November 9 - 16: Join the Mobilization Against the Apartheid Wall in Palestine

The Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid (CAIA) and Students Against Israeli Apartheid (SAIA) in Toronto invite you to take part in the 6th International Week Against the Apartheid Wall (http://stopthewall.org/activistresources/1633.shtml). The Toronto calendar of events is available @ www.caiaweb.org.

PLANNED EVENTS SO FAR (listed in full below)
1) Bil'in Photo Exhibit and Event
2) Public Education on Campuses
3) No to the 'Re-branding' of Apartheid: PUBLIC FORUM @ U of T
4) Boycott Chapters-Indigo: Picket

MOBILIZE AND RAISE YOUR VOICE Against the Apartheid Wall
NOVEMBER 9 – 16 2008.

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1) Tinto Coffee House and the Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid Present:

Bil'in Village Against the Wall
Photo Exhibit

November 12 - 25th, 2008
Tinto's Cafe: 89 Roncesvalles Ave

**Full Opening Night: Wednesday, November 19th @ 7pm**
Featuring: Video and Speakers about the struggle in the West Bank Village of Bil'in against the Apartheid Wall and the recent launch of legal action against Canadian corporations involved in building settlements on Bil'in village land.

As Part of the International Week of Action Against the Apartheid Wall

Bil'in is a Palestinian village that is struggling to exist. It is fighting to safeguard its land, its olive trees, its resources… its liberty. By annexing close to 60% of Bil'in land for Israeli settlements and the construction of Israel's 'separation' wall, the state of Israel is strangling the village. Every day it destroys a bit more, creating an open air prison for Bil'in's inhabitants.

Since 2005, Bil'in residents have been peacefully demonstrating every Friday in front of the "work-site of shame" supported by Israeli and International activists. And every Friday the Israeli army responds with violence, both physically and psychologically. Bil'in residents have continued to withstand these injustices despite the frequent night raids of Israeli soldiers in the town followed by an increasing number of arrests of inhabitants and of activists.

Recently, the village of Bil'in announced the launch of legal action against two Canadian companies: Green Park International Inc. and Green Mount International Inc. This lawsuit is being brought to Canadian courts in an effort to hold these Montreal based companies responsible for their part in the expansion of the illegal settlements of Modi'n Ilit and Mattiyahu on to Bil'in village land (www.bilin-village.org).

This exhibit will feature photos from the recent struggles in the West Bank village of Bil'in and runs from November 12 - 25th. Tinto Coffee House is open Monday through Saturday from 9am to 9pm, and Sunday from 10am to 5pm. Join us also for the opening night event taking place on Wednesday, November 19th featuring video footage and speakers.

Visit:
www.tinto.ca
www.caiaweb.org

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2) On Campuses:

+ Tear Down the Apartheid Wall: End Israeli Apartheid
Week of Public Education: November 10 - 14th

Displays, Tabling, Mass Outreach, Film Showings, and More!

University of Toronto, Ryerson, and York University (@ York liable to change in case of strike)

Contact: saia@riseup.net to get involved

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3) Apartheid by any other name: Marketing the 'Israel Brand' in Toronto
Public Forum @ University of Toronto

Thursday, November 13th @ 7pm

Framing the Apartheid Wall as a "security fence" is just one of the ways in which the Israeli PR machine has tried to deflect negative publicity for its product: Israeli Apartheid.

In reality, the Apartheid Wall reaches up to 8 meters high in some areas, is at least 720 km in length, and snakes through 10 of the 11 West Bank districts, annexing vast amounts of land to the Israeli state. It separates Palestinians from their lands, their work, their schools, and their loved ones. The Wall was deemed illegal by the International Court of Justice in 2004, and it represents just one of the many devices through which Israel practices apartheid against the Palestinian population.

