A digital camera and laptop computer were presented to Suzana Zorko Founder/director of the CHILDREN OF BETHANY PROJECT (see picture).

    The Israeli separation Wall is being built through the south-eastern suburbs of Jerusalem cutting off some 40,000 people in the Abu Dis area outside the city and fragmenting up to 60,000 people in other nearby communities. Previously people travelled into Jerusalem, just three miles, for employment, hospitals, education, and cultural entertainment. But the construction of the Wall is now stopping this. (See map).Unemployment has now risen to some 70%. Medical treatment is supplied by just small clinics, and there are few faculties for children beyond basic education.

    The CHILDREN OF BETHANY PROJECT takes its name from the nearby Christian community around the Bethany area, where by tradition Jesus stated his journey into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. It raises funds for children’s entertainment and cultural trips. For instance to the zoo, for a recent international puppet festival, and shortly the premiere performance of the first Palestine Circus troupe in Bethlehem.

    Suzana Zorko says “The Wall cuts us off here, like a limb severed from the rest of the body. Without these trips there is almost nothing for young people to do here and very little hope. The donation of the camera and laptop will enable us to record our work and maintain our website and to communicate our project, both locally and internationally, to attract fund-raising for this essential work for our community”.

    The donation was made in the area of Al-Eizariya where the Israeli Wall cuts straight across the main dual carriage-way that previously linked the area to Jerusalem.

    For further information on the project visit www.children-of-bethany.org

    Pictures of the Circus project in Palestine can be seen on www.circus2iraq.org and click on the “Children of Bethany and Jerusalem Suburbs” button from the list.

    Bristol has a round-about link with this project. Local activist Jo Wilding did a stint with the Circus2Iraq shortly after the War. However the troupe subsequently had to leave Iraq and came to Palestine for a tour of several months. During this time they performed in the Al-Eizariya and Abu Dis areas and trained local Palestinians in circus skills to form the first Palestine Circus group, who will perform for the first time in Bethlehem next weekend. Thank you to Jo Wilding for having created this link between our cities!


    October 2006
    BristolComputers4Palestine Mailing Number 4


    Dear All,


    Olive Harvest 2006

    In a few days time, I'm off to take part in this years Olive Harvest.

    The good news is the group organised by Zaytoun is bigger than last year, so we may be able to cover more towns etc.

    The bad news is the situation in Palestine will have deteriorated considerably since last year.

    Imgaine the situation in our country if the Govenrment workers, including essential sectors such as health and education, hadn't been paid for months and services were slowly grinding to a halt. For instance, the schools have been closed since the summer!

    This years olive harvest will be bigger than last year. But we've heard the farmers have been bracing themselves for more obstructions and restrictions on their harvesting. We've heard of fears that farmers may have to apply for permits to take even their donkeys into their fields. Or worse, the military can unilaterally declare whole areas as "closed military zones".

    While I'm over there I'll aim to send back regular reports. I wouldn't want to over load peaople's inboxes and am mindful of people's busy lives. So these will be compact weekly report with maybe just a few thumbnail pictures.


    I will also be keeping in touch with Felicity Arbuthnot, the respected Middle East journalist. If any of the material is useful she will be trying to get it out to a wider audience. Felicity mostly focuses on Iraq but there are also a number of Palestine related articles on her website at http://Arbuthnot4iraq.blogspot.com


    Political Pressure

    I wonder if we shouldn't all be pressurising our Euro-MPs on the freezing of EU aid as this must be having a disastrous effect on the Palestinian economy.

    Please give this a go - you can get their details from http://www.europarl.org.uk/uk_meps/MembersMain.htm

    The film showings

    Feedback on the film continues to be very good. At showings over the past couple of weeks the viewers comments ranged from "extremely good" to "stunning"! They also described the content as "moving" and "shocking". People wanted to know how they could help the situation which they can see is a terrible injustice.

