Joint Advocacy Initiative

14 May 2012

64^th Anniversary of Nakba


During this week in May, the Palestinian People are marking the 64^th anniversary of Al-Nakba that resulted in the uprooting and the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people in addition to the destruction and obliteration of almost 530 Palestinian villages in historic Palestine. 750,000 Palestinians became refugees and were stripped of their lands and properties.

Today the Palestinian refugees, who amount to 7 million and live under very bad conditions, are still waiting to exercise their unalienable right of return and reparation in accordance with the UN resolution 194 and other relevant UN resolutions.

We consider the world community accountable to this right and situation.
We ask our friends in the world movements of the YMCA and YWCA, Churches and Church-related organizations as well as the Human Rights organizations and the peace and justice loving people worldwide, to share with us the determination to work for justice for the Palestinians by lobbying to enforce the international law on the Israeli- Palestinian conflict.

Nowadays conditions with the absence of any political progress and while around 2100 Palestinian political prisoners are on hunger strike for the last 28 days, some of which have lasted 77 days, all the peace loving forces are asked to be united to place Israel as the party responsible for the Nakba and the prisoners situation under all means of legal, ethical and economic measures to comply with the international Law and declarations.

You are all asked to act within your context with your governments calling for implementation the unalienable right of return of the Palestinian refugees, to show respect and accountability to the international law.

Your actions of solidarity are needed

Joint Advocacy Initiative

Newsletter  - 23 April 2012

Journey for Justice - Palestine - July 2012

Register now!

Spread out the invitation to youth groups, local YMCA/YWCA movements, partners and friends.

For youth 17 - 25 years old.

Read draft trip schedule

Deadline for filled applications submission is mid June 2012.

General information about the journey:
(http://www.jai-pal.org/content.php?page=916)

Join us on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter

More readings - up to date:

Media reported Israeli attacks on lands and farmers
Media reported anti-Israeli-occupation worldwide actions

Joint Advocacy Initiative

Newsletter  - 27 March 2012

Six day program in Palestine with the JAI for Danish Global Teenagers

The JAI organized a co-planned 6 day program in Palestine, from the 16^th to the 22^nd of March 2012, for the Global Teenagers class which consists of 24 students, aged between 17 and 19, who were accompanied on the trip by 3 of their teachers.

Their trip included interaction with Palestinian high school students, lectures, presentations, guided tours in Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Jericho, and Hebron, as well as helping Palestinian farmers planting olive trees in their fields.

See photos and watch movie of the trip (by the students).

Join us on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter

More readings - up to date:

Media reported Israeli attacks on lands and farmers
Media reported anti-Israeli-occupation worldwide actions

Joint Advocacy Initiative

28 February 2012

Invitation

Journey for Justice

July 2012 - Palestine

Youth leaders from and through the YMCA and YWCA movements around the world
are invited to join:
(http://www.jai-pal.org/content.php?page=668)

We believe that young people are the future leaders, who gain more from an experience when they are actively involved in. We seek to enhance Global Citizenship, equip youth with advocacy knowledge and tools as to communicate the Palestinian cause.

Participants should not necessary be YMCA or YWCA youth already but can coordinate their participation, and travel, through their local or national YMCA / YWCA movements. A movement can send as many participants as desired.

Register now, and complete your registration for those who have already registered.

Deadline for filled applications submission is mid June 2012.

General information about the journey:
(http://www.jai-pal.org/content.php?page=916)

See Journey Promotion video:
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zc-o2EXY3EM)

Olive Tree Campaign

Newsletter  - 20 February 2012

Olive Planting Program 2012

News Report - Pictures - Reflections - Videos

The JAI-ATG Olive Planting Program - 4^th - 13^th February 2012 has ended successfully with the participation of 50 international activist from 10 countries, who planted around 2,000 trees in lands under threat of confiscation.

Read News report and participations' Reflections- view Pictures  and watch Videos

Join us on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter

More readings - up to date:

Media reported Israeli attacks on lands and farmers
Media reported anti-Israeli-occupation worldwide actions

Joint Advocacy Initiative

6 February 2012

Call for action

Israeli military order against a Staff member of the East Jerusalem YMCA Rehabilitation program in Beit Sahour

On Tuesday the 31st of January 2012, an Israeli security official called Rasim Obeidat, a senior staff of the East Jerusalem YMCA Rehabilitation Program in Beit Sahour to the security headquarters in Jerusalem and handed him a military order preventing him from entering the occupied territories of West Bank areas for six months! Rasim was also given a map showing places in East Jerusalem that he can access!

The order was issued by Avi Mizrahi, the head of the Israeli Occupation forces in the West Bank, who claims that Rasim is a threat to "the National Security of Israel".

