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Gaza Freedom Marchers issue the “Cairo Declaration” to end Israeli Apartheid

5. January 2010

For immediate release, January 1, 2010 (Cairo) Gaza Freedom Marchers approved today a declaration aimed at accelerating the global campaign for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israeli Apartheid.

 

 

Roughly 1400 activists from 43 countries converged in Cairo on their way to Gaza to join with Palestinians marching to break Israel’s illegal siege. They were prevented from entering Gaza by the Egyptian authorities.
 
As a result, the Freedom Marchers remained in Cairo. They staged a series of nonviolent actions aimed at pressuring the international community to end the siege as one step in the larger struggle to secure justice for Palestinians throughout historic Palestine.
 
This declaration arose from those actions:
 
 
End Israeli Apartheid
 
Cairo Declaration
 
January 1, 2010
 
 
We, international delegates meeting in Cairo during the Gaza Freedom March 2009 in collective response to an initiative from the South African delegation, state:
 
In view of:
 
o     Israel’s ongoing collective punishment of Palestinians through the illegal occupation and siege of Gaza;
 
o     the illegal occupation of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the continued construction of the illegal Apartheid Wall and settlements;
 
o     the new Wall under construction by Egypt and the US which will tighten even further the siege of Gaza;
 
o     the contempt for Palestinian democracy shown by Israel, the US, Canada, the EU and others after the Palestinian elections of 2006;
 
o     the war crimes committed by Israel during the invasion of Gaza one year ago;
 
o     the continuing discrimination and repression faced by Palestinians within Israel;
 
o     and the continuing exile of millions of Palestinian refugees;
 
o     all of which oppressive acts are based ultimately on the Zionist ideology which underpins Israel;
 
o     in the knowledge that our own governments have given Israel direct economic, financial, military and diplomatic support and allowed it to behave with impunity;
 
o     and mindful of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (2007)
 
We reaffirm our commitment to:
 
Palestinian Self-Determination
 
Ending the Occupation
 
Equal Rights for All within historic Palestine
 
The full Right of Return for Palestinian refugees
 
 
We therefore reaffirm our commitment to the United Palestinian call of July 2005 for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) to compel Israel to comply with international law.
 
To that end, we call for and wish to help initiate a global mass, democratic anti-apartheid movement to work in full consultation with Palestinian civil society to implement the Palestinian call for BDS.
 
Mindful of the many strong similarities between apartheid Israel and the former apartheid regime in South Africa, we propose:
 
1)     An international speaking tour in the first 6 months of 2010 by Palestinian and South African trade unionists and civil society activists, to be joined by trade unionists and activists committed to this programme within the countries toured, to take mass education on BDS directly to the trade union membership and wider public internationally;
 
2)     Participation in the Israeli Apartheid Week in March 2010;
 
3)     A systematic unified approach to the boycott of Israeli products, involving consumers, workers and their unions in the retail, warehousing, and transportation sectors;
 
4)     Developing the Academic, Cultural and Sports boycott;
 
5)     Campaigns to encourage divestment of trade union and other pension funds from companies directly implicated in the Occupation and/or the Israeli military industries;
 
6)     Legal actions targeting the external recruitment of soldiers to serve in the Israeli military, and the prosecution of Israeli government war criminals; coordination of Citizen’s Arrest Bureaux to identify, campaign and seek to prosecute Israeli war criminals; support for the Goldstone Report and the implementation of its recommendations;
 
7)     Campaigns against charitable status of the Jewish National Fund (JNF).
 
We appeal to organisations and individuals committed to this declaration to sign it and work with us to make it a reality.
 
Please e-mail us at cairodec@gmail.com
 
Signed by:
 
(* Affiliation for identification purposes only.)
 
1.         Hedy Epstein, Holocaust Survivor/ Women in Black*, USA
 
2.         Nomthandazo Sikiti, Nehawu, Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), Affiliate International Officer*, South Africa
 
3.         Zico Tamela, Satawu, Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) Affiliate International Officer*, South Africa
 
4.         Hlokoza Motau, Numsa, Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) Affiliate International Officer*, South Africa
 
