***** AIPAC's Policy Conference Program April 21-23, 2002
MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2002
Banquet Plenary True Friends: Celebrating the U.S.-Israel Relationship 7:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m. President George W. Bush* Prime Minister Ariel Sharon
<http://www.aipac.org/PC2002program.html> *****
***** CALL TO PROTEST SHARON IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE, APRIL 19-22 IN WASHINGTON, DC
Just when we thought there couldn't possibly be any more reasons to take part in the April 19-22, Washington DC protests against the War* -- be it the war on terrorism in Afghanistan, the drug war in Colombia, or the war on the poor being waged by the IMF and World Bank -- the American Israeli Political Action Committee (AIPAC) gave us another reason: they invited the war criminal Ariel Sharon to town.
Sharon, who was found by his own government to be indirectly responsible for the massacre of as many as 2000 Palestinians in the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps in 1982, ignited the current Palestinian Intifada and then led a bloody suppression of the whole Palestinian society. Since September 2000, more than 1000 Palestinians have been killed, over 25,000 have been injured, and close to 600 homes have been demolished by the Sharon-led government.
AIPAC's annual conference brings together all the main forces of reaction and war. This year's conference is being billed as an event "to show support for the war on terrorism being waged by the U.S. and Israel". In addition to Sharon, both Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz have been invited to speak.
To have so many war criminals together at one event is too good of an opportunity to pass up. Therefore, we would like to invite all those committed to justice to join us April 19-22 in Washington, DC to protest another War, the war against the Palestinian people, and demand that Sharon be indicted for crimes against humanity.
More information and details about planned events, housing, etc. will be posted on SUSTAIN's website at www.sustaincampaign.org in the coming weeks. If you would like more information please contact SUSTAIN at sustaindc at hotmail.com or 202-421-8599.
Timeline
Friday, April 19 1:00 - 5:00 Mini-conference/teach-in on the Palestinian struggle and building solidarity in the US at American University
Saturday, April 20 11:00 - Palestinian Solidarity feeder march from AIPAC Conference at Washington Hilton (Connecticut and T Sts, NW) to MGJ Rally at IMF/WB 1:00 - Continue on to Freedom Plaza with MGJ to join the "Stop the War" mobilization 3:00 - March to Capitol for Final Rally
8:00 - Fundraising Party for the Int'l Solidarity Movement and Palestine Indymedia
Sunday, April 21 11:00-5:00 - Palestinian Solidarity information tent/tabling at Colombia Mobilization's Festival of Hope and Resistance at Sylvan Theater
Evening - Creative Actions (street theater, puppets, projection, and direct action)
Monday, April 22 4:00 - Press Conference outside of AIPAC at Washington Hilton 4:30 - Creative Actions around Washington Hilton 6:30 - Begin gathering around Washington Hilton for rally/picket during Sharon's address at 7:30
Tuesday, April 23 Jail Solidarity in the AM
Endorsers:
Stop US Tax-funded Aid to Israel Now (SUSTAIN) Campaign www.sustaincampaign.org
Students for Justice in Palestine www.justiceinpalestine.org
Al-Awda Al-Awda.org
American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), San Francisco Chapter www.adc.org
Jews Against the Occupation www.jewsagainsttheoccupation.org
Left Turn www.leftturn.org
Nicaragua Network www.nicanet.org
Palestine Media Watch www.pmwatch.org
Dennis Brutus, South African anti-apartheid and Global Justice activist/writer www.ustawi.org/dennis.htm
Students for Global Justice www.studentsforglobaljustice.org
InfoShop InfoShop.org
<http://www.sustaincampaign.org/> ***** -- Yoshie
* Calendar of Events in Columbus: <http://www.osu.edu/students/sif/calendar.html> * Anti-War Activist Resources: <http://www.osu.edu/students/sif/activist.html> * Student International Forum: <http://www.osu.edu/students/sif/> * Committee for Justice in Palestine: <http://www.osu.edu/students/CJP/>