Tuesday, February 5

THE 4th ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL ISRAELI APARTHEID WEEK IS LAUNCHED

THE 4th ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL
ISRAELI APARTHEID WEEK
IS LAUNCHED

Israeli Apartheid Week 2008 was officially launched
on Sunday, February 3rd in Soweto, South Africa.
Exiled Palestinian member of the Israeli Knesset, Azmi Bishara,
addressed his lecture on the 60th anniversary of the
Palestinian Nakba, when hundreds of thousands of
Palestinians were displaced from their land to
become what remains one of the world's largest refugee
populations. Bishara spoke under the banner
'Silenced in Apartheid Israel - Welcomed in Soweto'
alongside prominent South Africans such as Eddie Maque,
General Secretary of the South African Council of Churches.

Speaking in South Africa, Bishara states,
"Reconciliation happened in South Africa
after apartheid was dismantled, not instead.
The message sent to the Palestinians is that
you have to make peace and reconciliate.
We can reconciliate after racism and
occupation is dismantled."


Dr. Bishara's lecture will be screened
during the week in participating cities
around the world.

The 4th annual Israeli Apartheid Week (IAW)
is taking place in 25 cities from February 3-19 2008.

Concurrent events are being held in Canada, Mexico,
the United Kingdom, the United States, South Africa,
and Palestine. IAW will feature lectures, film screenings,
cultural activities, and demonstrations aimed at raising
awareness about Israel's apartheid policies toward
Palestinians and to gather support for the international
boycott, divestment, and sanctions campaign.

The demands of this campaign are: full equality for
Arab- Palestinian citizens of Israel, an end to the
occupation and colonization of all Arab lands,
and the protection of Palestinian refugees'
right to return pursuant to UN resolution 194.

"It has become imperative for people around the
world to isolate the Israeli apartheid regime,
especially in the face of governments' failure to
ensure respect for human rights and to hold
Israel accountable before international law and
countless U.N. resolutions" said Ahmad Shokr,
an organizer of IAW in New York City. Shokr
adds that "by supporting the boycott, divestment,
and sanctions campaign the international community
can bring an end to Israeli apartheid and work
toward a future of justice, equality and peace."
For more details and the full schedule, please go to
http://www.aparthei dweek.org

Media Contacts:
United States: +646 312-0143 or
israeliapartheidwee k@yahoo.com

Canada: +647 831 5516
or
saia@riseup. net

South Africa: +27 (0) 842119988
or
witspsc@gmail. com

United Kingdom: +447 870 341537

Palestine: +972-599649815 or
global@stopthewall. org


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