    The last mailing included a calendar of bookings so far. If you've been considering contact me for a showing to a group, public meeting, etc then please do get in touch. You can be sure it will be well worth while. For those with broad-band there is a one minute trailer on the website at www.BristolComputers4Palestine.co.uk to give you a flavour.


    Further Background Reading and useful websites

    The latest copy of SchNEWS has a feature on Palestine which and I#'I've included an excerpt as background reading:-


    Palestinian society continues to be torn apart by
    the sanctions regime imposed by the US and EU
    and the crippling Israeli occupation (See SchNEWS 544).

    The US stopped all bank
    transfers to the Palestinian Authority from the outside when Hamas
    were elected in January. All US and most EU aid has remained
    frozen and Israel is refusing to pay the customs duties required
    on goods being imported to Palestine through Israel (and there is
    no other route for imported goods).

    The US and Israel are intent on pushing Hamas out of government,
    to the extent of supporting the rival Fatah faction. The US have
    promised to sponsor Fatah to the tune of $42 million in future
    elections. Spurred on by international pressure on the
    democratically elected Hamas government, the Palestinian president
    and head of Fatah, Mahmoud Abbas - originally foisted on Yasser
    Arafat by the US - is threatening to force new elections at the
    start of 2007.

    Meanwhile, state employees have not been paid since the elections
    due to the sanctions. Palestinian workers continued to work for
    several months without pay, knowing the role they were playing in
    holding society together, but most have now been forced to stop.
    Palestinian schools have been closed since the summer. Health
    workers have also not been paid and have been withholding all but
    emergency services for over a month.

    Throughout all of this, Israel's illegal occupation continues. The
    Israeli army last week mounted new operations in Rafah in the Gaza
    strip. Over the last three months at least a hundred civilians
    have died per month at the hands of the Israeli military. On
    Monday 23rd October, Israeli forces killed Palestinians and
    wounded thirty in an invasion of Beit Hanoun, in the Gaza Strip.
    Over Ramadan, Israeli border police have been out on the streets
    of the West Bank to do 'routine checks', suspiciously close to the
    time Muslims break their fast, delaying people getting home to eat
    for many hours.

    ------------------------------------------------------------------

    NO WALL FLOWERS

    The village of Bil'In has been resisting the confiscation of the
    majority of its land for nearly twenty months. The Israeli army is
    building a section of the Apartheid wall which has isolated 60% of
    the village's agricultural land beyond an eight-metre-high fence,
    flanked with barbed wire and patrolled by the Israeli army.

    Technically, residents are supposed to have free access to their
    land, but the gates in the fence remained shut throughout the
    Jewish holiday of Sukkot earlier this month and can be closed on
    the whim of the soldiers policing them. When residents are allowed
    through, they have their photos and ID numbers taken by the
    Israeli soldiers.

    Laith Yassin (19), a university student from the village, and
    schoolboy Mohammad Barakat (17) were arrested two months ago for
    allegedly cutting the annexation barrier. Both the boys' family
    lands are behind the barrier, their olive trees have been
    uprooted, and are earmarked for the expansion of the illegal
    Israeli colony of Modi'in Illit. It is sadly ironic that the boys'
    alleged crime is to have damaged a structure - Israel's Apartheid
    Wall - that was itself ruled illegal by the International Court of
    Justice in The Hague in 2004.

    On 19th October, a Judge sentenced Laith and Mohammed to six
    months and five months respectively in Israeli prison, in addition
    to the two months they've already served. The judge gave the
    families the option of paying 1500 Shekels for every month they
    have been sentenced - amounting to 9000 Shekels for Laith (£1200)
    and 7500 for Mohammed (£1000).

