Events for November 2008:

Falafel and film evening: Saturday November 22nd: 7.30 p.m. at St. Matthews room, Carver St. Sheffield city centre. Admission £6.50/£5. We will be serving delicious Palestinian food and showing a short film of the truly historic breaking of the siege of Gaza.  

Saturday 29th November: 12 - 2 p.m. Vigil outside Sheffield Town Hall. Please join our protest against the Israeli occupation on this, the United Nations Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian people

Sunday 30th November: 'Welcome to Hebron': 6.30 p.m: a showing of this shocking and thought provoking film, by the Showroom Cinema, Sheffield city centre (the showroom is opposite the railway station). Filmed over a three year period in Hebron, this documentary features Leila Sarsour and her life under occupation.

December 2008:

Next Sheffield PSC planning meeting: Tuesday 2nd December: 7.30 p.m. Quaker Meeting House; James st. Sheffield city centre.

Carols against the occupation: Singing against the occupation: Date to be confirmed.

Events we have held in 2007:-

December 2007:

 Hilary recently returned from the 2007 olive harvest, spoke at two meetings, in Rotherham and to the Sheffield University student society, about her experiences.  Tales from the olive harvest.

Hilary will be giving an illustrated talk on her experiences during the 2007 olive harvest. Admission is free and refreshments will be available. Palestinian olive oil will be on sale.

December 2007; a fund raising felafal evening and illustrated talk about the 2007 olive harvest were held.

concert4palestine! October 17th 2007 

Over 300 people came to see Reem play and hold them in the spell of a passionate  performance. Reem's unique style of traditional Palestinian lyrics and Jazz accompaniment was astounding. A number of people were saying how they had not heard anything like it before but were totally spellbound by the music.

Concert 4 Palestine raised £2,200 for the childrens projects in Gaza. A huge thank you to Reem, the rest of the band and also to all our supporters who came to enjoy the evening and to all who helped us to sell tickets. We also sold a great deal of merchandise on the night, including olive oil and Palestinian embroidery. This all helps us to support Palestinians trying to survive under the crippling economic effects of occupation and the economic embargo.

Clover Run The Grouse Inn, near Longshaw Hall, Peak District Sat 6 October 11am

An 8 mile fun run for teams of four and also a walk for those who don’t think an 8 mile fell run is fun! The run raised over £200 for the Children’s projects in Gaza

concert4palestine! October 6th 2007

Satruday 6th October, singing workshop with Reem Kelani.

30 people came to get trained in traditional Arab style of singing. Here are a couple of clips

Sat 14th July 2007: A voice from Gaza

Dr Mona El Farra - fresh from her speech at the UN and speaking tour of the USA, held a moving and personal talk about the current situation in Gaza and about life under Israeli occupation. This was also a fundraising night  for the children's projects in Gaza, with wonderful Palestinian food.

ENOUGH! national rally - London. 9 June 2007

9th June was the international day of action to mark the 40th anniverary of the Six Day War and Israel's military occupation of Palestine.

The ENOUGH! coalition had thousands of people joining them for the primary international event of the year in support of the Palestinian people.
More info

Women's Social and Circle Dance - Saturday 23rd June 2007: was held at St Peter's Church Hall, Lyons Street, Pitsmoor.

A delicious buffet was available and there was an opportunity to learn and enjoy circle dancing. This was a women only event, raising funds for the Women's Scholarship fund. There was a display and an update about the Sheffield Palestine Women's Scholarship Fund and how the young students that we are currently sponsoring in Gaza are progressing.

We held a vigil on the 30th May -  to release Alan Johnston, the BBC journalist kidnapped in Gaza. Sheffield PSC along with South Yorkshire NUJ and Hazards magazine calls for the immediate and unconditional release of the respected BBC journalist. The vigil was outside BBC Sheffield, Shoreham Street, Sheffield.

An account from Hebron - Arwa Abu Haikal - May 2007

A resident of Hebron spoke about the problems her family have living beside an extremist Israeli settlement. She spoke movingly about her family's harassment and humbled us with her strength of spirit and hope. 24th May, Quaker meeting house, Sheffield.

Northern Rally - May 12th 2007

see photos of the day here 

Sheffield Palestine Solidarity Campaign co-organised a major rally on 12 May in Sheffield City Centre. It was the largest Palestinian solidarity event outside of London for many years. The event was calling for an end to 40 years of Israeli occupation, commemorating 59 years since the nakba and for justice in Palestine.

 The rally and festival of Palestinian culture took place in Sheffield city centre and combined a political rally and march with a variety of events and displays celebrating Palestinian culture and resilience, as well as highlighting the devastating impact of occupation, displacement and injustice.

