LSE OCCUPATION CONTINUES INTO FIFTH DAY

Press Release
LSE OCCUPATION CONTINUES INTO FIFTH DAY AS OTHER UNIVERSITIES START PROTESTS

Students occupying a lecture theatre at the London School of Economics have continued their demonstration in to the fifth day.Over fourty students started the occupation in solidarity with Palestine last Thursday afternoon demanding that the LSE condemns Israeli aggression, divests from BAE, a firm that arms Israel, and provides material support for Palestinians. The students are demanding that the LSE waivers application fees and provides more scholarships for Palestinian students, sends surplus computers and books to Palestine and facilitates a cross-campus collection for Medical Aid for Palestine.

The move came after the Students' Union voted to condemn Israel for the attacks on Gaza.The occupation has attracted several high profile speakers including Tony Benn, George Galloway, Lindsey German and Alex Callinicos to rallies and public lectures inside the occupied theatre.

The line-up of speakers for Tuesday includes Baroness Jenny Tonge, Haim Bresheeth, Moshe Machover and Paul Gilroy.Tony Benn endorsed the occupation, "May I congratulate you all for having organised this occupation. I have seen the statement of intent that you have made and I agree with it one hundred percent." He said, "Don't think that you're an isolated little group at the LSE. In my judgement I believe there is mass support for what you are doing from all over the world."Over 350 students attended the lecture with Tony Benn. Since its start, the core group of the occupation has doubled to about 80 students, with dozens more coming in daily to express their support.One of the students, Mira Hammad, addressed 10.000 people at Saturday's Trafalgar Square rally. "Now, this is the age of human rights, this is the age when we stand up for the people who have no voice, we are giving a voice to the silenced," she said, adding, "We urge all students: Forget NUS, forget the government. Stand up yourselves, and make a statement: Start the movement now"George Galloway expressed his support for the occupation outside the occupied theatre today, "I want to thank you on the action that you have taken, rescuing the honour of the London School of Economics. It has been dishonoured by the silence of Howard Davies in the face of the war crime involved in the deliberate destruction and bombardment of the Islamic University in Gaza.", he said.

The group has received messages of support from LSE Staff against the war, a large number of academics and students from other universities and members of the public. Over 350 LSE students have signed a petition in support of the occupation.Occupations have also been taking place at SOAS and Essex Universities and other student groups plan to start occupations in the coming days.The group today expressed optimism that the School is close to meeting their demands.

A spokesperson said, "The School appears to have agreed in principle to our reasonable demands regarding providing support for Palestinians. We look forward to meeting with them to discuss the details of the support the LSE community can provide and our request that they issue a statement and divest from BAE. Unfortunately, they are currently arguing that they will not speak with us further until the occupation has ended. This is unsatisfactory to us as in the past they have used this tactic to avoid making firm commitments. We hope to meet with them shortly."The spokesperson added, "LSE is an institution founded on the Fabian values that were the precursor of the human rights agenda of modern politics. LSE must restate those values and condemn state criminality. It is not a matter of politics, it is a matter of humanity. For an academic institution to profit from firms that arm Israel is unacceptable."

NOTES TO EDITORS
1) Please view our blog for updates and past news releases. http://lseoccupation.blogspot.com/
2) The identity of other universities who will start occupations is being kept secret. Contact us: lseoccupation@googlemail.com
3) For more information on the SOAS occupation: http://soassolidarity4gaza.blogspot.com/
4) For more information on the Essex occupation: http://www.visitpalestine.asia/page.cfm/id/98207
5) For the motion on Gaza passed by the Students' Union: http://lseoccupation.blogspot.com/2009/01/student-union-passes-motion-condemning.html
6) The video of Mira's speech can be found here: http://lseoccupation.blogspot.com/2009/01/lse-students-to-speak-at-trafalgar.html
7) The video of Tony Benn's speech can be found here: http://lseoccupation.blogspot.com/2009/01/videos-now-uploaded-tony-benn-lindsey.html
8) The video of George Galloway's speech can be found here: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=22IMP8EbgFg&feature=channel_page