    1500 Shekels is the equivalent of one months' salary for Laith and
    Mohammed's families. Neither Laith or Mohammed's fathers have
    received any salary since international sanctions were placed on
    Hamas. Laith's father, a local schoolteacher, told international
    volunteers working in Bil'In how his family had been crippled,
    first by the loss of access to their lands, then by the loss of
    their salaries and now the loss of its sons. The families cannot
    afford to pay the Israeli fines and are appealing to the
    solidarity movement to help free Mohammed and Laith. (Details of
    how to make a donation to their legal fund are at
    www.palsolidarity.org

    While the two teenagers have been locked up, the village's
    struggle against the annexation barrier has continued. Protests
    are held every Friday and remain a focus of non-violent resistance
    to the Israeli occupation. After a demo on October 6th, Israeli
    border police, who had invaded Bil'In firing sound bombs and tear
    gas, arrested Reuters cameraman Emad Bornat for 'assault on an
    officer'. He is currently in detention at Ofer Prison. Emad had
    been invaluable in refuting Israeli accusations against villagers
    because of his filming of countless arrests, including those of
    Laith and Mohammed.

    Two weeks ago villagers marched to the site of the annexation
    barrier with a banner displaying a picture of a camera and the
    words 'Their eyes will not stop recording Israeli war crimes', in
    protest at the Israeli police and army's attempt to silence the
    media. Last Friday the barrier was breached and villagers broke
    through on to the settler-only road close to their confiscated
    lands. Today (Oct 27th) a huge demo is planned to mark the end of
    Ramadan, and the upcoming hearings of three petitions on the
    illegality of the annexation barrier in Bil'In, at the High Court
    of Justice in Jerusalem.

    * November 12-16th is the International Week of Action against the
    Apartheid Wall in Palestine see www.stopthewall.org for details,
    for UK actions see www.palestinecampaign.org

    ------------------------------------------------------------------

    Media Sources on Palestine

    www.imemc.org - Independent Middle-East Media Centre
    www.palsolidarity.org - International Solidarity movement campaign
    against the occupation
    www.electronicintifada.net - Palestine's Weapon of Mass
    Instruction
    www.stopthewall.org - Up to date info from the anti-wall movement
    And there's more at
    www.bigcampaign.org
    www.palestinecampaign.org
    www.brightonpalestine.org

    SchNEWS Issue 566 - 27th October 2006,

    FFI on SchNEWS contact schnews@brighton.co.uk
    or www.schnews.org.uk/archive/news566.htm


    Friday 08 September 2006
    BristolComputers4Palestine Mailing Number 3

    Dear All,

    Mailings
    This is the third of the occasional mailings on this new project. I've sent the whole list as "blind copy" so your email addresses aren't visible. If for any reason you don't want to remain on the mailing list drop me a reply. Conversely, if you know of someone, or a group, who should be on the list let me know.

    ZAYTOUN OLIVE HARVEST TOUR 2006
    International Solidarity is vital to the Palestinians, especially during the Olive Harvest time. This is traditionally the high-point in the Palestinian calendar, but also the time when Settler and Army interference can cause greatest economic damage.

    If you've ever thought of visiting Palestine, come and help with the Olive Harvest THIS autumn.

    There are many faith and solidarity groups that organise trips for the harvest. I went last year with Zaytoun, the cooperative that distributes Palestinian olive oil in the UK. I found them most suited to activists, and also probably the cheapest! Our group stayed with local people in small rural towns in the West Bank for just a few pounds per night. We got to know the local people very well through direct contact, plus visits to schools etc.

    The Zaytoun trip this autumn will run from 5th to 19th November (although you can stay for longer if you wish.)

    A condition of the trip is you must attend a training weekend. This will be held in London from Friday 15th to Sunday 17th September and will include non-violence training, cultural orientation, and other general matters. Further information on Zaytoun including reports from last years harvest group can be found at www.zaytoun.org If you're interested email me back at edwardhill1@yahoo.co.uk


    The film - the next showings
    The film showings at the Bristol Islamic Cultural Fayre at the end of August went very well and many more events are in the Calendar.