The Sheffield rally featured an outstanding line up of speakers, representing the breadth of support for the Palestinian cause. Speakers including Clare Short (MP), Ismael Patel (writer and Chair of Friends of Al Aqsa), Betty Hunter (Palestine Solidarity Campaign), Nahella Ashraf (Stop the War Coalition), Linda Clair (Jews for justice for Palestinians)

Other features of the day long event included fantastic Palestinian dabke dancing, an amazing fake checkpoint street theatre and apartheid wall, Palestinian food and stalls. The march was accompanied by a cyclists for Palestine cyclecade! And a very lively Samba band. A marquee situated in Sheffield city centre ensured the day caught the attention of Saturday shoppers with a fantastic photographic exhibition from Birzeit university, Palestinian children's drawings and a football in Palestine display. A Boycott Israeli goods Market Stall featuring ‘forbidden fruits and vegetables’ was also an eye catching edition to the marquee!

'Vanunu Freedom Ride' April 2007 and Sheffield Vanunu Freedom social

The 2nd Vanunu Freedom ride, from Faslane nuclear weapons base to London, took place from 7th to the 21st April and passed through Sheffield on 14th April, joined by many Sheffield cyclists.  more information Read the cyclists daily blog!

'Manuel Hassassian Public meeting'

was held on February 22nd, when Professor Hassassian, the Palestininian Ambassador to the UK, gave an inspiring and informative talk on the current situation for the Palestinian people. Listent to the talk here

PUBLIC MEETING West Bank Land Grab - 18 January 07

Sheffielder, Deacon Dave talked and showed slides about the International Solidarity Movement’s work in Hebron, Palestine which involves protecting children to and from school, monitoring the checkpoints and arbitrary detentions, protecting the olive harvest, protecting Palestinians from settler violence and recording and preventing trespassing on Palestinian land.

Events we have held in 2006:-

November

Day school and AGM

We held a successful day school attended by about 50 people. The day included a showing of the documentary, the Iron Wall, and a talk by Marcus Armstrong, a peace activist who has visited the West Bank on several occasions. We also heard from Riyadh Tibi, member of the National Exectutive Committee of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

The day ended with an AGM at which reports were submitted about the activities of Sheffield PSC, including its highly successful fund raising activities to support the children's projects. At the AGM resolutions were passed outlining the priorities and new initiatives of Sheffield PSC for the coming year. 

Women's social for the Scholarship Fund. 

The women for Palestine group, formed after the International Women's day solidarity events earlier this year, held a highly successful women's social at the Broomhall centre to raise funds for the new initiative, Sheffield Palestine Women's Scholarship Fund. The evening attracted women from all over Sheffield and included a variety of entertainment, including singing by Body of Sound, a belly dancing performance by a local group, and an informal debake workshop led by two Palestinian women living in Sheffield. Women enjoyed a buffet supper and a selection of alcohol free cocktails and the evening finished with a world music disco run by Rowdy Claudia. the event raised over £500 fo the Scholarship Fund.

Al Haq meeting - Human rights and Israeli wrongs

Gareth Gleed, Legal Researcher for Al-Haq and a Palestinian co worker spoke in Sheffield as part of a UK and Ireland speaking tour.

Ramalla based Al-Haq, founded 1979, was one of the first human rights organisations established in the Arab world. The group of Palestinian lawyers aims to address the lack of human rights protection mechanisms in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT). It has been the West Bank Affiliate of the International Commission of Jurists - Geneva for over 20 years. Al-Haq produced some of the first studies using humanitarian law to analyse a situation of occupation. Find out more about Al Haq here

Protest against Israeli war crimes

A city centre protest was held aginsat Israeli war crimes and the continuing seige in Gaza, following the massacre in Beit Hanoun. 

October

The Iron Wall and a Peace Cyclist's journey'. About 25 people came out on a night of torrential rain to watch the first viewing in Sheffield of the powerful new documentary film. 'The Iron Wall' and to hear a talk by Steve Pagden about his experiences on the London to Jerusalem Peace Cycle, which took place this summer.

Concert4palestine. Roy Bailey and Martin Simpson entertained a sell out crowd of over 400 people at the Memorial Hall to raise funds for out children's projects in the Gaza Strip.  Ticket sales from the event and generous donations but before and during the evening, meant that we raised well over £3,000 from this fantastic evening.

On Boycott Israeli Goods Day of Action on 7th October, a number of Sheffield PSC supporters disributd leaflets first outside Tescos and then Holland and Barrett, both of which stock Israeli goods. 

The Clover Fun Run, also on October 7th, took place for the second year running in Derbyshire, with proceeds from the entry fees all going towards raising funds for our children's projects. The run attracted twice as many people as last year, and several of the runners also raised funds through sponsorship.

 September

Swee Ang talk and Falafel night. Swee Ang, health worker in refugee camps in Lebanon, and one of the founders of Medical Aid to Palestinians, spoke passionately on the 24th Aniversary of Sabra and Chatilla massacres, an anniversary given added poignancy given the current destruction in Lebanon.

Over 50 of us heard this amazing speaker, passionate in her defence of Palestinian people and unassuming about the role she has played. enjoyed some delicious Palestinian food and help to raise about £600 for children's projects in Gaza. Swee Ang's talk is available here in our recordings section.

