Tag: conflict

Tinderbox: a film


Film about the Israeli/Palestine conflict to be shown next month

September 2024

The film Tinderbox is to be shown at the United Reform Church in Fisherton Street, Salisbury on Monday 7th October starting at 7pm. Entry is free. It is a Christian Aid Film.

The conflict rages in Gaza and settler violence has increased in the West Bank. Over 40,000 are now dead in Gaza and prospects for peace being discussed only a week or so ago seem moribund. There has been a pause in hostilities to enable UN agencies to administer polio vaccine following an outbreak of this highly contagious disease.

The film was written and directed by Gillian Mosely who is Jewish and consists of a range of interviews with representatives of both sides of the conflict. It has received mixed reviews, the Times calling it ‘trite’ and the Jewish Chronicle said it was ‘thought provoking but out of its depth’ however the story itself concludes that ‘it does a great job in laying out some of the important moments in Israel’s history …’ Both the JC review and the Guardian found it strange that she did not interview friends or her own family although an educated guess might provide good reasons why not.

A detailed review published in the Conversation is worth reading giving an historical context to this conflict.

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Israel – Palestine conflict


Statement by the head of Amnesty UK

October 2023

We enclose verbatim, a statement by the chief executive officer of Amnesty UK concerning the conflict in Israel/Palestine.

We are horrified by the escalating violence in recent days and the mounting civilian death toll in Israel and Gaza, and the rest of the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Hamas’s shocking summary killings and abductions of civilians displayed a chilling disregard for life and for international law. Deliberate attacks on civilians & hostage-taking are war crimes & cannot be justified under any circumstances. Hamas and other armed groups must end deliberate attacks on civilians, the firing of indiscriminate rockets, and hostage-taking. They must release civilian hostages immediately.

Relentless Israeli air strikes are now pounding Gaza, obliterating entire families and destroying whole neighbourhoods. Once again civilians in Gaza have nowhere to seek safety. The Israeli authorities’ illegal 16-year blockade on the Gaza Strip, a key part of its system of apartheid, means 2.2 million Palestinians are trapped, plunged into darkness, and without access to essential needs.

The collective punishment of Gaza’s civilian population by Israeli authorities amounts to a war crime – it is cruel and inhumane. 

Palestinian civilians are not responsible for the crimes of Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups, and according to international law Israeli authorities must not make them suffer for acts they have played no role in and cannot control.  

Families and survivors deserve justice.

As the situation is so fast moving, Amnesty is publishing the latest developments via publications on the press releases page of the AIUK website, which you can see here https://www.amnesty.org.uk/press-releases. 

In solidarity, 

Sacha Deshmukh
Chief Executive Officer
Amnesty International UK
 
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Children from Syria


Tonight!

The problems of Syria and people fleeing that country are seldom out of the news these days and indeed, the issue of immigration – and immigrants from Syria are part of the problem – is high up on the agenda with the debate about Brexit or Remain in the European Union.  Many people are responding in interviews that the reason they want us to leave is to stop the flow of refugees and immigrants coming to the UK.

All the talk about ‘immigrants’ can sometimes cloud the fact that these are people we are talking about and people means children as well.  Children who may have witnessed terrible events and even have lost parents in the conflict.

So a talk being organised by the Romsey group of AI is timely.  They have invited someone from Firefly International to give a talk on Monday 20 June starting at 19:45.  It will be about the conditions in Southern Turkey and their projects for children in that area.  It will be in Abbey Hall, Romsey, SO15 8EL.

All welcome.

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