Jerusalem Unraveled

Join RCF & FOSNA (Friends of Sabeel-North America) for a discussion regarding Jerusalem. Afterwards, participate in an action workshop to learn about the BDS movement and strategize YOUR role in making a difference.

This free event takes place Saturday, January 13th, from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM, at First Christian Church in Olympia.

Our Guest Speakers Include:

Nada Elia is a Diaspora Palestinian whose family was expelled from Jerusalem in 1948. She is a long-time grassroots organizer, having served on the steering collectives of INCITE! Women and Trans People of Color Against Violence, AWSA (the Arab Women's Solidarity Association), RAWAN (the Radical Arab Women's Activist Network), and currently the US Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel, and CAN (the Campus Anti-Fascist Network). Elia is a widely published writer with regular columns in Mondoweiss and Middle East Eye. She teaches in the American Studies Department at Western Washington University.

Rochelle Watson (FOSNA National Organizer) has 15 years' experience as a community organizer. She co-founded the Olympia Rafah Sister City Project after her friend, Rachel Corrie, was killed the Israeli military in 2003 while protecting a Palestinian home facing demolition. In 2010 Rochelle co-founded Olympia BDS, which led to Olympia Food Co-op becoming the first U.S grocery store to boycott Israeli goods.

Mohammed Nabil was born and raised in Khan Younis, a city in the Gaza Strip. Nabil received a Bachelors Degree in Counseling and Guidance from Al-Aqsa University in Gaza in 2012, after which he moved to the Pacific Northwest and attended the Pacific Northwest College of Art and The Evergreen State College. He currently resides in Portland, Oregon.

Palestinian Letter on Jerusalem:

"Trump's naming of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel is not simply an act of disregard for our aspirations to justice and freedom, it is a blatant attack against them. It is in line with Trump's racist, Islamophobic, and anti-Palestinian platform, which is legitimized using white and Christian supremacist rhetoric. As Palestinians, we call on people around the world to follow the leadership of the Palestinian people in our aspirations for justice as we are demanding it. We make this call alongside Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA), a Christian ecumenical liberation organization that has been seeking justice in Palestine for over 20 years. We know that none of Trump's actions are in line with Christian values, and we understand liberation as giving voice to the prophetic leaders of a community to determine their own fate, which is how God liberated his people throughout history..Peace will not come to Jerusalem without justice, and today, with Trump's help, Israel continues to colonize the holy city as the world ignores Palestinian voices. This move is, ultimately, one that will help Israel in its campaign to push Palestinians out of the city. We call on everyone to take action today so that Palestinians of all faiths can continue to live in Jerusalem." Read full letter at FOSNA.

Overview of BDS:
Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) is a Palestinian-led movement for freedom, justice and equality. BDS upholds the simple principle that Palestinians are entitled to the same rights as the rest of humanity.

Israel is occupying and colonising Palestinian land, discriminating against Palestinian citizens of Israel and denying Palestinian refugees the right to return to their homes. Inspired by the South African anti-apartheid movement, the BDS call urges action to pressure Israel to comply with international law.

BDS is now a vibrant global movement made up of unions, academic associations, churches and grassroots movements across the world. Eleven years since its launch, BDS is having a major impact and is effectively challenging international support for Israeli apartheid and settler-colonialism.

Please join us to learn about these important efforts and how you can get involved at this critical time in the fight for Palestinian human rights.