    Saturday 30th September at the Horfield Friends Meeting House on Gloucester Road, Bristol. As part of a study day on Palestine and ways forward in ending the Occupation. The day runs 10am to 2pm, bring a shared lunch. The retiring collection is split between Computers4Palestine and the Ecumenical Accompaniment programme for Palestine and Israel (EAPPI). David Mowat, who met some Twinning group members in April when they visited Bethlehem whilst he was on a 3 month stint observing check points and supporting nonviolent resistance will speak with slides about what he saw. There will be joint action at the end of the morning, at least letter writing but maybe more. FFI David Mowat bigbromo@yahoo.co.uk

    Sunday 1st October at the Kebele Cafe, Robertson Road, Easton, Bristol. Palestinian dinner at 6pm (donations) followed by the Ed Hill film plus several other free films on Palestine. FFI contact Kebele or edwardhill1@yahoo.co.uk

    And planning ahead:-

    Tuesday 28th November (TBC) at the Horfield Friends Meeting House on Gloucester Road, Bristol. Buffet from 6.30 pm and talk and film from 7.30 pm. This evening will include an eye-witness report back from recent events in Palestine.

    Several other meetings and film shows are at the planning stage including other faith & campaign groups, student groups, and in other towns. But I'm still very keen to show the film and talk to other groups in Bristol and in the region. These could range from large public meetings to gatherings of friends and neighbours. If you have an idea please get in touch now to edwardhill1@yahoo.co.uk


    Sales of the book and the film
    Don't hold back on placing your orders through the website. The site is doing very well and has had many hundreds of hits now. Visit it at www.BristolComputers4Palestine.co.uk

    Zaytoun
    You've all heard so much about Palestinian Olive Oil you may want to buy some. If you live in the Bristol area - email me via the website for details. For elsewhere in the UK visit www.zaytoun.org to find your local stockist or supplier.


    Some repeated but important info from the last mailing:-
    History
    If you don't know the history of this project, here is a brief outline. During the Zaytoun Olive Harvest tour in November 2005 (www.zaytoun.org) our group stayed in the small Palestinian town of Marda. The town was already under a lot of pressure from the Israelis, but since our return security fences have now been completed cutting the town off completely with it's only entrance via a metal gate which can be locked shut by the Israeli Army. IWPS (www.iwps.info) sent through pictures of the fence and gate, and a report that a closure has happened already, lasting for more than a day. I am in email correspondence with the town and they have asked for computers to set up a computer centre in the town. Education is highly valued but the junior school in the town has only one old computer to be used by the youngsters, only available during school hours. A computer centre in the town could be open in evenings and school holidays and be available to the whole community for educational and recreational use. Use of email and the web would reduce the isolation the town so obviously feels and help resist it's gradual strangulation by the Israelis.

    Website
    I have published all this information on a new website at www.BristolComputers4Palestine.co.uk
    Visit the site and let me know what you think. Recommend this project to friends and other campaigners.

    Shipments
    Since I launched this project I have been inundated with offers of old desktop computers from local schools etc. These are typically about ten years old Pentium-3 series with a 500 Mega Hertz processor and running Windows 98. The current plan is to work with a Bristol based charity who have collected school books for Palestine. We plan to hire shipping containers for the books and computers. I would aim to send a "test batch" of computers before proceeding to a larger number. I am currently checking out customs and import duties on second hand goods and getting feedback from other groups on whether the Israelis obstruct or block such imports.

    Laptops
    Our first shipment of computers was to have been this month. Unfortunately this plan is currently stalled because the British Council, who would be receiving our shipments, have currently withdrawn from Ramallah. I may have to fall back on "Plan B" which would be to transport laptop computers instead. So donations of laptops, digital cameras, and especially money would be gratefully received.

    Donations
    We urgently need donations of money, large or small, so we can plan this project. Full details are on the website. You can post cheques (payable to BRISTOL COMPUTERS 4 PALESTINE) to Box 110, c/o 82 Colston Street, BRISTOL BS1 5BB. To discuss other matters you can email me at EdwardHill1@yahoo.co.uk

    Political Pressure
    Our Government gives tacit support for Israeli actions, which are massively bank-rolled by America. Every dead civilian in Gaza and Lebanon, and every link in the fence around the town of Marda, is paid for by America and approved of by the British Government. Write at once to your MP at House of Commons, Westminster, LONDON SW1A 0AA. Find out which constituency you are in, who your local MP is and how to contact them. You can search by postcode, by name or by constituency at www.parliament.uk/ Or email your MP via www.writetothem.com/


