February 10, 2002
REQUEST FOR INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY:
International Women's Day, March 8, 2002
Coalition of Women for Peace
Web site: <http://www.coalitionofwomen4peace.org>www.coalitionofwomen4peace.org
Email: <mailto:intl@coalitionofwomen4peace.org>intl@coalitionofwomen4peace.org
February 5, 2002
Dear Friends and Allies of Bat Shalom,
Bat Shalom's International Women's Day campaign for March 8, 2002 will be more powerful and effective WITH YOU AS OUR PARTNERS. Commemorated since 1910, International Women's Day is a time for women to speak up and out where we are too often silenced and invisible. We urge you to take this opportunity to once again ensure that our message reverberates with the passion for justice and uncompromising resistance to oppression and occupation that informs all of our work. Women's rights are embedded in universal human rights - and are never achieved in isolation. We hope that you will join our efforts in bringing to the fore women's voices for an end to the Israeli occupation and a just resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
We are coordinating representative delegations of Jewish and Palestinian Israeli women to meet with all of the foreign diplomatic missions in Israel, including those in East and West Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Haifa. We are requesting brief meetings (approximately fifteen minutes) with either the ambassador or someone from the diplomatic staff of each embassy and consulate, for the morning of Friday March 8, 2002. In these meetings, we will present our demands for international intervention in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and for immediate international protection for Palestinian civilians. And we will finish the day by organizing and participating in an International Women's Day demonstration (more details to come).
What can you, our international allies, do to help make our campaign a success? We would like women around the world to organize in solidarity with us, on or close to International Women's Day. Here is a list of suggested actions to choose from:
1. Organize delegations of women to meet with the Israeli diplomatic representatives in your own or nearby cities on March 8 or the closest business day. Present them with our declaration (which will be finalized next week). Let them know that you are well informed regarding the situation in Israel and that you support the efforts of the growing local and international demands for an end to the Occupation.
2. Arrange delegations of women to meet with local representatives of your country's government (for example, parliamentary or congressional representatives) on March 8 or the closest business day. Present them with demands to pressure your country's government to support international intervention in the conflict and international protection for the Palestinian people.
3. On March 8th, urge your community of supporters to send emails and faxes to Israeli diplomatic representatives in your country, as well as representatives of your country's government, demanding international involvement and an end to the occupation.
4. Organize a demonstration in solidarity with our demands for international involvement in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
DEMANDS THAT ARE AMPLIFIED BY YOUR INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT RESONATE MORE PROFOUNDLY AND EFFECTIVELY HERE! Please keep us informed if you decide to participate in our International Women's Day campaign. Also, if you have any questions about these actions, or suggestions for other related actions, don't hesitate to contact us at batshalo@netvision.net.il. Please write 'MARCH 8' in the subject line.
Yours in struggle,
Bat Shalom
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Bat Shalom is a feminist peace organization working toward a just peace between Israel and its Arab neighbors. Bat Shalom, together with The Jerusalem Center for Women, a Palestinian women's peace organization, comprise The Jerusalem Link. Visit our web site for more information and our latest activities: http://www.batshalom.org
We gratefully accept contributions to help support our work. Checks in any currency can be mailed to Bat Shalom, POB 8083, Jerusalem 91080, Israel. Tel: +972-2-563 1477; Fax: +972-2-561 7983. See our web site for information about tax-deductible contributions or bank transfers.
To subscribe to Bat Shalom's newsletter, please reply by e-mail with the word "Subscribe" in the subject line, and include your first and last name in the body of the email. To unsubscribe, please write "Unsubscribe" in the subject line, and also include your first and last name in the body of the email.
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Bat Shalom is a feminist peace organization working toward a just peace between Israel and its Arab neighbors. Bat Shalom, together with The Jerusalem Center for Women, a Palestinian women's peace organization, comprise The Jerusalem Link. Visit our web site for more information and our latest activities: http://www.batshalom.org
We gratefully accept contributions to help support our work. Checks in any currency can be mailed to Bat Shalom, POB 8083, Jerusalem 91080, Israel. Tel: +972-2-563 1477; Fax: +972-2-561 7983. See our web site for information about tax-deductible contributions or bank transfers.
To subscribe to Bat Shalom's newsletter, please reply by e-mail with the word "Subscribe" in the subject line, and include your first and last name in the body of the email. To unsubscribe, please write "Unsubscribe" in the subject line, and also include your first and last name in the body of the email.