Minutes for February 12, 2009 ICPR meeting:

Officer’s Reports:

Rizk introduced our first guest Robert L. Handley, a graduate student in the School of Journalism at UT. He is a critic of U.S. news media coverage of the Israel / Palestine conflict but beyond that, he is interested in asking what can individuals and groups such as ICPR do about it. He has published two academic articles on coverage of the conflict, and has another article under review. He hopes to conduct personal interviews with ICPR members that have had experiences monitoring news stories and explore their strategies for gaining access to the news as well as any other interactions with news organizations. He asked for any interested members to participate in his research. The results of his study will be published and he also hopes to produce a how-to manual for practical use, addressing the question of how can we improve the media’s coverage of the conflict.

Members can email Robert at: roberthandley@mailutexas.edu

Rizk has been contacted by Katie Mahoney, a board member of the Sun Dragon Martial Arts

and Self Defense school. In honor of their 20th anniversary, they are beginning a social justice speaker series. Their first event is scheduled for March 16 (7 PM at 4534 Westgate Blvd.) and Sera Bonds, the founder of Circle of Health International (www.cohintl.org) will be speaking on personal and institutional violence against women, as well as self defense and empowerment techniques, in the areas where COHI works. One of COHI's projects is an Israel/Palestine midwife training partnership (http://www.cohintl.org/02projects/ip/index.html. They have asked ICPR to be a co-sponsor, inviting us to put out any materials that we would like to share with their audience and to contribute a small ($10-$15) donation to help cover the cost of refreshments for the reception. Members agreed to co-sponsor the event.

Rizk asked that for our March meeting, members come prepared to discuss what issues are important to them as individuals and what steps are needed to move forward on specific projects/interests.

Bernice brought members up to date on the activities of the Austin Coalition for Gaza.

Bernice will be part of a Teach In on Feb 17 entitled “Who knows What's Going On in Palestine”. They are a very active group and more information is on their website:

www.solidaritywithgaza.org

Bernice also asked for members to contribute to the cost of the banner she had made that was used for the rally at the Capital and the MLK events in January. ICPR board members had approved paying for the banner but Bernice proposed that individuals contribute to the cost instead of it coming from ICPR funds. Members “passed the hat”.

Treasurer’s Report:

Balance on Jan 8, 2009 was $1128.71. ICPR had expenses of $44.00 and no income.

Balance on Feb. 12, 2009 was $1084.71

Members had a general discussion about the recent decision of Hampshire College in Amherst, MA to divest from companies on the grounds of their involvement in the Israeli Occupation of Palestine. They are the first of any college or university in the U.S. to divest. We briefly discussed other boycott, divestment and sanction efforts.

Also of importance is the recent announcement that The Church of England has divested from the American company Caterpillar.  

Our special guest for the evening was Joe Carr. Joe’s first trip to Palestine was in 2003. He was there as a volunteer with the International Solidarity Movement and in 2005 worked with the Christian Peacemaker Teams in Iraq. Joe began his presentation with his poem,” Plant the Olive Branch” and then we watched his program, “Peacemaking in Palestine: Non-Violent Resistance to the Israeli Occupation”. He spent time in Al-Tuwani, near the illegal Israeli settlement Maon. In Jan. through April 2003 he was in Rafah, Palestine and witnessed the murder of Rachel Corrie on March 16, 2003. They were close friends and college mates in Olympia WA. He also witnessed the intentional sniper shooting of Tom Hurndall when Tom moved to rescue and remove Palestinian children from the danger of IDF gunfire. Tom was a 21 year old British photojournalist volunteering with ISM and died after nine months in a coma. Joe later testified at the trial for Tom’s murder. Joe’s work with ISM involved protecting Palestinian municipal workers, protecting Palestinian water wells by sleeping on the site, protecting Palestinian homes from demolition. He closed his talk with his poem: “Imperial Crucifixion”. He had CD’s of his poetry available for members.

For further information:

International Solidarity Movement: palsolidarity.org

Rachel Corrie: www.rachelcorrie.org, www.rachelcorriefoundation.org

Tom Hurndall: Defy the Stars: The Life & Tragic Death of Tom Hurndall, April 2007

                      by Jocelyn Hurndall (his mother)