    In East Bristol we have launched a post card campaign to our MP Kerry McCarthy. We already have over four hundred postcards signed and aim to double this in the next couple of weeks. We will present the postcards with a photo-opportunity for the local media and use the cards to spell out the hundreds of Palestinians dead or injured since the incursion into Gaza in June. If anyone can help me with that I'd be pleased to hear back from you. Contact me at EdwardHill1@yahoo.co.uk

    Friday 18th August 2006
    BristolComputers4Palestine Mailing Number 2

    Dear All,

    Mailings
    This is the second of the occasional mailings on this new project. I've sent the whole list as "blind copy" so your email addresses aren't visible. If for any reason you don't want to remain on the mailing list drop me a reply. Conversely, if you know of someone, or a group, who should be on the list let me know.

    The film "Our Sufferings in the Land"
    The evening of Palestinian films at the Cube cinema last Monday went tremendously well. Thanks to the Indymedia people for advertising it so well, and with the big article in the Evening Post, the little cinema was packed with over a hundred people. Opening with Corine's short films on House Demolitions and the Interviews With Politicians sparked a lively discussion. Then "Our sufferings in this land" filled the main slot. Despite being an hour and twenty minutes long the audience seemed hooked. The discussion and conversations afterwards confirmed it had been informative and thought-provoking.

    I've also distributed copies to my colleagues who were part of the Olive Harvest tour last autumn who have given me very positive feedback:-

    "fantastic...what work you have put into it....I relived our two weeks...your choice of music and the whole narrative very well done....I have shown it to quite a few people --- all impressed....I want some more"..................Noirin

    "the whole film bought back lots of memories, both happy and sad"................Sam

    "Thanks for the fantastic DVD.....will be needing some more copies...can't believe it's so professional".....Jen

    "Many many thanks......yesterday I got your film and informations" ..................Gunter in Germany


    "looks fantastic - and it's particularly wonderful to hear the voices of the farmers, and to see the families as they work and eat in the groves - a true glimpse of the beauty of Palestine...... would be good to have a showing at the training"................Cathi

    Having said that, seeing it on the big screen I could see some parts that need to be re-edited and a tweaked version will be emerging shortly. But don't hold back on placing your orders through the website. The site is doing very well and has had hundreds of hits already. Visit it at www.BristolComputers4Palestine.co.uk

    And don't forget I'm available for bookings for talks and showings at meetings and groups. Again, contact me through the website.

    The film - the next showing
    I've just arranged the next showing. It will be this Sunday 20th August as part of the Bristol Islamic Cultural Fayre to be held from 12.00 noon til 6.00pm in Eastville Park, Bristol (Power and weather permitting). Look out for our Juice Bar, the Palestine Solidarity Stall, and our mini-cinema which should be grouped together and all flying Palestinian flags. FFI visit www.bmcs.org.uk

    Zaytoun
    You've all heard so much about Palestinian Olive Oil you may want to buy some. If you live in the Bristol area - email me via the website for details.

    And if seeing the film encourages you to consider join the Zaytoun Olive Harvest trip this November, now is the time to apply. There will be a training weekend in September which is a definite must. And the trip itself is potentially a life-changing experience. Here's the latest info from Zaytoun and you can contact them direct for further details:-

    The olive harvest 2006
    Zaytoun is inviting you to join us for the 2006 olive harvest in Palestine. We are running two trips: an activist trip to accompany farmers in the olive groves and meetings based tour to meet with our suppliers. We have been running trips with Zaytoun customers and supporters over the last couple of years, we and our suppliers take great joy from the opportunity to accompany you during the Palestinian olive harvest. Our experience of these visits to Palestine has been one of receiving phenomenal hospitality, meeting inspirational people, witnessing amazing human endurance, learning, forging a deep and growing connection with Palestine and eating a lot of delicious food. See our website for more details. http://www.zaytoun.org/harvest/


    Civil Liberties and Censorship
    Some of us have been out demonstrating here in Bristol, and we found that more of our civil liberties had disappeared!

