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Protest at Bay Area Red Cross Marks Palestinian Prisoners' Day

by Justice In Palestine Coalition (info [at] justiceinpalestine.net)
Two dozen activists protested outside the Bay Area Red Cross offices in San Francisco on Monday, April 18, to spotlight the International Committee of the Red Cross's shameful neglect of Palestinian political prisoners.
rcpalestine_5__3_.jpg
Two dozen activists protested outside the Bay Area Red Cross offices in San Francisco on Monday, April 18, to spotlight the International Committee of the Red Cross's shameful neglect of Palestinian political prisoners. They held up pictures of Palestinian prisoners and their families, and gave out several hundred fliers calling on passersby to contact the ICRC and demand they do their job.

April 17 is the International Day in Solidarity with Palestinian Political Prisoners. Because most offices in the US are closed on Sundays, groups around the country held demonstrations on April 18. Many of the actions were held at Red Cross offices.

The ICRC is charged by the United Nations to monitor the conditions of prisoners and ensure that international laws governing those conditions are being followed. They are the only international organization which has regular access to Israeli prisons and the only ones who can arrange visits for families of prisoners or deliver clothes and other supplies. Prison activists and lawyers in the Occupied Palestinian Territories charge that the Red Cross is not carrying out frequent visits to central Israeli prisons, and has failed to deliver urgently needed supplies. They also are not aggressively demanding that Israel stop its illegal abuses of prisoners' human rights. In particular, this year's demonstrations highlighted the case of Manal Ghannam and her son, 18-month-old Nour, who are imprisoned in Telmond. Nour has been subjected to tear gas in the prison; he and Manal both have medical conditions which are not being treated by the prison officials, and Nour's relatives have not been allowed to bring any toys for him to play with.

Before leaving the area, a delegation of six activists went up to the Red Cross offices to meet with an official of the local chapter. He insisted that there is no connection between the American Red Cross, which is affiliated with the International Federation of the Red Cross, and the International Committee, and said the activists need to take their complaints to the ICRC offices in Washington. He refused to pass on the demands of the action to representatives of the ICRC, or to meet with the activists at a later time to learn more about the Palestinian prisoners' issue, which he said he knows nothing about. He insisted that becoming informed about this human tragedy "would not be a good use of his time."

This Thursday, the Bay Area Red Cross plans an "international gala," celebrating its work in tsunami relief and other international humanitarian emergencies. The Justice In Palestine Coalition points out in its flier that the Red Cross's work in Palestine is nothing to celebrate.

For more information or to get involved please contact http://sumoud.tao.ca or info [at] justiceinpalestine.net.

all photos by Bernie
§Protestors in front of Red Cross Office
by Justice In Palestine Coalition (info [at] justiceinpalestine.net)
rcpalestine_3__3_.jpg
Photo by Bernie
§Protestors in front of Red Cross Office
by Justice In Palestine Coalition (info [at] justiceinpalestine.net)
rcpalestine_2__3_.jpg
Photo by Bernie
§Protestors presenting their case to Red Cross official
by Justice In Palestine Coalition (info [at] justiceinpalestine.net)
rcpalestine_16__3_.jpg
Photo by Bernie
§Protestors presenting their case to Red Cross official
by Justice In Palestine Coalition (info [at] justiceinpalestine.net)
rcpalestine_15__3_.jpg
Photo by Bernie
§Protestors presenting their case to Red Cross official
by Justice In Palestine Coalition (info [at] justiceinpalestine.net)
rcpalestine_13__3_.jpg
Photo by Bernie
§Protestors presenting their case to Red Cross official
by Justice In Palestine Coalition (info [at] justiceinpalestine.net)
rcpalestine_12__3_.jpg
Photo by Bernie
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Critical Thinker
Thu, Apr 21, 2005 12:54PM
Critical Thinker
Thu, Apr 21, 2005 12:48PM
reply
Thu, Apr 21, 2005 12:17PM
it makes it difficult
Thu, Apr 21, 2005 11:25AM
check it out
Thu, Apr 21, 2005 11:22AM
Critical Thinker
Thu, Apr 21, 2005 10:45AM
I disagree
Thu, Apr 21, 2005 9:38AM
Sefarad
Thu, Apr 21, 2005 9:35AM
Critical Thinker
Thu, Apr 21, 2005 9:35AM
If it is, then my apologies
Thu, Apr 21, 2005 9:24AM
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