Category: Campaigns

Ten years ago today, on April 21, 2004, several hundred of us from around the world waited with great anticipation outside the gates of Israel’s Ashkelon Prison, holding up signs saying “Thank you, Mordechai Vanunu: Peace Hero, Nuclear Whistle-blower”. After many years of campaigning for his freedom, the day had finally arrived: Mordechai Vanunu would walk out of the prison where he had spent each day of his 18 year sentence (12 of those years in solitary confinement) for blowing the whistle on Israel’s then secret nuclear arsenal. We were there to welcome him to freedom. Our excitement had been somewhat dimmed a couple of days earlier, when Israel announced a list of oppressive and unjust restrictions on the soon-to-be-released whistle-blower. These restrictions continue to this day, having been renewed…

At the invitation of Code Pink, Nobel Peace Laureate, Mairead Maguire, and Ann Patterson, Peace People, agreed to join the Code Pink International Womens’ Delegation to Gaza, through the Egyptian Rafah crossing. The invitation had been extended by Womens’ Organizations in Gaza as they wished to celebrate International Womens Day, and draw attention to the ongoing Blockade of Gaza, by Israeli Government, which is now in its 8th year, and which is a policy causing a humanitarian crisis and deep pain and suffering for the people of Gaza, particularly children and women. Gaza, with a population of l.7 Palestinians, mostly youth, has been cut off from the rest of Palestine, as part of Israeli policy of dividing the Palestinian people. Its Port which has been closed for over 40 years,…