YMCA-YWCA JAI Palestine

Join the JAI social groups: Facebook, YouTube

Joint Advocacy Initiative

Invitation - 2 September 2010

Join the JAI social groups:

Facebook, YouTube!

Join the YMCA-YWCA Joint Advocacy Initiative (JAI) Facebook social group and remain updated with advocacy related news, calls, reflections and pictures from and about Palestine and the JAI:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=107284735958534

Feel free to share your reflections, thoughts, news, links...etc on the group':
Wall: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=107284735958534&v=wall
Discussion board: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=107284735958534&v=app_2373072738

You are also encouraged to invite your friends to join the group:
http://www.facebook.com/groups/edit.php?members&gid=107284735958534

Add the YMCA-YWCA Joint Advocacy Initiative YouTube Channel, and watch JAI activities' videos:
http://www.youtube.com/JAIPalestine

Please feel free to forward this invitation. If you got this invitation forwarded and you want to subscribe, you may do so at our JAI website

If you have any questions, please contact:

Ibrahim Hannouneh
advocacy@jai-pal.org

Newsletter - August 2010 | Journey for Justice 2010 | World Alliance council | Youth exchange ...


Joint Advocacy Initiative	Newsletter - 18 August 2010
Journey for Justice Program 2010 Forty youth leaders of various YMCA and YWCA movements from various countries in the world, including Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Sweden, Argentina, Denmark, and Palestine came together in a challenging 10-days program in Palestine late July 2010, organized annually by the JAI. You can read daily reports and program' details, with photos and personal reflections of various participants. JAI within YMCA delegation at the World Alliance of YMCAs council The JAI manager joined the EJYMCA delegation to the World Alliance of YMCAs 17^th council in Hong Kong 19^th - 24^th July 2010. The delegation gained the EJYMCA full member at the World Alliance of the YMCAs, was elected in the Central Committee, organized various workshops and a youth volunteer took part at the International Youth Forum. Read more about the participation. JAI youth participation at the YMCA-YWCA Denmark Ung Uge Youth Festival � July 2010 Two young JAI volunteers participated at the YMCA-YWCA of Denmark Teenagers Festival Camp for ten days - July 2010. The two girls talked about Palestinian youth, Palestine, YMCA-YWCA and JAI work, reflected their personal life stories in Palestine, did movie screening and folkloric dance show, beside participating at the festival various activates. Read more about their participation, reflections and see photos. JAI GoCY participants to Norway for preparatory course Three JAI participants have started their YMCA-YWCA GoCY youth exchange round from August 2010 - April 2011. It started with a preparatory course in Norway. By the end of August 2010, each is to move to his/her respective host country and movement (YMCA-YWCA of Norway, YWCA of Kenya and YMCA of Sri Lanka), to get involved at the movement' work and activities with certain tasks and jobs. The JAI is to receive two Norwegian GoCY participants in turn who are to get involved at the YMCA/YWCA and JAI work and programs.

This monthly newsletter aims at keeping our partners, friends, and members well informed on a variety of topics including the occupation and its brutal effects on the Palestinian people and the various activities, campaigns and programs the East Jerusalem YMCA, YWCA of Palestine and their Joint Advocacy Initiative are developing and embarking on.

Please feel free to forward this newsletter. If you got this newsletter forwarded and you want to subscribe, you may do so at our JAI website

If you have any questions, please contact:

Ibrahim Hannouneh
advocacy@jai-pal.org

Last Call - Journey for Justice Program 2010

Last Call

Deadline:
First week of July!

Journey For Justice 2010

23^rd (arr.) - 1^st (dep.) August

For young (17 - 25) YMCA and YWCA leaders

Read more about the program
beside participation criteria and registration procedures

(http://www.jai-pal.org/content.php?page=668)

Register online now!

