Having commemorated Holocaust Memorial Day with Holocaust survivor Hajo Meyer and some Jewish friends, after a talk at Goldsmith University last week, I feel that Palestinians have many common experiences with the survivors of the Holocaust.

The way Meyer was imprisoned in the ghetto and moved across the checkpoints could be a stereotypical image in occupied Palestine. I was personally amazed to hear Hajo Meyer himself saying that the Palestinian suffering is so close to the Holocaust and sometimes it is the same. I was amazed because I heard it not from a Palestinian, but from a Jewish man who has suffered a lot.

For a long time, it has been widely argued that genocide has never been committed in Palestine. Some media outlets close to the Palestinian viewpoint reckon there was genocide, one that is still in progress. The Israeli narrative rejects the use of this term for the Palestinian experience. Without doubt, the Germans perpetrated a heinous crime and... [Read More]

Gaza, January 22, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Exactly one year ago, the Gazans who were seared by the bright flames of phosphorous bombs used by what is ironically called the Israel Defense Force, placed much hope on the new president of the United States. They believed he would promptly intervene and press Israel to stop its crimes against our beleaguered land, that he would be just and fair as he promised. However, he did practically nothing: Israeli crimes are still perpetrated against the Palestinians, the worst of which was the siege imposed on Gaza as a retaliation for the people's exercise of democracy in the elections of 2006.

Those elections were hailed as clean and fair by ex-U.S. president Jimmy Carter.

As an "Americanist" in Gaza -- a professor who loves America and the wonderful American people, and teaches American literature and American culture, I was disappointed with the performance of the new American administration in its first year.

I ex... [Read More]

The events which will last one week will remember the victims killed in more than 30 massacres like Dair Yasin, Qibya and Sabra-Shatlia.

 In commemoration of the victims of Gaza and also in remembrance of six decades of brutality against the Palestinians, The Palestinian Return Centre (PRC), Palestinian Forum in the UK, European Campaign to End Siege on Gaza, Islamic forum of Europe (IFE), Federation of Student Islamic Societies (FOSIS), Muslim Association of Britain (MAB), Islamic Human Rights Commission in Britain (IHRC), Russell Tribunal, Student Council Goldsmith University and Action Palestine will be holding a number of events between 13th to 19th of January 2010.

The week will include a number of organized events in many cities with the main event on the evening of 13th of January.

Palestinian speakers from Gaza and the occupied territories will speak about the recent crisis caused by the Israeli army especially the last turmo... [Read More]

 The website can be visited on www.goldstone-report.org, and includes valuable information not widely available or known elsewhere. According to PRC media department, there has been a number of websites launched by pro Israeli lobbies and groups which adopt the official Israeli narration in respect of the Goldstone report. These websites include misleading and misguiding information about the siege and the War on the Gaza Strip.

PRC commented on the new website launched by the center as a new dimension in its strategy in bringing the realities on the ground to the eyes of the world. It tries to highlight the Palestinian victims especially the refugees who were the majority victims in the December war of 2008.

The Goldstone report tackles key points from the war such as the attack on the UNRWA school, destruction of UN food stockpiles, targeting of civilians, use of illegal weapons... [Read More]

The conference scheduled on Wednesday, 16th of December is expected to accommodate hundreds of guests which include Journalists, activists and academics based in the UK and around the world. The participation of representatives of Palestinian Refugees from officials in Syria, Lebanon and Jordan is an added rarity in such conference as they will provide opportunity to discuss findings from a survey of Palestinian refugees in the camps.

The Center has received wide interest from the public and various officials around the world. PRC are committed to making this event free of admission for those interested in the Palestinian cause and those that work directly or in related fields.

Key speakers in the conference include British MPs who will chair the main sessions which will be announced shortly in the program.

According to Majed al zeer, General Director of PRC, the conference will produce a number of recommendations that would be used by the Center... [Read More]

It will be holding a memorial week for the victims and the besieged population of Gaza and including all Palestinian refugees that have been living in exile for over the Six decades. In cooperation with the European Campaign to End the Siege on Gaza, PRC will host various exhibitions, discussions, lectures and films over the course of the week.

The memorial week will commence with a big event on the evening of the 13th January 2010 at Friends House in London, Euston. A number of key speakers and politicians will participate in commemorating the first anniversary besides screening some short films and reports about the current conditions in the Gaza Strip.

During the following days there will be a number of exhibitions, of which there will be one in Speakers Corner in Hyde Park with speakers in various languages Sunday 19th of January.

A short film about Gaza Strip will be screened one 13th of January. This film is one of the most recent documentaries release... [Read More]

The delegation which was headed by Lord Muhammad Eltaf Sheikh also included Baroness Jenny Tonge- Former British MP, Geremy Corybon British MP, Jim Hume MSP, Bat Breen Irish MP, Jim Tolson MSP, Muhammad Hamed, PRC chairman of Board of Trustees, Arafat Madi, PRC executive director and Nasim Ahmed Researcher at the PRC.

PRC organized the visit as part of its continuous effort to mobilize and raise awareness of the refugees whose plight is muted in the international arena and their basic human right to return to their home is obstructed. The delegation inspected the current conditions of Palestinian Refugees taking careful note of the terrible suffering especially those who fled the Iraqi war and are sheltering in Al Tanaf camp on the Syrian-Iraqi borders.

The delegation also visited refugee camps sheltering Palestinians from the Nakhba in 1948 in Danon and Speina located south of the Syrian capital Damascus. In describing their plight, the refugees, they spoke of t... [Read More]

The survey showed different views on the performance and services of UNRWA, with ratings between satisfied and unsatisfied. Some of the examined samples regarded the problem as one which is solely political.

Abu Ali, 70 said 'We have been suffering for decades. The UNRWA succeeded in filling the humanitarian gap. However, the political gap was never bridged by the United Nations. I think UN should have tried to set a body like UNRWA to solve our political problems" said the old man.

The survey which includes various samples would be shown and discussed at the conference. Majed al Zeer, PRC General Director said that the conference is expected to witness momentum participation from various academics, journalists, politicians and activists.

"We have received tens of requests to participate in the event. We aspire to achieve tangible results as we have invited key speakers such as MPs, politicians, activists and UNRWA speakers. They will discuss the ... [Read More]

 More importantly, the participation of Norman Finkelstein is evoking more people to attend the event. The conference which is scheduled on the 16th of December 2009 would commemorate the 60th anniversary of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency UNRWA. It will include 4 sessions of discussions that focus on the recent conditions of refugees, the UNRWA work and the legal status of Palestinian Refugees under the International Law.

Professor Norman Finkelstein is one of the keynote speakers at the event. He is expected to chair one of the sessions plus inaugurating his "NEW BOOK"
According to Finkelstein's, his new book will assess Israel's real motives for launching the Gaza massacre; the attempted whitewash right after it ended; the human rights reports and Israeli soldier testimonies documenting its magnitude; and the Goldstone report and its significance.

PRC is proud to showcase the services of UNRWA and provide a detailed analysis on the b... [Read More]