    Last week there was a vigil outside the office of Raytheon - they make the electronic guidance systems for the missiles that America is supplying to Israel to use on Southern Lebanon. My garb for such events is a dark suit & hat, plus a skull mask. I've worn it before on several occasions and it usually gets a picture in the newspapers. But not this time. A copper bounds up and shouts, yes shouts, "Get the mask off"! On further discussion, he concedes there is no Section 60 order for the day to remove face-coverings, but he's threatening to arrest me under Section 5 for causing "harassment, alarm, or distress". This phrase could neatly sum up the suffering of the civilians in Southern Lebanon where Raytheon's missiles are landing, as illustrated by photos on the placard being held by the chap next to me. The way the copper is going on, we're likely to end up in the same cell. At which point I'm thinking it would be worth going to court to argue that wearing a skull mask and holding pictures of dying civilians is very appropriate outside the office of an arms company.

    As well as a loss of civil liberties, it's also a form of censorship too. Which reminds me, although the Evening Post has carried my articles well (see Media Coverage button on the website) another major newspaper in this area "pulled" my article as being "too controversial". This is the first time in my life I've been threatened with arrest for wearing a Halloween mask and been censored, all in the same week!

    BTW Did you read the email from last week about the City2City delegation from Birmingham to Ramallah including an MP and leader of the Trades council, and the City Council, which had been arranged prior with Israeli Embassy in London, being abused and turned back at Tel Aviv airport and deported after 13 hours?

    Laptops
    Our first shipment of computers was to have been this month. But the British Council, who were an essential link in the chain, have withdrawn from Ramallah and we've been knocked back to maybe the spring. In the mean time I'm planning that activists could all take one laptop computer out in their luggage. So if anyone out there has an old laptop computer, now is the time to donate it to Palestine


    Some repeated but important info from the last mailing:-
    History
    If you don't know the history of this project, here is a brief outline. During the Zaytoun Olive Harvest tour in November 2005 (www.zaytoun.org) our group stayed in the small Palestinian town of Marda. The town was already under a lot of pressure from the Israelis, but since our return security fences have now been completed cutting the town off completely with it's only entrance via a metal gate which can be locked shut by the Israeli Army. IWPS (www.iwps.info) sent through pictures of the fence and gate, and a report that a closure has happened already, lasting for more than a day. I am in email correspondence with the town and they have asked for computers to set up a computer centre in the town. Education is highly valued but the junior school in the town has only one old computer to be used by the youngsters, only available during school hours. A computer centre in the town could be open in evenings and school holidays and be available to the whole community for educational and recreational use. Use of email and the web would reduce the isolation the town so obviously feels and help resist it's gradual strangulation by the Israelis.

    Website
    I have published all this information on a new website at www.BristolComputers4Palestine.co.uk
    Visit the site and let me know what you think.
    Recommend this project to friends and other campaigners.

    Shipments
    Since I launched this project I have been inundated with offers of old desktop computers from local schools etc. These are typically about ten years old Pentium-3 series with a 500 Mega Hertz processor and running Windows 98. The current plan is to work with a Bristol based charity who have collected school books for Palestine. We plan to hire shipping containers for the books and computers. I would aim to send a "test batch" of computers before proceeding to a larger number. I am currently checking out customs and import duties on second hand goods and getting feedback from other groups on whether the Israelis obstruct or block such imports.

    Unfortunately this plan is currently stalled because the British Council, who would be receiving our shipments, have currently withdrawn from Ramallah. I may have to fall back on "Plan B" which would be to transport laptop computers instead. So donations of laptops, digital cameras, and especially money would be gratefully received.

