Letter to HRC members on atrocity prevention priorities at the Council’s 52nd session from Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect

PLEASE TAKE ACTION RIGHT NOW AND SEND YOUR LETTER TO THE UN OFFICE OF THE SPECIAL ADVISER ON THE PREVENTION OF GENOCIDE AND THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT PROSECUTOR.

The HRC plays an essential role in the prevention of mass atrocity crimes by responding to situations where populations are at risk of, or are experiencing, genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity or ethnic cleansing. During its 44th session in July 2020 the HRC adopted Resolution 44/14 on the Responsibility to Protect (R2P), recognizing the important contribution of the UN human rights system in addressing situations where there is a risk of atrocity crimes being committed. This is in line with the Council’s prevention mandate, enshrined in General Assembly Resolution 60/251, which stipulates that it shall “contribute, through dialogue and cooperation, towards the prevention of human rights violations and respond promptly to human rights emergencies.”

As a current member of the HRC we strongly urge you to uphold this shared commitment to prevent atrocity crimes. The Global Centre respectfully encourages you to consider the following recommendations as you engage in the 52nd regular session:

… During its 52nd session, the HRC will have an opportunity to discuss numerous other atrocity situations. We respectfully urge your delegation to actively participate in the interactive dialogues with the High Commissioner and the Designated Expert on Sudan, the Special Rapporteurs on Afghanistan and Iran and with the International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia, the Fact-Finding Missions on Venezuela and Libya, and on the High Commissioner’s report on the Occupied Palestinian Territory. We also urge you to participate in the Enhanced Interactive Dialogue on human rights in Eritrea and on the Democratic Republic of the Congo and in the High-level dialogue on the Central African Republic. During the General Debate under Item 4, we respectfully urge your delegation to note that possible atrocity crimes are also currently being committed in Cameroon, the Central Sahel, Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Mozambique, and Nigeria, and that the international community must do more to uphold its collective responsibility to protect.

Continue reading at https://www.globalr2p.org/publications/letter-to-hrc-members-on-atrocity-prevention-priorities-at-the-councils-52nd-session/

CODEPINK Disrupts Yael Golan’s propaganda-filled presentation by Code Pink

PLEASE TAKE ACTION RIGHT NOW AND SEND YOUR LETTER TO THE UN OFFICE OF THE SPECIAL ADVISER ON THE PREVENTION OF GENOCIDE AND THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT PROSECUTOR.

WASHINGTON — On Saturday, CODEPINK organizer Olivia DiNucci and a Palestinian-American activist disrupted Yael Golan, Consul, Director, South Region USA, Israel Ministry of Tourism at the Travel and Adventure Show in the Washington DC Walter Reed Convention Center. The disruption occurred when Golan delivered her speech titled, Israel: Where History Meets the Future. The purpose of the disruption was to bring attention to the grotesque retelling of Israel’s false history and promoting a promising future that is built off the genocide of Palestinians to drive up tourism. 

Continue reading at https://www.codepink.org/codepink_disrupts_yael_golan_s_propaganda_filled_presentation

Recreating the Holocaust in their own image by Owei Lakemfa

LEASE TAKE ACTION RIGHT NOW AND SEND YOUR LETTER TO THE UN OFFICE OF THE SPECIAL ADVISER ON THE PREVENTION OF GENOCIDE AND THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT PROSECUTOR.

However, that a people were victims of genocide does not mean they would condemn the next genocide or even not perpetuate their own. This is the case of the genocide being carried out against the Palestinians by the Israeli state. This has gone on for decades, yet the ‘international community’ is not only silent, but states like  the United States of America, USA has never hidden its full support for the Israeli  establishment which is perpetrating these crimes against humanity.

Israel has in the last few years become even more emboldened to perpetrate its genocide against the Palestinians following the accession of President Joe Biden to power in the USA. In a speech in July, 2022, Biden said: “seeing Israel thrive, seeing the wildest dreams of Israel’s founding fathers and mothers grow into a reality that Israel’s children enjoy today, to me is close to miraculous…A nation that has forged peace before and can do it again…And a nation that will never dwell alone, because as long as there’s the United States you will never be alone.”

Continue reading at https://thenewsguru.com/columnist/recreating-the-holocaust-in-their-own-image-by-owei-lakemfa/

UT students, community members protest Israeli-American Council Summit on The Daily Texan

PLEASE TAKE ACTION RIGHT NOW AND SEND YOUR LETTER TO THE UN OFFICE OF THE SPECIAL ADVISER ON THE PREVENTION OF GENOCIDE AND THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT PROSECUTOR.

Facing the entrance to the Fairmont Hotel, over 125 students and community members gathered on Saturday in downtown Austin to demand the shutdown of the Israeli-American Council  National Summit. The annual IAC Summit was held this year to celebrate “Israel’s 75th birthday”… Protesters gathered on 2nd St. at Sir Swante Neighborhood Park, chanting and holding signs which read “Free Palestine” and “#ShutDownIAC.” The protest was organized by Shut Down IAC, a campaign led by UT student organization Palestine Solidarity Committee in conjunction with other pro-Palestine groups from across the state.

Organizers from Shut Down IAC also said that they protested the Summit because it normalized Israeli occupation and falsely presented the Israeli state as progressive and peaceful. “They cover up their war crimes through tactics known as rainbow washing in order to appeal to liberals and progressives,” said a member of PSC during a speech. “They’re rebranding a country founded upon the genocide of Palestinians as a welcoming place for all people.” 