A few months ago, the Israeli Foreign Ministry launched a campaign called "Re-branding Israel", and picked Toronto as the city to test their marketing strategy. The goal of the campaign is to present Israel in a "positive light" and shift the focus away from the "conflict" or the discriminatory policies of the Israeli state. This branding campaign is reminiscent of the propaganda that Apartheid South Africa used when trying to cover up the apartheid policies that the white minority government imposed on the black majority, and it can't be left unchallenged.

Join the Students Against Israeli Apartheid at the University of Toronto, for a panel discussion about Israel's re-branding efforts, and help us to say NO TO RE-BRANDING APARTHEID!

Contact: saia@riseup.net

Students Against Israeli Apartheid (SAIA)
an Action Group of OPIRG - Toronto (www.opirguoft.org)

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4) In the Community:

Boycott Chapters Indigo!
Rally and Picket

Saturday, November 15th
11am - 1 pm
Runnymede Chapters: 2225 Bloor Street West

As part of the Week of Action Against the Apartheid Wall, the Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid (CAIA) invites supporters and allies to join us in protest to send a clear message to majority shareholders of Chapters-Indigo, Heather Reisman and Gerry Schwartz,
that they must CUT all financial ties to the HESEG Foundation for Lone Soldiers. HESEG Foundation for Lone Soldiers provides scholarships and other support to recruits from abroad who choose to serve in Israel's Apartheid military.

Since December 2006, CAIA has been calling for a pan-Canadian boycott campaign of Chapters-Indigo until their majority shareholders publicly announce that they are cutting all financial ties to HESEG. Join us from November 9 - 16th as we mobilize against the Apartheid Wall. Join us on November 15th as we protest and boycott Canadian support for Israeli Apartheid.

For more information please see www.caiaweb.org or email us at endapartheid@riseup.net

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TEAR DOWN the APARTHEID WALL....

Snaking through West Bank, the Wall has isolated 78 Palestinian villages, separating communities and wrecking livelihoods. Some are trapped between the Wall and the Green Line, where access is only allowed with permits through gates with restricted opening hours. Most are imprisoned from three sides by the Wall, settlers' roads or settlements, with the only exit controlled by the Occupation. 14 of these villages face imminent demolition and are in serious danger of being wiped off the map.

The Wall is also sealing the fate of thousands of Palestinian Bedouin. Having faced expulsions since 1948, the Occupation is renewing the attack on them in order to clear the land in the Jordan Valley and around Jerusalem for annexation. Occupation authorities are pushing more than 6,000 members of the Jahalin Bedouin, residing east of Jerusalem camps in order to make space for Jewish-only settlements.

The fight for Jerusalem has reached a critical stage, with the Occupation consolidating and expanding the settlement ring around the city. Construction on the light rail, which will link Jewish settlements with the city center, is near completion. Home demolitions have increased sharply, settlement construction is booming and Occupation forces regularly raid and close Palestinian institutions, events and religious sites.

As the Occupation tightens its grip on the West Bank, we must not forget the people of Gaza who are subjected to medieval siege and forgotten by the international community, yet continue to remain steadfast. Their actions exemplify the resistance and determination of the Palestinian people.

The International Court of Justice has ruled that the Wall is illegal and has required that it be torn down and all laws and orders related to it be reversed. The Court has reminded the international community of their obligation not to render any aid or assistance to the Wall and instead to ensure the implementation of international law, including the ICJ decision itself. To date, the international community has not promoted any concrete move towards ruling's implementation.

Instead, the United Nations and the international community have turned a blind eye to or even abetted Israeli apartheid and ethnic cleansing. The US sponsored and internationally endorsed Annapolis process is to result in a "shelf agreement," meaning that while the Occupation will have no duty to change its policies, it will have gained the signature of Palestinian negotiators compromising our rights.

The only effective means to promote justice in Palestine to date is the united Palestinian call for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions issued in July 2005. The global adoption of the call has so far provided much needed support for the Palestinian struggle.

For more information please see: http://stopthewall.org/activistresources/1633.shtml Or email us at endapartheid@riseup.net to get involved.