5.         George Mahlangu, Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) Campaigns Coordinator*, South Africa
 
6.         Crystal Dicks, Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) Education Secretary*, South Africa
 
7.         Savera Kalideen, SA Palestinian Solidarity Committee*, South Africa
 
8.         Suzanne Hotz, SA Palestinian Solidarity Group*, South Africa
 
9.         Shehnaaz Wadee, SA Palestinian Solidarity Alliance*, South Africa
 
10.         Haroon Wadee, SA Palestinian Solidarity Alliance*, South Africa
 
11.         Sayeed Dhansey, South Africa
 
12.         Faiza Desai, SA Palestinian Solidarity Alliance*, South Africa
 
13.         Ali Abunimah, Electronic Intifada*, USA
 
14.         Hilary Minch, Ireland Palestine Solidarity Committee*, Ireland
 
15.         Anthony Loewenstein, Australia
 
16.         Sam Perlo-Freeman, United Kingdom
 
17.         Julie Moentk, Pax Christi*, USA
 
18.         Ulf Fogelström, Sweden
 
19.         Ann Polivka, Chico Peace and Justice Center*, USA
 
20.         Mark Johnson, Fellowship of Reconciliation*, USA
 
21.         Elfi Padovan, Munich Peace Committee*/Die Linke*, Germany
 
22.         Elizabeth Barger, Peace Roots Alliance*/Plenty I*, USA
 
23.         Sarah Roche-Mahdi, CodePink*, USA
 
24.         Svetlana Gesheva-Anar, Bulgaria
 
25.         Cristina Ruiz Cortina, Al Quds-Malaga*, Spain
 
26.         Rachel Wyon, Boston Gaza Freedom March*, USA
 
27.         Mary Hughes-Thompson, Women in Black*, USA
 
28.         David Letwin, International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network (IJAN)*, USA
 
29.         Jean Athey, Peace Action Montgomery*, USA
 
30.         Gael Murphy, Gaza Freedom March*/CodePink*, USA
 
31.         Thomas McAfee, Journalist/PC*, USA
 
32.         Jean Louis Faure, International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network (IJAN)*, France
 
33.         Timothy A King, Christians for Peace and Justice in the Middle East*, USA
 
34.         Gail Chalbi, Palestine/Israel Justice Project of the Minnesota United Methodist Church*, USA
 
35.         Ouahib Chalbi, Palestine/Israel Justice Project of the Minnesota United Methodist Church*, USA
 
36.         Greg Dropkin, Liverpool Friends of Palestine*, England
 
37.         Felice Gelman, Wespac Peace and Justice New York*/Gaza Freedom March*, USA
 
38.         Ron Witton, Australian Academic Union*, Australia
 
39.         Hayley Wallace, Palestine Solidarity Committee*, USA
 
40.         Norma Turner, Manchester Palestine Solidarity Campaign*, England
 
41.         Paula Abrams-Hourani, Women in Black (Vienna)*/ Jewish Voice for Just Peace in the Middle East*, Austria
 
42.         Mateo Bernal, Industrial Workers of the World*, USA
 
43.         Mary Mattieu, Collectif Urgence Palestine*, Switzerland
 
44.         Agneta Zuppinger, Collectif Urgence Palestine*, Switzerland
 
45.         Ashley Annis, People for Peace*, Canada
 
46.         Peige Desgarlois, People for Peace*, Canada
 
47.         Hannah Carter, Canadian Friends of Sabeel*, Canada
 
48.         Laura Ashfield, Canadian Friends of Sabeel*, Canada
 
49.         Iman Ghazal, People for Peace*, Canada
 
50.         Filsam Farah, People for Peace*, Canada
 
51.         Awa Allin, People for Peace*, Canada
 
52.         Cleopatra McGovern, USA
 
53.         Miranda Collet, Spain
 
54.         Alison Phillips, Scotland
 
55.         Nicholas Abramson, Middle East Crisis Response Network*/Jews Say No*, USA
 
56.         Tarak Kauff, Middle East Crisis ResponseNetwork*/Veterans for Peace*, USA
 
57.         Jesse Meisler-Abramson, USA
 
58.         Hope Mariposa, USA
 
59.         Ivesa Lübben. Bremer Netzwerk fur Gerechten Frieden in Nahost*, Germany
 
60.         Sheila Finan, Mid-Hudson Council MERC*, USA
 
61.         Joanne Lingle, Christians for Peace and Justice in the Middle East (CPJME)*, USA
 
62.         Barbara Lubin, Middle East Children’s Alliance*, USA
 
