Kathy Kelly: Pushing for Peace in Palestine

America's Middle East policy -- specifically the prospects for peace in Palestine -- is getting a lot of attention this week as President Obama prepares for his visit to Egypt. The world will be listening closely to the words the President will speak to the Arab and Muslim people around the globe. Our President's words will be key in our understanding of how he will steer America's foreign policy in this important region.

I reported last month on the Palestine Office-Michigan's Nakba-61 commemoration on May 16, 2009, as I published the speech by peace activist and respected Middle East policy analyst Phylllis Bennis here. As a companion piece, I have posted below the additional speech from that evening by peace activist, co-coordinator of the Voices for Creative Nonviolence, and three-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee Kathy Kelly. The commentary by Bennis and Kelly add some clarity to the issues that all Americans need to better understand.

-- Rico Thomas Rico

Kathy Kelly of the

Voices for Creative Nonviolence

Phyllis Bennis: Observations on Palestine-Israel Conflict

After attending most of the Michigan Policy Summit earlier in the day on Saturday, I moved on to Dearborn for the Palestine Office-Michigan's Nakba-61 Commemoration. Phyllis Bennis, co-chair of the U.S. Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation and Fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies, was one of the keynote speakers. Her speech here was very timely with this week's visit to Washington, D.C. by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

-- Rico Thomas Rico 

Phyllis Bennis of the

U.S. Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation

Separate is Never Equal: Analysis from South Africa and Palestine

I just got back from an evening planning meeting in Dearborn as preparations are being made to host the only Michigan stop for the national "Separate is Never Equal" Tour. Two international experts on the Israeli occupation in Palestine will stop in Dearborn on Thursday, November 13, 2008. Mark you calendar. Details of the event are provided below.

The featured speakers are Diana Buttu and Rev. Eddie Makue. Here are their short biographies as provided by the event sponsors:

Diana Buttu is a Palestinian Attorney who has worked tirelessly to influence and bring more balanced coverage of Palestinian issues in the media. Ms. Buttu was also a Palestinian advocate in the litigations at the International Court of Justice in the Hague, which resulted in the landmark opinion against Israel's Apartheid Wall. She also works with PalTel on sustainable agricultural development and teaches at Birzeit University in Palestine.

Rev. Eddie Makue founded the Independent Forum on Electoral Education Committee in 1992, the Democracy Education and Lobbying Forum in 1994, and the South African Civil Society Election Observation Coalition in 1998. In 2005, Rev. Makue was a member of the Election Monitoring Delegation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. In 2006, Rev. Makue was appointed to his current position as General Secretary of the South Africa Council of Churches.

Details of the event:

"Separate is Never Equal"

Analysis from South Africa and Palestine

Dinner & Reception

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Time: 6:30 p.m.

Location:

Byblos Banquet Hall

7258 Chase

Dearborn, Michigan 48126

Donation: $30

The event is being brought to Michigan by the U.S. Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation in conjunction with the Palestine Office-Michigan, the Peace Education Center of Greater Lansing, and numerous other peace organizations. The event is officially endorsed by the Congress of Arab American Organizations of Michigan (CAAO).

A group will be traveling to the event on November 13th from Greater Lansing (Michigan). If you are interested in attending with the Lansing delegation please contact the Peace Education Center at 517-889-1175 or send an email message to peaceedcenter@gmail.com. The Peace Education Center's Middle East Awareness Committee has a limited number of scholarship tickets available for college and university students.

Event information is also available from the Palestine Office-Michigan at 313-945-9660.

-- Rico Thomas Rico