Launch of Joint Statement on Antisemitism
APAN was honored to co-produce a statement on antisemitism which was launched in June 2020.
The statement is available here.
The Power of Narrative – Bishop Browning’s on Palestinian Nakba
“It is rightly a crime to minimise or deny the holocaust, but equally it is becoming a crime in Israel to support the facts of history, that the Palestinian people have suffered the Nakba, and that the Nakba continues to be perpetrated. To lay bare these truths is to be inflicted with the antisemitic slur.”
Read full reflections on Bishop Browning’s blog
Nakba commemoration
The 15 May is commemorated annually as al-Nakba – the catastrophe. Palestinians and their supporters mark the beginning of their dispossession that begun in 1948 and continues to this day. Palestinian community and solidarity groups around Australia hosted a number of events surrounding the May 15 date, see below for videos of events.
| Israeli plans for Annexation with Dr Ashrawi |
| Dr Hanan Ashrawi -spokesperson and member of the PLO Executive Committee -provides comments about Annexation with Australian Palestinians Hiba Farra and Dr Nahed Fraitekh. This event was an initiative of the Coalition for Justice and Peace in Palestine. |
| Virtual Nakba Commemoration |
| Dr Haidar Eid from Gaza; Bassem Tamimi Nabi Salih in the West Bank; Fayrouz Sharqawi and Tarek Bakri from Jerusalem, and Dr Randa Abdel-Fatah from Australia. This event is an initiative of the Palestinian Community Association of WA and Friends of Palestine WA. |
| Palestine Talks – The Inevitability of Israel-Palestine Union |
| The talk by Prof Bassam Dally addresses themes of separation and union and how it applies to Israel-Palestine. It will look at the history, geography and politics including factors that are hindering progress. This event is an initiative of the Australian Friends of Palestine Association (AFOPA). |
| COVID-19 under annexation threats |
| Mazin Qumsiyeh is from the University of Bethlehem and the Palestine Museum of Natural History. Mazin’s address is on the theme Covid-19 in a Palestine under the threat of annexation. This talk is an initiative of BDS Australia and Sydney Staff for BDS |
Can you give to Gaza?
APAN is taking the unprecedented step of asking our supporters to give money to Gaza because of the urgent humanitarian imperative of needing to stave off this disease.
All the following organisations are Australian registered charities that APAN has strong working relationships with, and knows they will get the money to Gazans quickly:
Continue readingAPAN welcomes apology to Melissa Parke
Australia Palestine Advocacy Network welcomes the Herald Sun’s apology to Former Federal Labor MP, The Hon. Melissa Parke.
In the lead up to last year’s Federal election, the Murdoch owned tabloid was engaged in a baseless smear campaign against Ms Parke, accusing her of antisemitism without any evidence to support the claim.
Ms Parke refused to be bullied and launched defamation proceedings against the Herald Sun. The case was settled out of court in her favour, and the Herald Sun published an overdue apology and also published an important opinion piece by Ms Parke, Let’s reserve the term ‘antisemitic’ for those who truly deserve it.
To quote Ms Parke’s article:
“When the pro-Israel lobby spends much of its time in a relentless vendetta against critics of Israeli state policy, they debase the true meaning of the term ‘antisemitism’ and they let real antisemites – mainly far right white nationalists – off the hook.”
Ms Parke is also currently suing Liberal MP David Sharma for defamation, as well as Colin Rubinstein, executive director of the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs, for similar accusations of antisemitism.
We commend Ms Parke on her bravery and resolve in challenging these accusations, despite the tremendous toll it has taken, and the personal and professional cost Ms Parke has shouldered.
At APAN, we will continue to stand alongside steadfast advocates like Ms Parke, in our shared commitment to realising a safer world that respects us all.
Bishop George BrowningPresident, Australia Palestine Advocacy Network