    Donations
    We urgently need donations of money, large or small, so we can plan this project. Full details are on the website. You can post cheques (payable to BRISTOL COMPUTERS 4 PALESTINE) to Box 110, c/o 82 Colston Street, BRISTOL BS1 5BB. To discuss other matters you can email me at EdwardHill1@yahoo.co.uk

    Political Pressure
    Anyone following the news over the last week will have been shocked to hear our Government is siding with the Americans in refusing to call for a cease-fire in Lebanon. This is yet another proof that our Government gives tacit support for Israeli actions, which are massively bank-rolled by America. Every dead civilian in Gaza and Lebanon, and every link in the fence around the town of Marda, is paid for by America and approved of by the British Government.


    Write at once to your MP at House of Commons, Westminster, LONDON SW1A 0AA.


    Find out which constituency you are in, who your local MP is and how to contact them. You can search by postcode, by name or by constituency at www.parliament.uk/ Or email your MP via www.writetothem.com/


    In East Bristol I want to launch a post card campaign. If anyone can help me with that I'd be pleased to hear back from you,

    Contact me at EdwardHill1@yahoo.co.uk


    Wednesday 26th July 2006
    BristolComputers4Palestine Mailing Number 1

    Dear All,


    Mailings
    I've decided to start sending out occasional mailings on this new project. I've sent the whole list as "blind copy" so your email addresses aren't visible. If for any reason you don't want to remain on the mailing list drop me a reply. Conversely, if you know of someone, or a group, who should be on the list let me know.


    History
    If you don't know the history of this project, here is a brief outline. During the Zaytoun Olive Harvest tour in November 2005 (www.zaytoun.org) our group stayed in the small Palestinian town of Marda. The town was already under a lot of pressure from the Israelis, but since our return security fences have now been completed cutting the town off completely with it's only entrance via a metal gate which can be locked shut by the Israeli Army. IWPS (www.iwps.info) sent through pictures of the fence and gate, and a report that a closure has happened already, lasting for more than a day. I am in email correspondence with the town and they have asked for computers to set up a computer centre in the town. Education is highly valued but the junior school in the town has only one old computer to be used by the youngsters, only available during school hours. A computer centre in the town could be open in evenings and school holidays and be available to the whole community for educational and recreational use. Use of email and the web would reduce the isolation the town so obviously feels and help resist it's gradual strangulation by the Israelis.


    Website
    I have published all this information on a new website at www.BristolComputers4Palestine.co.uk
    Visit the site and let me know what you think.
    Recommend this project to friends and other campaigners.


    Shipments
    Since I launched this project I have been inundated with offers of old desktop computers from local schools etc. These are typically about ten years old Pentium-3 series with a 500 Mega Hertz processor and running Windows 98. The current plan is to work with a Bristol based charity who have collected school books for Palestine. We plan to hire shipping containers for the books and computers. I would aim to send a "test batch" of computers before proceeding to a larger number. I am currently checking out customs and import duties on second hand goods and getting feedback from other groups on whether the Israelis obstruct or block such imports.

    Unfortunately this plan is currently stalled because the British Council, who would be receiving our shipments, have currently withdrawn from Ramallah. I may have to fall back on "Plan B" which would be to transport laptop computers instead. So donations of laptops, digital cameras, and especially money would be gratefully received.


    Donations
    We urgently need donations of money, large or small, so we can plan this project. Full details are on the website. You can post cheques (payable to BRISTOL COMPUTERS 4 PALESTINE) to Box 110, c/o 82 Colston Street, BRISTOL BS1 5BB. To discuss other matters you can email me at EdwardHill1@yahoo.co.uk


    Support
    I've just received a ringing endorsement from my local MP, Kerry McCarthy, Bristol East MP. Here is her quote:-

    "I very much support the appeal for computers and digital cameras for Palestine, which I am sure will be put to good use in schools, youth groups, and within the general community. There is a dire shortage in Palestine of such resources, and this initiative will provide much needed help for those Palestinians who are trying to achieve an education in very difficult circumstances.