For more information, questions, and registration,
Please contact:

Ibrahim Hannouneh
E-mail: advocacy@jai-pal.org
Tel./Fax: + 970 - (0)2 - 2774540

Newsletter - June 2010

Olive Tree Campaign
Newsletter

21 June 2010

VOLUME 6, NUMBER 2

Olive Tree Campaign
Keep Hope Alive

Newsletter Featuring:

Report 2009 - 2010
Call for action
Olive Picking Program 2010
Continuous Israeli destruction of Palestinian's property and olive trees
Keeping Hope Alive

Contact person:
Baha' Hilo
JAI Campaigns Officer

Snail mail:
Joint Advocacy Initiative
P.O. Box 19023
East Jerusalem

Phone:
+ 970-2-2774540 \ 2713

Fax:
+ 970-2-2774540 \ 2203

E-mail:
olivetree@jai-pal.org

We're on the Web
http://www.jai-pal.org

Olive Tree Campaign report 2009 - 2010
(http://www.jai-pal.org/files/OTC_Report_2009_2010.pdf)

The Olive Tree campaign has issued its planting report, a comprehensive report on farmers, planting locations, sponsors, and progress of the campaign.

Also, all our olive tree sponsors can now find out where their trees are planted by going to this link.
Call for action
(http://www.jai-pal.org/content.php?page=910)
Ahmed Barghouth � Abu Nidal - of Al Walaja is one of the very first farmers to receive olive trees from the olive tree campaign in 2003, About 100 sponsored olive trees were planted in his field.Abu Nidal and his family gave good care to the trees and expected a rewarding harvest for next October.

In June 2010 Israeli bulldozers together with Israeli Army destroyed the land of Abu Nidal leaving him in a state of despair, outrage and hopelessness.

The least we can do for Abu Nidal at this point is to read the suggested letter included in the link and pass it on to the Israeli embassies in your in our countries and our publish the story and the letter in the local media.
Olive Picking Program 2010
(http://www.jai-pal.org/content.php?page=811)
2010 will be the 7^th year in which the Joint Advocacy Initiative of the East Jerusalem YMCA and YWCA of Palestine (JAI) and the Alternative Tourism Group (ATG) organize the annual Olive Picking Program in Palestine in October 16^th to 25^th 2010. Learn more about the event and how to join.

You are encouraged to join us in this exceptional event and also spread the word about it.
Continuous Israeli destruction of Palestinian's property and olive trees:
Israeli settlers and Israeli occupation army continue to destroy Palestinian properties. Houses have been demolished on daily bases, land being stolen, settlements did not stop expanding (even with the Israeli decision to freeze settlement's construction in the occupied territories).

Below are some news on the Israeli destruction of Olive trees in various locations within the West Bank in the last two months:

- Israeli Troops Issue 10-day Eviction Orders To Palestinians In Jordan Valley
- Israeli Army Raids Bil'in and Burns Olive Tree
- Settlers Destroy Farm Lands; Troops Detain 10 Civilians
- Qusra village farmers driven off fields by settlers
- Settler Torch Olive Orchard In Silwan
- Settlers Set Farm Lands On Fire In Northern West Bank
- Settlers Uproot 30 Olive Trees Near Qalqilia
- Settlers Attack A Palestinian Town In Northern West Bank And Destroy Property And Trees
Keeping Hope Alive
(http://www.jai-pal.org/content.php?page=101)
The Sponsorship of an olive tree will send a simple message to the Palestinians we work with, Keep Hope Alive, and we care for your rights. It is also important that we as individuals from around the world get involved and try to help maintaining the Palestinians ownership of their private property! Property that has been within the farmers' families for generations. Educate yourself and others about what is happening in Palestine and help in Keeping Hope Alive by Doing Something.

Call for Action - Land destruction and olive trees being uprooted


Joint Advocacy Initiative	Call for Action - 10 June 2010
Israeli bulldozers and army have started destroying the land belonging to Ahmed Barghouth, Abu Nidal (http://www.jai-pal.org/content.php?page=910) Ahmed Barghouth was one of the very first farmers to plant olive trees from the Olive Tree Campaign (2003). 80 Olive Trees and 70 years old pine trees have been uprooted and destroyed! It is an Israeli's plan is to annex as much land as possible from Al Walaja and Beit Jala to build another Israeli settlement. The Joint Advocacy Initiative of the East Jerusalem YMCA and YWCA of Palestine call on Sponsors, friends and partners to help bring Abu Nidal's story to the spotlight, as well as send a letter to the Israeli representatives in your countries with a copy to the media. See suggested letter: (http://www.jai-pal.org/files/Suggested%20Letter%20on%20Abu%20Nidal's%20case.doc) Please call on the representatives of your country in Israel to seek an explanation from Israeli authorities on this matter, and perhaps pay a visit to Abu Nidal�s land and his family. Action is needed now more than ever before