Western diplomats: Israel seeks to control reconstruction of war-torn GazaBy

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1056791.htm

News Agencies, Haaretz,Last update - 17:02 19/01/2009

Israel intends to exert control over the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip following its 22-day offensive, and is seeking guarantees that no projects will benefit Hamas, Western diplomats said on Monday.Israel, which declared a unilateral ceasefire on Sunday, retains full control over Gaza's commercial crossings, through which goods and other materials for rebuilding must pass.Smuggler tunnels under Gaza's border with Egypt, which were used by Hamas and many ordinary Palestinians to get around the Israeli-led blockade, were heavily bombed during the war and are, at least temporarily, out of commission.That gives Israel enormous power to shape the recovery effort, which will be largely financed by the international community.

Preliminary estimates put the damage at nearly $2 billion. Saudi Arabia said it would donate $1 billion.Western diplomats, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said Israel has asked the United Nations and other aid groups to provide a detailed list of goods, equipment and personnel that they want to bring into the Gaza Strip, both to meet immediate needs and for rebuilding.Israel told the aid groups it would consider expanding the list of materials authorized to enter the Gaza Strip. Before the war, Israel blocked entry of most cement, steel and cash, saying Hamas used them for bunkers, rockets and militia salaries.

On Sunday, Israel and the militant Palestinian group Hamas announced separate cease-fires, ending the offensive that destroyed vast swaths of Gaza.Hamas militants wrested control of the Gaza Strip from Abbas's Palestinian Authority in a bloody 2007 coup. Abbas, who still controls the West Bank, is seen as weak and ineffectual by leaders of some Arab countries like Syria.On Sunday, six key European leaders on Sunday pledged to work to prevent Hamas from rearming. The commitments were offered both at the Sharm al-Sheikh summit in Egypt and at a meeting in Jerusalem with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

The six leaders were British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero and Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek, who currently holds the European Union's rotating presidency. They offered to provide troops and technological assistance to prevent Hamas from smuggling weapons and terrorists into the Gaza Strip, in cooperation with Egypt and the United States.The leaders expressed support for the cease-fire in Gaza and for an end to Palestinian rocket fire on southern Israel. Olmert said that he also received on Saturday a letter from EU leaders pledging cooperation in halting the arms smuggling into Gaza.

The six leaders met with Olmert following a conference in Sharm al-Sheikh, where they spoke with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Abbas.UN Chief Ban urges Arab states to back Abbas in Gaza crisisMeanwhile, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday urged Arab leaders to join together in backing Abbas' efforts to reunite the war-ravaged Gaza Strip with the Fatah-ruled West Bank.Ban also said that Arab unity was crucial if the three-week Gaza conflict was not to be repeated in the future."The Palestinians themselves must face the challenge of reconciliation, and work to achieve a unified government under the leadership of President Abbas," Ban told an Arab League summit expected to approve $2 billion in aid to rebuild Gaza."I call on all Arab leaders to unite and support this endeavour. We cannot rebuild Gaza without Palestinian unity," he added.

At the same conference, Saudi Arabian King Abdullah announced on Monday that his country would donate $1 billion for reconstruction in Gaza."I announce on behalf of your brothers in Saudi Arabia that the kingdom will offer $1 billion as a contribution under the program proposed by this summit for the reconstruction of Gaza," said King Abdullah.The Gaza conflict has divided Arab countries, as recent meetings of Gulf states have shown.Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, who negotiated with both Hamas and the Israelis to get a ceasefire, called for uniting all Palestinian factions in his speech at the summit. Syrian President Bashar Assad, whom Israel accuses of financing Hamas, voiced support for "Palestinian resistance".Ban has been touring the Middle East for a week urging Israeli leaders and Arab governments to do everything in their power to end the fighting in Gaza and prevent the humanitarian crisis for the coastal territory's 1.5 million people from worsening.He told reporters during the flight to Kuwait that if Arab states remain divided on Abbas and Palestinian unity, there was "no guarantee this [the Gaza conflict] will not happen again."In his speech in Kuwait, Ban reiterated that Israel must reopen border crossings with Gaza, allow humanitarian aid in and withdraw from the Gaza Strip. Likewise, he urged Hamas to stop firing rockets at southern Israel.But a permanent solution, he said, would require a return to the stalled Middle East peace process.

