International Law & Gaza War Crimes, Accountability, and Solidarity THURS 06.24.2010 | 10:00am ‐ 12:00pm | WSU Old Main: 1137  Co-sponsors
Code Pink Gaza Freedom March National Lawyers Guild United Against Racism US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation US Palestinian Community Network Image Caption: Mohammed Shurrab holds pictures of his sons, Kassab (28) and Ibrahim (18), who were shot by, and denied access to medical care, by Israeli soldiers during Operation Cast Lead. Both young men bled to death. Purpose
The purpose of this workshop is to both educate allies about Israel’s devastating occupation,
war, and blockade afflicting the 1.5 million Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip, as well as to host
a nationwide conversation between several organizations working to challenge the siege and
Israel’s impunity for war crimes during, and since, Operation Cast Lead.
Goals - Identify critical cleavages in order to enhance collaboration and leverage influence
- Expand the network of stakeholders targeting the siege and Israeli impunity
- Educate allies about history of Gaza from 1948 to the present in order to contextualize
its present-day strangulation and the collective punishment of those Palestinians living
within it
- Highlight the work of national organizations who have been working to lift the siege as
well as hold Israel to account for war crimes
Agenda - Introduction [Noura Erakat, USPCN]
A. Introduce the workshop and the sponsoring organizations
B. Representatives of each group introduce themselves
C. Go around the room and ask all participants to introduce themselves
- Brief history of Gaza 1948-Present [Yasmin Snounu, Fulbright Scholar,
Salma Samahadana, & Laila Shawa, young women from Gaza]
A. Provide context of displacement, occupation, blockade, and war
B. Two young women from Gaza introduce themselves and share a personal account of life
in Gaza
- Overview of War Crimes Committed during Cast Lead [James Leas, NLG]
A. Present a summary of NLG’s findings from fact-finding mission conducted
in the direct aftermath of Operation Cast Lead
- Existing and past advocacy efforts aimed at achieving accountability
A. Each Presenter will address: What, Why, How, and Impact of their advocacy efforts
B. Presenters
1. Gaza Freedom March: Breaking the siege on foot [Ret. Col. Ann Wright]
2. NLG: National speaking tours; lobbying week in Congress and Obama
Administration; and current efforts to sue Israel for Flotilla massacre [James Leas]
3. Code Pink: Delegations to Gaza; Stolen Beauty divestment campaign [Medea
Benjamin]
4. USC: Gaza Accountability Project [Phyllis Bennis]
5. USPCN: Mass mobilization; Direct action; and BDS [Monadel Herzallah]
- Facilitated discussion with GFM, NLG, CP, USC, and USPCN
A. Fishbowl discussion aimed on identifying cleavages, strengths, and possible
opportunities for moving forward--inclusive of the audience
B. Identify 1-3 possible strategic opportunities (i.e., a week of coordinated lobbying, shaming
Israeli officials, BDS campaigns)
- Wrap-Up
A. Summarize findings and decisions into a document for review and
follow-up
B. Identify potential new collaborative partners in national network
C. Identify next steps
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Fishbowl Discussion
This will be a fishbowl discussion wherein a representative of the GFM, the NLG, Code Pink, USPCN, and
the US Campaign sit on the inside of a circle facing one another--while the rest of the audience sits in a
circle surrounding them. The purpose of the fishbowl is to identify 1-3 possible collaborative or strategic
organizing opportunies to be discussed in the breakout groups.
While the representatives discuss 7 questions posed to them, the audience takes notes and raises
questions, concerns, or observations at the end of the facilitated discussion that should be addressed
either in a second round of discussion or in breakout groups depending on the flow or momentum of
the discussion.
Questions for the discussants inside the fishbowl: - What do you think unites all of your organizations' efforts aimed at achieving accountability in
Gaza? i.e., focus on U.S. foreign policy; focus on international law; focus on direct action; focus
on organizing communities; focus on multimedia; articulated goals
- What strengths do you think all of your organizations' share? i.e., ability to mobilize with little
to no resources; articulable and cogent goals; discrete policy asks; clear guidance for solidarity
activists who want to get involved and do something; ability to achieve tangible change
- What do you think constitutes a weakness that all of your organizations' share in their
organizing efforts? i.e., preaching to the choir; lack of access to mainstream media outlets; poor
messaging; lack of connection to Palestinians in Gaza; lack of focus on national decision makers;
lack of tangible goals
- Who do you think heard your message? i.e., members of congress, your community, millions of
Americans
- Who do you think did not hear your message? i.e., which cross-sections of the American
community
- What do you consider to be a possible national campaign in which each of your organizations
can participate? i.e., a national day of action, a consumer boycott campaign, a humanitarian
delegation to Gaza, a shaming campaign targeting alleged Israeli war criminals, a week of
coordinated lobbying
- What do you think is an untenable national campaign for your organizations? i.e., all those
options listed above
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