Please feel free to forward this Call. If you got this Call forwarded and you want to subscribe, you may do so at our JAI website

If you have any questions, please contact:

Ibrahim Hannouneh
advocacy@jai-pal.org

Urgent call - Israel attack on humanitarian ships in International waters


Joint Advocacy Initiative	Urgent Call - 31 May 2010
Israel attack on humanitarian ships in International waters! The Israeli army has this morning attacked and still attacking the humanitarian ships in international Waters. The ships are holding hundreds of international humanitarian activists and European parliament members, directing to Gaza with food and medicine. There are, up to now, reports that 16-20 humanitarian activists killed and 50-60 injured! The Joint Advocacy Initiative of the East Jerusalem YMCA and YWCA of Palestine strongly condemns this massacre against unarmed civilians which visibly violates international law and human rights. We urgently call for our sister national and local YMCA and YWCA movements all over the world, and their affiliations, as well as Church leaders, Church-related and Christian organizations' members, groups and individual freedom fighters and humanitarian supports world wide to take immediate actions! You can organize your own demonstration, or joining planned ones, in front of the Israeli embassies, or diplomatic mission in your country, or in front of your governmental buildings to express condemnation, and demand serious actions and positions, including condemning this crime and lifting the siege imposed on Gaza. You are needed to protect global humanitarian values and freedom in the world

Please feel free to forward this Call. If you got this Call forwarded and you want to subscribe, you may do so at our JAI website

If you have any questions, please contact:

Ibrahim Hannouneh
advocacy@jai-pal.org

Newsletter - May 2010 | Olive tree search | Youth exchange and training | JAI magazine...


Joint Advocacy Initiative	Newsletter - 22 May 2010
Online olive tree search Records of trees sponsored during 2009 and planted in 2009-2010 are now uploaded and available for search online, in addition to previous seasons' records. You can search for name, organization or person sponsored through, country, season, area, and get record(s) showing where the tree(s) is/are planted, village or town, area and farmer' full name. JAI GoCY Participants back - New participants selected The JAI 2009 - 2010 GOCY participants were back to Palestine, with follow up plan, from their host countries and YMCA-YWCA movements in Norway and Sri Lanka. Four interns from Norway and Sri Lanka have ended their GoCY internship at the JAI New Palestinian youth participants for the 2010-2011 phase were selected for the exchange. WCC World Week for Peace in Palestine / Israel The World Week for Peace in Palestine Israel, an initiative of the Palestine Israel Ecumenical Forum (PIEF) of the World Council of Churches, will take place from 29 May to 4 June 2010. Churches and peacemakers unite in prayer, education and advocacy for peace in Palestine-Israel Read more about the program with call and suggested actions in English, Spanish, German and French. "Palestine in International Law" a training course for JAI youths The course, in seven sessions and topics during April and May 2010, aimed at increasing the Palestinian youth' knowledge on the legitimacy of the Palestinian cause. Read more about course topics and see photos! New JAI magazine released "Tourism in the occupied Palestinian territories How Fair ... How Educational?" The magazine is available at the JAI, YMCA HQ and YWCA HQ offices, to be sent out in hard copies to JAI partners and friends world wide, and is available for download in PDF format.

Please feel free to forward this newsletter. If you got this newsletter forwarded and you want to subscribe, you may do so at our JAI website

If you have any questions, please contact:

Ibrahim Hannouneh
advocacy@jai-pal.org

Invitation Reminder - Youth Journey for Justice 2010 in Palestine

Invitation Reminder

Journey For Justice 2010

In Palestine

23^rd (arr.) July - 1^st (dep.) August

For young (17 - 25) YMCA and YWCA
Members, Staff and Volunteers

Read more about the program
beside participation criteria and registration procedures

(http://www.jai-pal.org/content.php?page=668)

Register online now!