"A true end to violence, and lasting security for both Palestinians and Israelis, will only come through a just and comprehensive settlement to the Arab-Israeli conflict," he said.

"The occupation that began in 1967 must end."

Does boycotting work?

from www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=67659507672

Before I answer that let me ask you- even if it were to have no impact at all, can you still drink a can of Coke or have a KitKat or shop in M & S knowing that these companies actively supported the massacre of innocent people in Gaza with the profit of what you bought?

Some like Nestle intend to open their main head office in occupied lands. If you are comfortable will that at night, then the whole idea of boycott is not for you. However, boycotting does work!

1) It worked with the apartheid regime of South Africa which eventually led to the dismantling of the apartheid system

2) It worked with the Danish products which made losses of 100's of million of poundshttp://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article723266.ece

3) Even if we were to boycott one big company and it felt the effect of the boycott, dont you think they will think twice before they sponsor Israel? Dont you think others will think three times before they do the same!

4) I am working with other organisations to draw a list of the top 10 products/companies and if we all boycott the worst offenders IT WILL HAVE AN IMPACT

5) I will be compiling a list of 'ALTERNATIVE STORES/PRODUCTS' which a lot of you have asked for. Please help by sending it to my inbox so that I can compile a full list of ALTERNATIVE STORES/PRODUCTS that do not support Israel ieASDALIDLMORRISONS(for general shopping) Instead of: TescoSainsburysPret A Manger instead of Starbucks and so on..... DO YOUR BIT.

YOU BOYCOTT FIRST AND THEN TELL OTHERS. invite everyone from your contacts to join

www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=67659507672

This is no ceasefire - 3rd National Demo for Gaza

3rd National Demonstration For Gaza: Saturday 24 January
Israel Out Of Gaza Now: Lift The Blockade
Assemble BBC Broadcasting HousePortland Place, London, W1A 1AA
(Nearest Tube Oxford Circus)March To Trafalgar Square
More details to come [www.stopwar.org.uk]
[http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=69458225624&ref=nf]
*PLEASE INVITE ALL OF YOUR CONTACTS TO THE EVENT FOR THIS DEMO AND ORGANISE COACHES TO LONDON ASAP FOR THE NATIONAL MOBILISATION. MORE DEATILS WILL BE MADE AVALIABLE ON FACEBOOK EVENT AND www.stopwar.org.uk WEBSITE.******************
1200 dead, 6000 injured: Enough for now says Israel.gaza children mourn babyThis is no ceasefire. Israel has momentarily stopped bombing schools, mosques, hospitals, universities and residential buildings."We have achieved our objectives, and more," says Israeli prime minister Olmert. So 1200 dead, 350 of them children, is slaughter enough for now.Injuring 6000 people, bombing hospitals and ambulances, killing medical staff -- that will do for now, says Israel.

But, says Israel, it may start again any time it wishes.

As for lifting the blockade, which has starved 1.5 million Gazans of essentials such as food, fuel and medical supplies for the past three years - not a word. As for opening Gaza's borders, which have locked the population into one giant concentration camp -- not a word.The cost to Israel in the past three weeks: three civilians killed and ten soldiers killed, four of them by their own troops, tells its own story against the mass murder suffered by Palestinians in Gaza.

Only one Israeli was killed by Hamas in the year before Israel unleashed the last three weeks of carnage. Hamas's rockets were always a pretext for a long planned war to erase the memory of Israel's defeat in Lebanon in 2006 and to bolster the electoral prospects of Tzipi Livni and Ehud Barak in Israel's general election next month.Instead of offering Israel the use of the British navy against Hamas, the legitimate government in Gaza, Gordon Brown should be announcing a complete ban on all arms trade with Israel, as he would if any other country had carried out war crimes on such a scale and violated so many international laws and the articles of the United Nations Charter.Israel has "achieved its objectives, and more"...

