PFLP: Imprisonment of Jarrar an attempt to terrorize Palestinians and target leaders

Chicago, IL – Palestinian icon Rasmea Odeh; Black youth leaders Veronica Morris-Moore and LaCreshia Birts; Black Liberation Movement veteran Frank Chapman and Eric Koene, a striking worker from the Kohler plant in Wisconsin, appeared together on the stage of the 24th Annual People’s Thanksgiving.

Houston, TX – Students and anti-war activists at the University of Houston rallied in solidarity with Syrian refugees on Dec. 4. They also protested the U.S. war in Syria that is driving millions of Syrians out of their country. Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott recently said in a letter to President Obama, “Texas will not accept any refugees from Syria.” Governor Abbott filed a lawsuit against the federal government in an effort to prevent Syrian refugees from resettling in Texas.

Grand Rapids, MI – Twenty people gathered at a busy West Michigan street corner holding signs that read, “Stop war, not refugees!” and “Refugees are welcome here,” featuring an image of the Statue of Liberty. They gathered in response to Michigan Governor Rick Snyder’s anti-refugee comments.

Caimanera, Cuba – On Nov. 25, the fourth International Seminar for Peace and Abolition of Foreign Military Bases concluded its gathering by sharing its final declaration with the residents of Caimanera, the town closest to the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo province.

Lebanon’s official National News Agency is reporting that 4 Israeli warplanes were tracked flying over wide areas of the country, Nov. 27.

Dallas, TX – About 40 protesters gathered at the Grassy Knoll near downtown here, Nov. 21, to call out Texas Governor Greg Abbott's anti-refugee statements. Abbott recently declared that Texas would not accept Syrian refugees.

Manila – Palestinian icon Leila Khaled visited the Philippines for the first time this November to attend the Fifth General Assembly of the International League of Peoples' Struggle and the launch of the Philippines-Palestine Friendship Association. She was the keynote speaker of the International Women's Alliance and she spoke before the Filipino people in Manila during the protest actions against the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation. She also visited the temporary encampment of lumads (indigenous peoples) at a church ground.

Havana, Cuba – After a two-day bus trip from Havana to Guantanamo Province, delegates from around the world arrived for the fourth International Seminar for Peace and Abolition of Foreign Military Bases. The bus trip included several stops in various cities and provinces, including the Che Guevara memorial. It is clear the Cuban people are proud of their country and the many accomplishments the revolution has achieved in spite of the U.S. blockade.

_Demands freedom for Colombian revolutionary Simon Trinidad _

Columbus, GA – Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and anti-war activists from college campuses in Tampa, Gainesville and Tallahassee, Florida traveled to Columbus to protest the School of the Americas (SOA) on Nov. 20.

Tucson, AZ – 50 Tucsonans issued a warm welcome to any future Syrian refugees. The Nov. 19 demonstration came in response to the Islamophobic statement made by Republic Governor Doug Ducey. Ducey basically accused all refugees, specifically those from Syria, as being connected to, if not actual, ‘terrorists.’ Protesters held signs that read: “Shame on Ducey,” and “AZ loves refugees.”

Columbus, GA – A large group of anti-war and international solidarity activists passed out hundreds of flyers at the annual School of the Americas (SOA) protest at Fort Benning, Georgia on Nov. 21. The flyer calls to support the peace process in Colombia, freedom for Simon Trinidad and to close the SOA, where Latin American death squads and dictators are trained. The Colombian military trains regularly at the SOA and has the worst human rights record in the hemisphere.

Tampa, FL – Anti-war activists and students from Florida are mobilizing to protest the School of the Americas (SOA), Nov. 20-22. The SOA was renamed the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHINSEC) a few years ago, but it is still widely known as the SOA meaning “School of Assassins.” It is based at Fort Benning, near Columbus, Georgia.

Minneapolis, MN – Freedom Road Socialist Organization’s Political Secretary Steff Yorek gave the following statement to Fight Back! regarding the Nov. 13 evening events in Paris.

_ Calls on U of MN to honor boycott of Israel, drop the charges against protesters_

Minneapolis, MN – Responding to a campaign of condemnations from University of Minnesota officialdom, the Anti-War Committee (AWC) issued a statement Nov. 10 standing by the actions of protesters at last week’s Law School lecture by Moshe Halbertal, who they call a “war crimes apologist.” Criticisms were hurled at the group after protesters denied Halbertal a platform by interrupting his presentation some two dozen times, with facts about Israeli atrocities, Halbertal’s public record in defense of IDF actions and demands that the university honor the international boycott of Israel.

Fight back News Service is circulating the following Nov. 6 statement from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).

Minneapolis, MN – Over 50 supporters of Palestine shut down a Nov. 3 lecture by Hebrew University professor Moshe Halbertal, a co-author of the Israeli military code of ethics, entitled “Protecting Civilians: Moral Challenges of Asymmetric Warfare.” Organized by the MN Anti-War Committee and endorsed by Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP UMN), the protesters prevented Halbertal from presenting his defense of IDF conduct in last summer’s Gaza War. Three of the protesters were arrested, as police tried to maintain what they called “decorum.”

Milwaukee. WI – About 50 students from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee rallied in solidarity with Palestine, Oct. 28. Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) organized the rally in response to the increase in violence by Israeli occupation forces in which over 50 Palestinians have been killed just this month.

Minneapolis, MN – A coalition of Twin Cities area peace groups gathered Oct. 31 for an emergency protest against the sending of U.S. Special Forces troops to Syria. The announcement of the sending of these troops was made Oct. 30. The troop deployment represents an escalation of aggression by the U.S. in Syria and Iraq.

Miami, FL – Dozens of students in Miami converged on the campus of Florida International University, Oct. 23, to protest against Leonel Fernandez, ex-President of the Dominican Republic. Fernandez presided over the constitutional change producing the outrageous “TC 168-13” ruling. This high court ruling strips thousands of Dominicans of their nationality, affecting mostly people of Haitian descent.