In Addition to violating the human right of Rasim to free movement, this Military order will seriously affect the work of the EJ YMCA Rehabilitation program in Beit Sahour, especially that he runs the Human Resource department of the Rehabilitation Program.

Rasim stated that, besides affecting his job and consequently his family living conditions, this unjust order violates his basic human rights that international conventions secure. .

The East Jerusalem of YMCA Rehabilitation Program and the Joint Advocacy Initiative call you, our partners and friends around the world, as well as human rights organizations to take whatever measures protesting against this Israeli military order and exerting pressure on the Israeli government in order to cancel the order and stop such measures which violate the basic human rights.

Letter of protest against this Israeli measure could be sent to the Israeli Ambassador to your countries and to the Israeli Minister of Defense Ehud Barak at:
minister@mod.gov.il.

Note. Please inform us of your reactions and cc us at info@jai-pal.org.

Joint Advocacy Initiative

Newsletter  - 26 January 2012

New JAI magazine released

Palestine UN bid: it includes perspectives and articles on the bid, how Palestinian people perceived it, youth perspectives, PLO position, legal implications, Palestinian refugees' rights perspective. Palestinian National Rights, the global intifada (uprising) and popular resistance, grass root Initiatives - BDS Movement, farmers' steadfastness and fair-trade for justice, are also articles included with some relevancy.

Join us on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter

More readings - up to date:

Media reported Israeli attacks on lands and farmers
Media reported anti-Israeli-occupation worldwide actions

Joint Advocacy Initiative

16 December 2011

Warm Greetings


From the heart of the Bethlehem Christmas Celebrations, JAI wishes you a blessed and Merry Xmas and a Happy New year.

May the Baby Jesus Christ fills you hearts and mind with faith, hope, love and commitment to pray and act so the Lords peace and justice prevails in the Holy Land and on Earth.


Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Invitation

Shepherds' Nights Festival 2011

The YMCA-YWCA Joint Advocacy Initiative
The East Jerusalem YMCA - Beit Sahour branch
The Palestinian Center for Rapprochement between People and
Siraj Center for Holy Land Studies


are organizing the

Shepherds Nights Festival 2011
23^rd – 25^th December
at The Beit Sahour Catholic School playground

The program includes Sheibat band
El-Funoun Palestinian Popular Dance Troupe
Children Show and Christmas Carols
Candle Procession
In addition to other Palestinian Folklore Dancing and music

The festival aims at marketing Palestine as a touristic destination, supporting the cultural heritage and events in Palestine, and send a message to the world that the Palestinian nation has the right of self determination and an independent state. Through the festival, people are encouraged to support local Palestinian products, presented at the festival, as the first choice and boycott the Israeli products

The festival is under the theme of

"Light a Candle for Free Palestine"

Read the festival schedule
http://www.jai-pal.org/content.php?page=1127

Read about and see photos from last year festival
http://www.jai-pal.org/content.php?page=1034

Joint Advocacy Initiative

16 November 2011

Call for actions

International Day of Solidarity with Palestinians

29^th November 2011

Dear friends, partners and supporters,

We send you the warmest greetings from the JAI and Palestine. In light of your continuous support and solidarity with us, and the world community position on the Palestinian UN bid, we are approaching you with this call:

As you all know, the 29^th of every November marks the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. Each year, a number of events and activities take place worldwide commemorating this day and expressing solidarity with the Palestinians in their struggle for freedom and independence.

This year, 2011, we at the JAI call you all to join us in organizing and participating in a candle vigil in different countries in the world especially. We propose the theme:

"Light a candle for Palestine: Peace with justice in the Middle East"

The gathering is suggested to be held in front of Palestinian representative offices, Israeli embassies, and/or the UN Office in your respective countries.

With Peace and Love from Palestine,

JAI

Joint Advocacy Initiative

4 November 2011

Invitation

Olive Planting Program 2012

4^th - 13^th February - Palestine

Participants will help Palestinian farmers, in area close to Israeli settlements, Wall and bypass roads, plant olives, to show solidarity with the Palestinians to "Keep Hope Alive" for a better future of peace with justice to the oppressed in this ongoing conflict.

Besides olive planting, the program features introductory presentations about the current situation in Palestine and the effects of the Apartheid Wall, tours in the old city of Jerusalem, Hebron, Bethlehem, as well as Ramallah, in addition to cultural events and social gatherings. Accommodation can be arranged at hotels or with local families.

Read about the program details, proposed schedule, last years' participants' experiences with pictures and videos.


Registration available online! Ask for the form now!

General information about the Olive Planting Program:
(http://www.jai-pal.org/content.php?page=915)

Reported attacks on lands and farmers:
(http://www.jai-pal.org/content.php?page=953)