Friends International Center in Ramallah
October 2008 Newsletter
(Vol. II No. 8)

From the Program Coordinator

For the past year and more, attention has been focused on the November 4, 2008 election for the president of the US.  It has been one of the most interesting US elections to follow in recent history.  Why this interest in the Palestinian community in this particular election?  The obvious answer is that the outcome of the US election on November 4 will determine the future of Palestine and of every Palestinian around the globe.  Yet, on another level, there may be a bit of hope if Barak Obama wins because he is a person who knows the Arab American community and the issues Palestinians face, however, he too will be bound by US policy in the Middle East and the pressures around him when he enters the White House and wants to change that policy.  So, during the last days prior to elections, I would like to share with you some very interesting articles that have been written about Barak Obama, his relationship to the Middle East and how this has played itself out during the months leading up to the election itself. 

(Click here to read more about what others are saying about Barak Obama and his relationship to US Middle East policies and people. 

1- The senator, his pastor and the Israel lobby by Ali Abunimah (writer and Palestinian peace activist and founder of the Electronic Intifada)
2- What Obama missed in the Middle East by Ali Abunimah
3- No, I Can‘t! by Uri Avnery (Israeli peace activist)

4-Linking Obama with Islam and Terror Is a Double Offense
Ghassan Michel Rubeiz (former director of the Middle East desk of the World Council of Churches in Geneva)

5- John McCain‘s latest attempt to link Barack Obama to extremism (October 31, Washington Post Editorial)

From the Friends International Center in Ramallah

After a summer of no potluck dinners, we have again started to hold potluck dinners at the Friends Center on Wednesday nights.  The Wednesday Potluck group consists of members and attenders of the Ramallah Friends Meeting as well as other interested persons who live here.  The group is always a mixture of Palestinians and Internationals, regulars and visitors.  Everyone brings something to share with the group.  It’s a time to talk about what each person is doing in his/her work as well as discuss the political situation.  Potluck dinners will take place once a month in order. 

Gathering of MCC and other Mennonite Workers at the Friends Center

From the Ramallah Friends Meeting

After a successful book launch of Jean Zaru’s book: Occupied with Nonviolence: A Palestinian Woman Speaks, we are still receiving many requests for the book.  The book is available for purchase from the Friends Center.  For more details about the book launch see the September 2008 FICR Newsletter in the Archives on the FICR website:
www.ramallahquakers.org

From the Occupation: Monthly Action Focus:

Currently, the Right to Enter (RTE) Campaign is focusing its work on the responsibility of third states concerning the matter of Right to Enter/Re-Enter in enforcing human rights and international law in a situation of military occupation.
The RTE Campaign continues to collect the names of persons - Palestinians and internationals - who have been denied entry at one of the ports Israel controls (Ben Gurion airport or one of the bridges across the Jordan River from Amman).  If you are a person who has been denied entry or know of someone who has been denied entry, please contact Anita Abdullah at anita_abdullah@hotmail.com 

Update: In January, Terry Rempel, a Canadian was refused entry to the oPt at the Allenby Bridge.  He returned to Canada and tried to enter again in August because he needed to continue his research for his PhD dissertation, which is due in December at the University of Exeter in the UK.  He was given one week.  After one week he left.  On September 3 he tried to enter again from Jordan via the Allenby Bridge.  He had all the appropriate documentation from the university.  He was again given a one-week visa and told that he would never be allowed to come back to Israel and Palestine.  Terry left after one week.  Terry informed us that the Canadian Ambassador informed him that he will be given a three month tourist visa the next time he wants to enter the oPt.  We thank Jon Allen, the Canadian Ambassador in Tel Aviv for his work on this issue.      
Due to the fact that there is no clear policy for denial of entry, a person is allowed to enter via one of the ports controlled by Israel at the discretion of the Israeli immigration official.  The denial of entry is random.  People continue to be given a one-week visa, a new trend and alternative to being denied entry completely. 
For more information on "Right to Enter/Re-enter" go to www.righttoenter.ps

NOTE:  Some of you have not been receiving the FICR Newsletter in your mailbox.  However, you can read all the back issues in the “Newsletter Archives”.

Kathy Bergen
Program Coordinator
www.ramallahquakers.org