The morgues of Gaza's hospitals are over-flowing. The bodies in their blood-soaked white shrouds cover the entire floor space of the Shifa hospital morgue. Some are intact, most horribly deformed, limbs twisted into unnatural positions, chest cavities exposed, heads blown off, skulls crushed in.Family members wait outside to identify and claim a brother, husband, father, mother, wife, child. Many of those who wait their turn have lost numerous family members and loved ones. Blood is everywhere.Hospital orderlies hose down the floors of operating rooms, bloodied bandages lie discarded in corners, and the injured continue to pour in: bodies lacerated by shrapnel, burns, bullet wounds. Medical workers, exhausted and under siege, work day and night and each life saved is seen as a victory over the predominance of death.****************

Join the facebook group to support the university occupations in solidarity with Gaza [http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=126620265110&ref=mf]

Hamas and allies declare ceasefire

Hamas and their allied Palestinian factions have announced an immediate one-week ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, giving Israel a week to pull out of the territory.
The move, following a meeting of the factions in Damascus on Sunday, comes a day after Israel called a unilateral truce, ending its 22-day offensive in Gaza which led to the deaths of 1,203 Palestinians.

"Hamas and the factions announce a ceasefire in Gaza starting immediately and give Israel a week to withdraw," Ayman Taha, a senior Hamas official talking from Cairo, said.
Hamas also demanded that Israel open all of the Gaza Strip's border crossings to allow in food and other goods to meet the "basic needs for our people".

The Palestinian factions at the Damascus meeting also included Islamic Jihad, Al Nidal, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and al Saeqa.

Israel had already said on Sunday that it will not consider a timetable for withdrawing all of its forces from the Gaza Strip until Hamas and other groups cease their fire.
Cease rocket fire
Palestinian factions have continued to fire rockets into southern Israel since the beginning of the offensive, killing three Israelis, out of a total of 13 Israelis that have died since the begining of the war.

They have also been fighting Israel's ground forces which enterd the Gaza Strip in the second week of the offensive.
An end to rocket fire from the Gaza Strip into Israel was the stated aim of the Israeli offensive.
Israel declared a unilateral ceasefire on Saturday, with Ehud Olmert, the prime minister, stating that they had achieved their objectives.
"We have reached all the goals of the war, and beyond," he said. "[But] if our enemies decide to strike and want to carry on, then the Israeli army will regard itself as free to respond with force."

Olmert also said the war boosted Israel's deterrence and that Hamas's actions would decide when the military would withdraw.
"This operation strengthened the deterrence of the state of Israel in the face of all those who threaten us," he said.
"If Hamas completely stops its attacks, we will judge at what moment we will leave the Gaza Strip."
'Symbolic victory'
However, Ayman Mohyeldin, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Gaza City, said some in the Gaza Strip are claiming a victory for Hamas and other Palestinian factions on an operational and symbolic level.

"On an operational level on the last day of the war and even after the war Palestinian factions are still capable of firing rockets, no doubt about that.
Hamas and Israel declared independent ceasefires each with separate terms [AFP]"In fact, more than a dozen or so have been fired today according to the factions here on the ground.
"On a symbolic level, at the end of the day the Palestinian people remain here on the ground, having paid a very heavy price though.
"Their position was one of steadfast defiance. The fact that they can stay and essentially ... claim that they have been able to stave off this aggression, in terms of the leadership and the command and control structure of Hamas and the government here, is certainly a sign for many here that they have been victorious."

At least 13 rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip into Israel on Sunday morning after Israel declared their ceasefire, with Israel responding with air attacks into Gaza, according to Israeli sources.

fantastic gaza track

listen and download free here!

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Israel attacked Al-Quds hospital

Isarel attacked Al-Quds hospital while 500 employees and patients inside the hospital.

The main quarter of UNRWA agency in Gaza city was attacked also.New U.N school which protect civilians who escape their homes in dangerous places was attacked by forbidden White phosphorus weapons.
Even cemeteries have not been spared from the shelling !!!

YouTube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oXFRTXi2tkBBC:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7829912.stm

AlJazeera English:http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2009/01/20091177657498163.html

To have more details about these horror weapons, please follow this link.

Images: http://images.google.com/images?q=phosphorus bomb

Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_phosphorus_(weapon)