Open Letter

Call to coordinate Israeli Apartheid Week with international day to eliminate racism

100+ European groups joined a Palestinian call to coordinate Israeli Apartheid Week events with International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination activities on March 21

IAW anti-racism 2.18.2020.png

Photo by Guillaume Paumier

A call from Palestinian civil society to groups and organizations fighting racism and racial discrimination in Europe

Concerning: Public awareness-raising and mobilization on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, 21 March 2020

We, the undersigned organizations of Palestinian civil society, appreciate and commend the efforts of progressive civil society in Europe for social justice, democracy and inclusive societies without racism and racial discrimination. We are writing to encourage you to coordinate and cooperate with groups and individuals that organize Israeli Apartheid Week events in your area when you mobilize for the 2020 International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

Apartheid is an extreme form of racism. Expert studies of legal scholars and human rights organizations  confirm that Israel’s system of racial discrimination and oppression of the Palestinian people meets the definition of apartheid in international law. Israeli Apartheid Week (IAW) has been organized annually for many years in order to raise public awareness of Israel's system of apartheid. Conscientious people and organizations worldwide have used the IAW as an opportunity for calling on governments and business enterprises to stop supporting and profiting from Israel's violations of Palestinian rights, and to isolate Israeli apartheid in the same way apartheid in South Africa was isolated, until it fully respects international law and Palestinian human rights.

In 2020, Israeli Apartheid Week will take place in the period around the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on 21 March, the day designated by the United Nations to commemorate the massacre committed by the South African Apartheid regime in Sharpeville where police killed 69 black South Africans.

Students, grassroots groups and organizations active in solidarity with the Palestinian people in your region will organize IAW events around 21 March. They are seeking to join and support the wider anti-racist movement in public awareness-raising and mobilizations organized on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. Groups will take the streets against all forms of racism, linking Israeli apartheid with other types of racism and denouncing all of them.

From Palestine, we ask you to coordinate and cooperate with IAW organizers in your country. We call on you to incorporate IAW activities in events you are preparing for March 2020 against other forms of racism and racial discrimination, and to join and support those fighting racism against the Palestinian people.

Let’s unite against racism and join forces against all forms of racial discrimination and oppression, and for a world where there is freedom, justice, equality and dignity for all.

 

Occupied Palestine, 29 November 2019: Signatories

General Union of Palestinian Workers
Palestinian Union of Postal, IT and Telecommunication Workers
Palestinian NGO Network (PNGO)
Palestinian National Institute for NGOs
Federation of Independent Trade Unions
Global Palestine Right of Return Coalition
Occupied Palestine and Syrian Golan Heights Initiative (OPGAI)
General Union of Palestinian Teachers
General Union of Palestinian Women
Grassroots Palestinian Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign (STW)
Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI)
Popular Struggle Coordination Committee (PSCC)
Coalition for Jerusalem
Union of Palestinian Charitable Organizations
Women’s Campaign to Boycott Israeli Products

 

This call from Palestinian civil society is supported by: Signatories

Belgium
CNAPD, la Coordination Nationale d'action pour la Paix et la Démocratie National (peace and democracy group)

Denmark
BJMF (Construction workers union)
International Forum (anti-racist anti-imperialist solidarity group)
Demos (anti-fascist and anti-imperialist organization)
Global Aktion (solidarity movement)

France
Union syndicale Solidaires (trade union)
Réseau syndical international de solidarité et de luttes
La gueule noire (social center)
Collectif de Réflexion d’Action et d’Analyses Postcoloniales (CRAAP) (anti-colonial group)
Union Juive Française pour la paix (Jewish peace group)
Solidarité et liberté Provence – Association de lutte pour les droits humains (solidarity group)
ACAT Marseille (anti-torture, anti-death penalty group)
Les Sampianes (feminist group)
Réseaux citoyens de Saint-Etienne (local network for citizenship)
Mouvement pour une Alternative Non violente (anti-violence group)
FSU 67 (local branch of teachers’ union)
Mouvement contre le racisme et pour l’amitié entre les peuples (MRAP) (anti-racist group)
CIMADE (refugee group)
Réseau Éducation Sans Frontières (RESF) 63 (local branch of refugee group)
UNEF Auvergne (regional branch of student union)
UD CGT 63 (regional branch of trade union)
CRIDEV (documentation center )

Germany
Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions - ICAHD-Deutschland
Jüdische Stimme für gerechten Frieden in Nahost - EJJP
(Jewish Peace group)
LAG Gerechter Frieden in Nahost, DIE LINKE Niedersachsen (“The Left” political party’s working group on Middle East peace)
Internationales Fluchtmuseum e.V. (international refugee museum)
Jüdisch-Palästinensische Dialoggruppe München (Jewish-Palestinian dialogue group in Munich)

