URGENT ACTION: Protest against Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat, Monday 22nd March, 5pm, London Chatham House

URGENT ACTION: Protest against Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat, Monday 22nd March, 5pm, London   Chatham House (10 St James's Square, London SW1Y 4LE).

Come along and protest against the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from East Jerusalem!

Organised by: Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Architects and Planners for Justice in Palestine,  Stop the War Coalition, British Muslim Initiative, Jews for Justice for Palestinians, Friends of Al Aqsa; Friends of Lebanon, Friends of Sabeel UK, , Liberal Democrat Friends of Palestine, Britain Palestine Twinning Network.
PSC Weekly update March 19th 2010 

Jerusalem situational update:

The situation for Palestinians is worsening every day. For five days and in the context of the opening of the Hurva Synagogue in the Jewish quarter, the Old City has been turned into a city under siege. Israeli authorities have maintained a heavy military and police presence.

Since Friday, a closure was imposed on the West Bank, banning the entry of West Bank permit holders into occupied East Jerusalem. Men under 50 years of age have also been prohibited from entering Al Aqsa Mosque compound. Demonstrations were reported throughout the city, while clashes were especially concentrated in the Old City, Eisawiya, Shu'fat Camp, Wadi Al Joz, Qalandiya checkpoint.

The confrontations in Jerusalem are the result of a number of recent factors including plans for 1,600 new homes in Occupied East Jerusalem whilst denying Palestinians permission to do the same - and making the possibility of East Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state less real.

For up-to date information and analysis about the situation, visit Maan News and Palestine Monitor.

NEWS: Quartet blasts Israel over East Jerusalem settlements

          Tensions run high in al-Quds, protests expected

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URGENT ACTION: Protest against Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat, Monday 22nd March, 5pm, London

Nir Barkat, the mayor of Jerusalem behind the announcement of 1,600 new settlement units in East Jerusalem, will be visiting London early next week.  A total of 50,000 housing units have planned in the coming years - doubling the settler population - and reducing the Palestinian population to a third. Israel's plans to restore Hurva synagogue a few hundred meters from Al-Aqsa mosque has led to clashes over the last few days - men under 50 have been refused entry into Al-Aqsa since Friday. Israel has deployed some 3,000 security forces across the city.

He will be speaking at Chatham House Organised by: Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Stop the War Coalition, British Muslim Initiative, Jews for Justice for Palestinians, Friends of Al Aqsa; Friends of Lebanon, Friends of Sabeel UK, Architects and Planners for Justice in Palestine, Liberal Democrat Friends of Palestine, Britain Palestine Twinning Network.

You can let Chatham House know what you think about their recent briefing ‘Jerusalem: the Cost of Failure' and the event by ringing 020 7957 5700 or emailing: contact@chathamhouse.org.uk.

EAPPI video: the housing crisis in East Jerusalem



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Emergency meeting on Jerusalem - next Tuesday in Parliament



PSC are supporting Friends of Al-Aqsa's emergency meeting on the situation in Jerusalem, next Tuesday 23rd March 19.45-21.00 in the House of Commons.

Speakers include: Karen Abu Zayd Former commissioner UNRWA; Tony Benn; Sir Gerald Kaufman MP; Martin Linton MP; Phyllis Starkey MP and others.

To register for the event email your name and contact details to arif@aqsa.org.uk.

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