    "I have visited the West Bank twice, most recently as an Election Observer at the January 2006 elections. I was deeply concerned by the extent to which the economy has suffered as a result of the Israeli occupation, including severe restrictions on freedom of movement, the confiscation of land, the building of illegal settlements, the construction of the separation wall and significant damage to infrastructure caused by military incursions.


    "Recent developments in Gaza, and now in Lebanon, have made hopes for peace in the Middle East seem like a distant prospect, but we must do all we can to ensure that the peace process is resurrected and a two-state solution - with security from terrorism for Israel and a viable Palestinian state - is achieved.


    "In the meantime, we must do what we can to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people, any contribution, no matter how small, can make a real difference. I would therefore urge people to support this appeal ".


    Publicity

    My aim is to use the practical support as a means of achieving as much media attention as possible. My guess is many people feel helpless and perhaps overwhelmed when they hear the distressing news of Gaza and now Lebanon on the news. And perhaps the scale and complexity are too great to fully grasp. I feel that by narrowing down onto the story of just the town of Marda, which has committed no crime other than to be too close to the (illegal) settlement of Ariel, we have a more human scale story which illustrated the injustice everywhere. I will be aiming for local media coverage as this project progresses, so that people in Bristol will be better informed of the injustice being committed in Palestine and the Middle East in general. Press cuttings etc will be posted on the web site.


    Political Pressure

    Anyone following the news over the last week will have been shocked to hear our Government is siding with the Americans in refusing to call for a cease-fire in Lebanon. This is yet another proof that our Government gives tacit support for Israeli actions, which are massively bank-rolled by America. Every dead civilian in Gaza and Lebanon, and every link in the fence around the town of Marda, is paid for by America and approved of by the British Government.


    Write at once to your MP at House of Commons, Westminster, LONDON SW1A 0AA.


    Find out which constituency you are in, who your local MP is and how to contact them. You can search by postcode, by name or by constituency at www.parliament.uk/ Or email your MP via www.writetothem.com/


    In East Bristol I want to launch a post card campaign. If anyone can help me with that I'd be pleased to hear back from you,

    Contact me at EdwardHill1@yahoo.co.uk


    The Film

    And finally ........... the film is almost finished and I will be copying a sample batch onto DVD next week. You can order your own copy and the book via the website. I want as many groups and individuals to see this film as possible which I have aimed to be a concise introduction to the issues of Palestine. I also want it to be an advertisement for the good work that Zaytoun and IWPS do, and to encourage other people to join the Olive Harvest tours this autumn. Locally, I have two bookings for showings at the Big Green gathering at the end of July. And I am available to talks and meetings throughout my region. The premiere on a big screen is thanks to Bristol Indymedia as shown below:-


    (If you live locally feel free to print this off as a flier)

    Bristol Indymedia Film Premieres


    Monday August 7th 2006 @ Cube Cinema. Doors open 7.30pm, film
    starts at 8pm. Tickets £2/3 though nobody turned away for lack of funds.

    Bristol Indymedia/Bristol Palestine Solidarity Campaign
    presents
    An evening of independent films on Palestine

    Including first showing of new short made by local film maker Corine Dhondee on House Demolitions in East Jerusalem

    A selection of shorts made by Palestinian film-makers.

    Followed by the first ever showing of a the first feature length documentary by Bristol activist and filmmaker Ed Hill. Ed visited Palestine on a two week Olive Harvest trip organised by Zaytoun (the UK cooperative that imports Palestinian olive oil) and the International Women's Peace Service, back in November 2005. He also visited an Orphanage in the northern town of Tulkarm to deliver money raised by the Bristol PSC group. Using a pocket video camera he has recorded his experiences and his film aims to present a complete explanation of the history, politics, geography, and culture of Palestine. It dramatically explains the construction of the Separation Wall/Fence, the checkpoints, the Apartheid system of passes, separate road networks, the continual military oppression and the creeping ethnic-cleansing, together with the spirited culture and resistance of a brave people. Through interviews with farmers, teachers, activists, and ordinary people, woven together with the story of the trip Ed gives us a personal view of Palestine and seeks understanding of world pol