For more information, questions, and registration,
Please contact:

Ibrahim Hannouneh
E-mail: advocacy@jai-pal.org
Tel./Fax: + 970 - (0)2 - 2774540

Urgent call - Threat of massive deportation of Palestinians


Joint Advocacy Initiative	Urgent Call - 12 April 2010
Action Alert Threat of massive deportation of Palestinians! Two signed military orders with new amendments awaiting implementation give military officials broad and almost unlimited control over the deportation of Palestinians whose residency status in the West Bank is suspected! Orders were signed on the 13^th of October 2009, and are due to come into affect in the West Bank on the 13^th of April 2010! Read more about the orders, some of their consequences, reports, and JAI call for urgent actions!

Please feel free to forward this Call. If you got this Call forwarded and you want to subscribe, you may do so at our JAI website

If you have any questions, please contact:

Ibrahim Hannouneh
advocacy@jai-pal.org

Newsletter - Easter Message | Journey for Justice invitation ...


Joint Advocacy Initiative	Newsletter - 29 March 2010
Easter message from the Holy Land Friends, partners and supporters all over the world, In this week, we celebrate Easter remembering our Lord Jesus Christ passion, crucifixion, resurrection for our salvation. As our brothers and sisters pray these days, we ask to remember us in your prayers, not forgetting peace with justice in the Holy Land Just yesterday, we celebrated with palm and olive trees our Lord Jesus entry to Jerusalem, a city that is suffering injustice and ethnic cleansing nowadays... The Joint Advocacy Initiative of the East Jerusalem YMCA and YWCA of Palestine wishes you a colorful and joyful Easter We thank all of you for your ongoing support and commitment towards achieving our common humanitarian and just goals *HAPPY EASTER*	YMCA-YWCA Youth Journey for Justice Program 2010 Join Now! Second call... From the 23^rd of July (arrival) to the 1^st of August (departure) young (17 - 25) YMCA-YWCA youth leaders from all over the world are invited for a challenging program in Palestine and Israel, accompanied most of the time by Palestinian youth Read more about the program expectations, criteria and registration!

Please feel free to forward this Call. If you got this Call forwarded and you want to subscribe, you may do so at our JAI website

If you have any questions, please contact:

Ibrahim Hannouneh
advocacy@jai-pal.org

Newsletter - March 2010 | Olive Planting | Journey for Justice invitation | Calls for Actions...


Joint Advocacy Initiative	Newsletter - 2 March 2010
Olive Planting Program 2010 - daily news From the 6^th to the 15^th of February, 45 participants from Norway, Netherlands, USA, Finland, Switzerland, Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Switzerland, UK, as well as the organizers from Palestine, have gone through this year' JAI Olive Planting Program, in cooperation with the Alternative Tourism Group (ATG). Throughout the program, participants planted about 1600 olive trees, met and helped farmers and their families, attended several lectures to further explain life under the Israeli Military Occupation and Israeli imposed apartheid system on the Palestinians. Read their Day-By-Day news, reflection and see pictures. Register Now! Joint the youth Journey for Justice Program 2010 From the 23^rd of July (arrival) to the 1^st of August (departure), young (17 - 25) YMCA-YWCA youth leaders from all over the world are invited for a challenging week accompanied by Palestinian youth in Palestine and Israel. The program includes sharing the youth life, spend an overnight with their families, go to various places and sites in Palestine and Israel, and get to know realities on the ground by grassroots and specialists. Read more about the program expectations, criteria and registration! JAI Calls partners and friends to act defending Ush Ghrab Ush Ghrab, an area owned by Palestinians, locates in the east of Beit Sahour. It used to be an Israeli military base until 2006, and now a Peace Park! Israeli soldiers and settlers are re-occupying the land in an attempt to establish a Jewish settlement! Read more details, ongoing public actions, and JAI call! Youth Exchanges officer program in Norway January � February 2010 His program included participating at: the YMCA-YWCA GoCY internship program partners meeting, the Norwegian YMCA-YWCA Global Strategic Planning and Advisory Council workshop, the LNU Global Youth Partnership Conference! Read more about each program' participation and outcomes! Open Letter Palestinian, Israeli and International Human Rights NGOs Deplore Politically-Motivated Claims Aimed at Discrediting Human Rights Defenders. Read the letter, which the JAI has signed on, justification, call and view other signatories.

Please feel free to forward this newsletter. If you got this newsletter forwarded and you want to subscribe, you may do so at our JAI website

If you have any questions, please contact:

Ibrahim Hannouneh
advocacy@jai-pal.org