Tucson, AZ – People gathered Feb. 15 at a local radical bookstore and café to watch and listen to the inspiring words of Rasmea Odeh by video conference. The 67-year-old Arab American woman faces the possibility of a 10-year prison sentence, loss of citizenship and deportation. Odeh spoke of the importance of organizing resistance to the political agenda that criminalizes activism.
Protest vigil and live stream speaking event planned for Feb. 13
Minneapolis, MN – Protests, speaking events and fundraisers are being organized across the U.S. as part of the growing national movement to win justice for Rasmea Odeh. Two events will take place in the Twin Cities on Friday, Feb. 13. First is the weekly Palestine Solidarity Vigil to Demand Justice for Rasmea, 4:30 to 5:30 at the intersection of Summit and Snelling Avenues in Saint Paul, followed by a speech by Rasmea Odeh, via live stream, which will be at the center of an event running from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at 4200 Cedar Avenue in Minneapolis.
Minneapolis, MN – Sabry Wazwaz reported back to over 100 people, Feb. 7, at Karmel West from his month long trip to Palestine this winter, where he did interviews for his upcoming documentary. Wazwaz is an outspoken leader in both the Palestinian American community and the Anti-War Committee. He is an advocate for a free Palestine and against U.S.-backed Israeli apartheid. Wazwaz explained his motivation for his trip as a desire to “wake people up about what’s really going on” in Palestine and to counter the lies of U.S. mainstream media.
Professor Al-Arian is a Palestinian American civil rights and Palestine solidarity activist who was indicted in 2003 and put on trial for aiding the Palestinian resistance organization Islamic Jihad. At the time of his arrest U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft held a press conference announcing the professor’s arrest to the nation. In the U.S. war on terror, Sami Al-Arian was the big test case.The U.S. government spent more than ten years spying on Al-Arian and intercepting more than 400,000 phone calls. However the U.S. prosecutors could not get a guilty verdict from jurors on any of the 17 charges.After spending two years in jail while on trial and faced with another trial and more years away from his family, Al-Arian made a plea deal, agreeing to leave the country and going into political exile. Then U.S. prosecutors tried to use their power to punish Al-Arian. Instead of letting professor Al-Arian serve time and leave the country as agreed in negotiations, U.S. prosecutors demanded Al-Arian testify at a federal grand jury in Virginia, which he refused to do based on his agreement with the government. He then was charged with contempt and jailed. Since 2008 he has lived under house arrest and in 2014 the charges against him were dropped. He was deported in early February and now lives in Turkey.
On Jan. 23, the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, James W. Rawley, commented on the Israeli authorities’ recent wave of demolitions of Palestinian homes in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
Chicago, IL – Organizers of the nationwide effort to get justice for longtime Palestinian American leader Rasmea Odeh are urging an all-out mobilization for Odeh’s sentencing in Detroit Federal Court on the morning of March 12. Odeh is facing deportation and up to ten years in jail on a trumped-up immigration charge.
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) on the Dec. 28 Day of Action to demand an end to siege and the immediate reconstruction of Gaza
Moscow, Russia – The delegation of U.S. anti-war activists met today, Dec. 16, with the Embassy of the State of Palestine Ambassador to the Russian Federation, Dr. Fa’ed Mustafa. Ambassador Mustafa agreed to the meeting after a request was made by the Anti-Globalization Movement of Russia, the hosts of the international conference of anti-war forces.
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following Nov. 23 statement from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).Occupier’s home demolition threats will be met with increased confrontation and steadfastness
New York, NY – Protesters converged on Federal Plaza here, Nov. 15 to demand justice for Palestinian American leader Rasmea Odeh. The protest was called by Students for Justice in Palestine groups from across the city. It was backed by Al-Awda NY: the Palestine Right to Return Coalition, American Muslims for Palestine, BAYAN USA, Committee to Stop FBI Repression, International Action Center, U.S. Palestinian Community Network, Revolutionary Student Coordinating Committee and others.
Fort Lauderdale, FL – On the weekend of Nov. 14, Al-Awda, the Palestine Right to Return Coalition, held its Twelfth Annual International Convention here at the Westin Hotel. The successful event included speeches by prominent activists, academics, artists and journalists from Palestine and the pro-Palestine movement throughout the U.S. Supporters from across the country discussed plans for building the Palestine freedom movement.
Salt Lake City, UT – Activists rallied in front of the Wallace F. Bennett Federal Building on Nov. 16, as part of a national week of action in support of Palestinian American leader Rasmea Odeh. Participants were urged to write letters of support to Rasmea Odeh, now in Saint Clair County Jail, Port Huron, Michigan. Supporters are also making donations to her defense fund. Information can be found at stopfbi.net.