63.         Josie Shields-Stromsness, Middle East Children’s Alliance*, USA
 
64.         Anna Keuchen, Germany
 
65.         Judith Mahoney Pasternak, WRL* and Indypendent*, USA
 
66.         Ellen Davidson, New York City Indymedia*, WRL*, Indypendent*, USA
 
67.         Ina Kelleher, USA
 
68.         Lee Gargagliano, International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network (Chicago)*, USA
 
69.         Brad Taylor, OUT-FM*, USA
 
70.         Helga Mankovitz, SPHR (Queen’s University)*, Canada
 
71.         Mick Napier, Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign*, Scotland
 
72.         Agnes Kueng, Paso Basel*, Switzerland
 
73.         Anne Paxton, Voices of Palestine*, USA
 
74.         Leila El Abtah, The Netherlands
 
75.         Richard, Van der Wouden, The Netherlands
 
76.         Rafiq A. Firis, P.K.R.*/Isra*, The Netherlands
 
77.         Sandra Tamari, USA
 
78.         Alice Azzouzi, Way to Jerusalem*, USA
 
79.         J’Ann Schoonmaker Allen, USA
 
80.         Ruth F. Hooke, Episcopalian Peace Fellowship*, USA
 
81.         Jean E. Lee, Holy Land Awareness Action Task Group of United Church of Canada*, Canada
 
82.         Delphine de Boutray, Association Thèâtre Cine*, France
 
83.         Sylvia Schwarz, USA
 
84.         Alexandra Safi, Germany
 
85.         Abdullah Anar, Green Party – Turkey*, Turkey
 
86.         Ted Auerbach, USA
 
87.         Martha Hennessy, Catholic Worker*, USA
 
88.         Louis Ultale, Interfaile Pace e Bene*, USA
 
89.         Leila Zand, Fellowship of Reconciliation*, USA
 
90.         Emma Grigore, CodePink*, USA
 
91.         Sammer Abdelela, New York Community of Muslim Progressives*, USA
 
92.         Sharat G. Lin, San Jose Peace and Justice Center*, USA
 
93.         Katherine E. Sheetz, Free Gaza*, USA
 
94.         Steve Greaves, Free Gaza*, USA
 
95.         Trevor Baumgartner, Free Gaza*, USA
 
96.         Hanan Tabbara, USA
 
97.         Marina Barakatt, CodePink*, USA
 
98.         Keren Bariyov, USA
 
99.         Ursula Sagmeister, Women in Black – Vienna*, Austria
 
100.         Ann Cunningham, Australia
 
101.         Bill Perry, Delaware Valley Veterans for Peace*, USA
 
102.         Terry Perry, Delaware Valley Veterans for Peace*, USA
 
103.         Athena Viscusi, USA
 
104.         Marco Viscusi, USA
 
105.         Paki Wieland, Northampton Committee*, USA
 
106.         Manijeh Saba, New York / New Jersey, USA
 
107.         Ellen Graves, USA
 
108.         Zoë Lawlor, Ireland – Palestine Solidarity Campaign*, Ireland
 
109.         Miguel García Grassot, Al Quds – Málaga*, Spain
 
110.         Ana Mamora Romero, ASPA-Asociacion Andaluza Solidaridad y Paz*, Spain
 
111.         Ehab Lotayef, CJPP Canada*, Canada
 
112.         David Heap, London Anti-War*, Canada
 
113.         Adie Mormech, Free Gaza* / Action Palestine*, England
 
114.         Aimee Shalan, UK
 
115.         Liliane Cordova, International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network (IJAN)*, Spain
 
116.         Priscilla Lynch, USA
 
117.         Jenna Bitar, USA
 
118.         Deborah Mardon, USA
 
119.         Becky Thompson, USA
 
120.         Diane Hereford, USA
 
121.         David Heap, People for Peace London*, Canada
 
122.         Donah Abdulla, Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights*, Canada
 
123.         Wendy Goldsmith, People for Peace London*, Canada
 
124.         Abdu Mihirig, Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights-UBC*, Canada
 
125.         Saldibastami, Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights-UBC*, Canada
 
126.         Abdenahmane Bouaffad, CMF*, France
 
127.         Feroze Mithiborwala, Awami Bharat*, India
 
128.         John Dear, Pax Christi*, USA
 
129.         Ziyaad Lunat, Portugal
 
130.         Michael Letwin, New York City Labor Against the War (NYCLAW)
 
131.          Labor For Palestine

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