Greece
Δίκτυο για τα Πολιτικά και Κοινωνικά Δικαιώματα (political and social rights network)
Συνάντηση για μια Αντικαπιταλιστική Διεθνιστική Αριστερά (anti-capitalist group)
Α΄ ΕΛΜΕ Αχαΐας (regional branch teachers trade union)
Συνεταιρισμός Χωρίς Μεσάζοντες Γαλατσίου (consumer cooperative)
Κοινωνικός και Πολιτιστικός Χώρος “Παίρνω Αμπάριζα” (cultural center)
Δημοτική Κίνηση Γαλατσίου “Γαλάτσι ο Τόπος μου” (municipal movement)
Το ΜΩΒ - Οργάνωση Γυναικείων Δικαιωμάτων (feminist group)
AARG! - Action Against Regeneration & Gentrification (anti-gentrification group)
ΚΕΕΡΦΑ - Κίνηση Ενωμένοι Ενάντια στο Ρατσισμό και την Φασιστική Απειλή (anti-racist and anti-fascist group)
Ελεύθερος Κοινωνικός Χώρος Nosotros (social center)
Το Δημοτικό Συμβούλιο Χαλανδρίου (municipality of Chalandri)
ΑΝΤΑΡΣΙΑ ΣΤΙΣ ΓΕΙΤΟΝΙΕΣ ΤΗΣ ΑΘΗΝΑΣ (local political party)
Καλλιτεχνική Ομάδα Ήριννα – Compagnie Erinna (theatre group)  
Ενιαίο Κοινωνικό Μέτωπο Εξαρχείων (local citizens movement) 
ΕΞΟΡΥΞΕΙΣ STOP Πρέβεζα. Δίκτυο ενημέρωσης πολιτών ενάντια στις εξορύξεις (group against oil and gas drilling)

Ireland
Communication Workers Union
Mandate Trade Union
MASI - Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland
Unite the Union
United Against Racism
Galway Anti Racism Network
Fingal Communities Against Racism
Anti-Deportation Ireland
Migrants and Ethnic Minorities for Reproductive Justice
Comhlamh – Action for Global Justice
Queer Action Ireland
Athlone Anti-Racism Network
Brazilian Left Front (anti-racist, feminist migrant group ) 

Italy
Pax Christi (national Catholic peace group)
Centro Studi Sereno Regis (nonviolence studies center)
Un Ponte Per (international solidarity association)
Ipri-CCP Istituto Italiano (civil peace corps)
Ricerca per la Pace - Corpi Civili i Pace (Italian partner of PRIO Peace Research Institute Oslo)
Associazione per l'Ambasciata della Democrazia Locale a Zavidovici (migrant/asylum seeker support group)
PeaceLink - Telematica per la Pace (human rights and peace education group)
Alkemia Laboratori Multimediali (multimedia information group)
Cattolici No Tav (Catholic group opposing hi-speed rail project)
La Fondazione Basso (international documentation and research center)

Netherlands
ReInform (anti-capitalist group)

Norway
Arbeidernes Ungdomsfylking (AUF) (Labour Party's youth group) 

Portugal
Panteras Rosa - Frente de Combate à LesBiGayTransfobia (LGBTQIA+ group)
SOS Racismo (anti-racist group)
Sirigaita (cultural center)

Slovenia
Humanitas (centre for global education and cooperation )

Spanish state
Confederación General del Trabajo (CGT) (trade union)
Rosa Que Te Quiero Rosa (RQTR) (feminist and LGBTQIA+ group of the Universidad Complutense de Madrid)
Encuentros Bolleros (LGBTQIA+ group)
Sindicato de Periodistas de Andalucía (SPA-FESP) (journalist trade union)
Asamblea Antimilitarista de Madrid (AA.MOC) (anti-militarist group)
Ecologistas en Acción (environmental group)
Desarma Madrid (anti-militarist group)
Plataforma por la Desobediencia Civil (right to protest group)
Asociación Andaluza por la Solidaridad y la Paz (international solidarity group)
Centre Delàs d'Estudis per la Pau (disarmament and peace group)
Izquierda Unida Aragón (branch of political party) 
Partido Comunista España Aragón (branch of political party)
CHA, Chunta Aragonesista (national political party)
ZEC, Zaragoza en Común (local political party) 
ISTA, Intersindical de Trabajadores y Trabajadoras de Aragón (trade union)
CUT, Colectivo Unitario de Trabajadores (trade union)
CATA, Colectivo Asambleario de Trabajadores de Aragón (national branch trade union)
Unión Sindical de Comisiones Obreras de Aragón (national branch trade union)
Comité de Solidaridad Internacionalista de Zaragoza (international solidarity group)
Asociación Vecinal Manuel Viola de Delicias (community group)
F. A. B. Z. (Federación de barrios de Zaragoza) (federation of neighborhoods)
Mujeres de negro Madrid (anti-war feminist group)
Cantabria no se vende (environmentalist group)
ÍTACA, centro social (social center)
Asambleas Feministas de Cantabria (feminist group)
Izquierda Unida Cantabria (regional political party)
Unidad Contra el Fascismo y el Racismo Henares (anti-racist and anti-fascist group)
Abrir Brecha Madrid (youth group)
Plataforma de trabajadoras y vecinas por la Remunicipalización de los Servicios Públicos de Madrid (group for re-municipalizing public services)

UK
National Union of Students (NUS) Black Students Campaign
National Union of Students (NUS) Trans Campaign
Lesbians and Gays Support the Migrants
Scotland against militarism

Europe
IJAN-International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network


SHARE

Stay updated!

Sign-up for news, campaign updates, action alerts and fundraisers from the BDS movement.

Subscribe Now