Further information on Sabra and Shatila: BBC report Wikipedia entry Sabra-Shatila Belgium

August

Sheffielders in the Peace cycle

Four Sheffielders took part in the first stage of the London to Jerusalem 2006 Peace Cycle.

 July

 Emergency in Gaza: city centre protest

A protest was held outside Sheffield Town Hall to protest against the illegal actions of the Israelis in Gaza and the failure of the British Government to condemn their actions.

June

We protested in the city centre against the continuing occupation and the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from Jerusalem.

May

 Emergency protest against the seige in Gaza

We held an emergency protest about the crisis situation in the Gaza Strip, caused by Israel and the actions of the EU on Sheffield Town Hall steps. The public health system in Gaza is collapsing, due to the EU withdrawal of aid and Israel's closure of the Karni Crossing point.  

Another photo 

 April

Non stop basketball fundraiser

Sponsored Four Hours Non Stop Fun Basketball. This was a fantastic event enjoyed by tall and short alike, serious athletes and jokers, like me! Thanks to everyones enthusiasm we raised over £500 for the childrens projects.

All the basketball players for a group photo

The PSC team have a quick get together

 Falafel and quiz night 

Delicious Palestinian food and anarchic quiz. We raised £200, and even managed to answer one or two of Musheir's fiendishly impossible questions on Palestine.

Team A prepare for the quiz

 March

International Women's day conference

An all day conference organised and held by women supporters of the Palestinian cause. Mona Al-Farra, health worker and womens rights activist in Gaza, came to speak. In the evening a rioteous women's social was held, the highlight being a dabka workshop.

Mona Al Fara addresses the conference

 February

Ilan Pappe 22nd February

In February, Ilan Pappe spoke to an audience of about 75 people. Ilan is one of a group of 'revisionist' historians who question the received view of the creation of Israel. He points out how both Zionist and International politicians promoted the view that Palestine was a land without people, how the Israeli state subsequenty strove to hide the full effects of the Nakba (Disaster) on the Palestinian people and now, how unjust is the situation for Palestinians.

Ilan made clear that there can be no retreat from the positon that occupation must end now. This is the minimum requirement

Events we've held during 2005:-

Concert for Palestine: Young Bands night

Three up and coming young Sheffield bands, 'Oncoming traffic', 'General Disarray' and 'Knick o' Teen' (now renamed Deaf Vegas!) performed for adoring fans at a fantastic gig at the Broomhall Centre and raised over £300 for our children's projects.

Bad News from Israel

In October, at the University of Sheffield Students Union Mike Berry, coauthor of 'Bad news from Israel', spoke about how public belief, opinion and an ultimately distorted view of history have been shaped by media coverage of Palestine-Israel.

Palestinian Voices: Exile and Return.

Evening of poetry and prose readings by members and friends of Yorkshire Palestine Cultural Exchange, as part of the Sheffield 'Off the Shelf' festival of Reading and Writing. Saturday, 15th October, 2005 at the Broomspring centre.

Public meeting with Hassan Qasrawi and Jawad Qasrawi

Thursday 8th September 2005: 7.30 p.m. at the Institute for the Blind, Mappin St. Sheffield. Hassan Qasrawi and his son Jawad showed pictures and talked about their deeply moving family trip to the West Bank, Palestine. This was the first time Hassan had seen his family and home since the 1960s and things had certainly changed: he found his house a ruin and settlers living on what once were his family’s olive groves.

Al Funoon Dancers 

On Friday 11th March over two hundred people were privileged to enjoy the inspirational songs and dance of The Palestinian Band for Art and Folklore, who were on a two week tour of England, from their home in the occupied Gaza Strip. The event, at the Merlin theatre in Nether Edge, was hosted by the Sheffield Palestine Solidarity Campaign which campaigns for the freedom of the Palestinian people and provides humanitarian support to refugee children in the Palestinian territories.

Performing a traditional dance

The band performed a selection of traditional folk dances, songs and tableaux of Palestinian life, combined with songs portraying the hopes and dreams of the Palestinian people. The dancers were accompanied throughout by talented young vocalists, a pianist, lute player and a flutist. The young female dancers performed in traditional embroidered dresses, representing different areas of Palestine. The performance was a rare opportunity to see and appreciate Palestinian culture, and this was not lost on an enthusiastic audience who gave the Band a well deserved standing ovation at the end of the evening. The young dancers and musicians then stayed overnight with local families, reinforcing and developing the links between Sheffield and the Gaza Strip.

Dancers gather for a finale

The audience also heard a little about the conditions under which the band have to work, within the conditions imposed by the Israeli military occupation of Gaza. The tour itself has had to rearranged on one occasion due to the border restrictions imposed by the Israeli occupation and when the Band eventually set off for England, they spent five days travelling the fifteen miles to the border, through a series of Israeli Army checkpoints and then a prolonged wait at the border until permission was given for them to leave. The final obstacle was that their Director, the band’s founder and leader, was forbidden from leaving the country and was unable to join the tour. The Band anticipate that they may have to face an equally gruelling and uncertain time travelling back to their homes next week

Men linked arm to shoulder for the more exciing part of the dance