Continue reading at https://thedailytexan.com/2023/01/23/ut-students-community-members-protest-israeli-american-council-summit/

Palestine solidarity week of action across SE Michigan by Jacob Smith

PLEASE TAKE ACTION RIGHT NOW AND SEND YOUR LETTER TO THE UN OFFICE OF THE SPECIAL ADVISER ON THE PREVENTION OF GENOCIDE AND THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT PROSECUTOR.

Dearborn, MI – The Palestinian Youth Movement-Detroit and Students Allied for Freedom and Equality, with support from Freedom Road Socialist Organization members, kicked off the week of solidarity work on January 12 supporting a demonstration by Students Allied for Freedom and Equality (SAFE). When U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris visited the University of Michigan for a speaking event on the environment, SAFE took the opportunity to let passersby on campus know that VP Harris is a stalwart supporter of genocide in Palestine.

Continue reading at http://www.fightbacknews.org/2023/1/22/palestine-solidarity-week-action-across-se-michigan

Students protest Kamala Harris speech in Ann Arbor, University of Michigan by Brendan Gutenschwager

PLEASE TAKE ACTION RIGHT NOW AND SEND YOUR LETTER TO THE UN OFFICE OF THE SPECIAL ADVISER ON THE PREVENTION OF GENOCIDE AND THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT PROSECUTOR.

“Kamala, Kamala you can’t hide, you’re committing genocide!”

Continue watching at https://twitter.com/BGOnTheScene/status/1613631273498513417

Killing and land taking has nothing to do with anti-semitism. It is genocide by Jamie Zahlaway Belsito

PLEASE TAKE ACTION RIGHT NOW AND SEND YOUR LETTER TO THE UN OFFICE OF THE SPECIAL ADVISER ON THE PREVENTION OF GENOCIDE AND THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT PROSECUTOR.

Continue reading at https://twitter.com/JamieBelsito/status/1608662031162568704

Israeli Human Rights Groups Call on U.S. to Sanction Ben-Gvir, Smotrich Over Human Rights Violations by Ben Samuels on Ha’aretz

PLEASE TAKE ACTION RIGHT NOW AND SEND YOUR LETTER TO THE UN OFFICE OF THE SPECIAL ADVISER ON THE PREVENTION OF GENOCIDE AND THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT PROSECUTOR.

Israeli Human Rights Groups Call on U.S. to Sanction Ben-Gvir, Smotrich Over Human Rights Violations The letter, signed by more than 200 Israeli activists and human-rights organizations, accused incoming coalition lawmakers and their far-right allies as, among other things, inciting genocide against the Palestinian people and advocating for racial segregation.

Continue reading at https://web.archive.org/web/20221116164338/https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2022-11-15/ty-article/.premium/israeli-activists-call-on-u-s-to-sanction-ben-gvir-smotrich-over-human-rights-violations/00000184-7ca9-d5ea-a1be-fcfd724b0000

Response Mixed to PC(USA) Labeling Israeli Occupation of Palestinian Lands as Apartheid by Eric Ledermann on The Presbyterian Outlook

PLEASE TAKE ACTION RIGHT NOW AND SEND YOUR LETTER TO THE UN OFFICE OF THE SPECIAL ADVISER ON THE PREVENTION OF GENOCIDE AND THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT PROSECUTOR.

In June 2022, the 225th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), following decades of debates, voted overwhelmingly in support of Overture INT-02, declaring the Israeli government’s occupation and treatment of the Palestinian people and lands to be named as “apartheid.” Though INT-02 passed the committee with a vote of 90% and by the whole assembly with 70% of the vote, the response both inside and outside the denomination has been mixed.

… Despite efforts within the rationale of the overture and in the letter from the ten former moderators to clarify the overture is about the laws, policies and behaviors of the government of Israel, and not the people of Israel or Jewish people in general, the responses from many corners of the Jewish community in the U.S. and abroad have been highly critical.

… The American Jewish Committee (AJC) responded, saying, “The Presbyterian Church has been hijacked by anti-Israel activists,” claiming that over the years the PC(USA) has “flirted with or crossed over to antisemitism.”

According to a survey conducted in 2021 by the Jewish Electorate Institute, only 25% of U.S. Jewish voters agree that Israel is an apartheid state, with 22% agreeing that Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people.

Continue reading at https://pres-outlook.org/2022/10/response-mixed-to-pcusa-labeling-israeli-occupation-of-palestinian-lands-as-apartheid/

Statement on UW Madison’s Response to Anti-Zionist Sidewalk Chalk by Madison for Palestine

PLEASE TAKE ACTION RIGHT NOW AND SEND YOUR LETTER TO THE UN OFFICE OF THE SPECIAL ADVISER ON THE PREVENTION OF GENOCIDE AND THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT PROSECUTOR.

Put simply, we will not allow the oppressor to control the narrative. To that end, it appears that the leaders of the university and the zionist organizations are more offended by the implication of racism and genocide, written in sidewalk chalk that will be washed away on the next rainy day, than the actual racism and genocide of the Palestinian people. 

Continue reading at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qP2zO0iAZCGLI1swKjbVAYRLOhKE0Tzi4nr-jdnjWME/edit