Australia and Palestine: Connection deeper than you think
I and my wife are on a talking and book signing tour in Australia and New Zealand. There are so far sold-out events that we did in Perth (aboriginal name Boorloo), Adelaide (Tarntanya wama), Sydney (Gaadi), Woolongong, Brisbane. Now in Melbourne. In 20 days I spoke to over 3000 people at public events (and a rally with 10,000 people) and networked with others (like Rotarians). I explain Australia's connection to Palestine and implore audiences for global joint action against racism and colonialism (incl. zionism) but I also explain about reality on the ground and how they can help. I show them a short video of our activities (https://youtu.be/qt8OTGoS198) and invite them to visit Palestine. During the past 79 years, Palestinians have carefully tended to the graves of 263 Australians who fell in combat during World War II, and were solemnly buried far from their own loved ones, in a Gaza Strip cemetery. Recently, more Australian blood was shed in Gaza, when an Israeli airstrike killed Australian aid worker Lalzawmi “Zomi” Frankcom as she and her World Central Kitchen colleagues distributed food to starving Palestinians in Gaza. Australia has shared a connection to Palestine that is much older. Most Australians don’t know that it was South Australia’s second governor, Lt Col. George Gawler, who was tasked by the British Empire with helping to establish a Jewish homeland and whose studies resulted in the birth of the Jewish Colonization Association.
I and my wife are on a talking and book signing tour in Australia and New Zealand. There are so far sold-out events that we did in Perth (aboriginal name Boorloo), Adelaide (Tarntanya wama), Sydney (Gaadi), Woolongong, Brisbane. Now in Melbourne. In 20 days I spoke to over 3000 people at public events (and a rally with 10,000 people) and networked with others (like Rotarians). I explain Australia's connection to Palestine and implore audiences for global joint action against racism and colonialism (incl. zionism) but I also explain about reality on the ground and how they can help. I show them a short video of our activities (https://youtu.be/qt8OTGoS198) and invite them to visit Palestine. During the past 79 years, Palestinians have carefully tended to the graves of 263 Australians who fell in combat during World War II, and were solemnly buried far from their own loved ones, in a Gaza Strip cemetery. Recently, more Australian blood was shed in Gaza, when an Israeli airstrike killed Australian aid worker Lalzawmi “Zomi” Frankcom as she and her World Central Kitchen colleagues distributed food to starving Palestinians in Gaza. Australia has shared a connection to Palestine that is much older. Most Australians don’t know that it was South Australia’s second governor, Lt Col. George Gawler, who was tasked by the British Empire with helping to establish a Jewish homeland and whose studies resulted in the birth of the Jewish Colonization Association.
The subsequent pursuit of the Zionist project of a Jewish state of Israel disregarded and sought to obliterate the first people (my ancestors) connection to our land and the rich and vibrant history and culture of this part of the fertile crescent, where people first domesticated plants and animals, first settled communities, and brought to life the “cradle of civilisation.”
The Zionist project sought to transform a peaceful multiethnic, multicultural, multireligious, and multilingual Palestine to become the “Jewish state of Israel.” The project climaxed in the 1948 Nakba, when most of our people were forcefully removed. Then the new “Jewish state” expanded to the rest of Palestine in 1967 and is climaxing in the past 6 months with a genocide that so far killed over 41,000 civilians, andb injured 84,000, 72% of victims being women and children.
Eight million of a total of 15 million Palestinians are now refugees or displaced people. I’m one of them - I live in the West Bank, in an apartheid system that consists of a number of isolated cantons – or ghettos, or concentration camps, or Bantustans, depending upon your choice of terminology – spread across eight per cent of historic Palestine.
I and millions of Palestinians ((first people of various religions), live at the mercy of a set of discriminatory laws Israel has deemed appropriate for us while watching Jews in Israel (most colonial settlers from Eurole) take over most of our land and natural resources and shoot, injure, and jail us at will. Colonial settlers get automatic citizenship and a home on stolen land no matter where they come from simply for being Jewish while Palestinains refugees are denied their right to return to their homes and lands. Those of us who are still in the country face an apartheid racist genocidal regime. The regime denies us rights to food, water, education, healthcare, religion (access to Holy sites) and even movement. As Palestinians, we’re disturbed to know that Australia, which talks of the primacy of international law and human rights, can continue to offer its support to Israel including close military ties, knowing all humanrighst organizations and the UN have shown conclusively and unequivocally condemned these atrocities.
Australian government has also established a pattern of voting in support of Israel at the UN General Assembly, in stark contrast to the voting patterns of 95 percent of the countries on earth. But we’re heartened that Australia’s civil society and huge swathes of the public are actively and vocally supportive of the Palestinian struggle for justice and self-determination, whether that has been articulated via endorsement of cases at the world’s highest courts, or the floods of people on Australian streets calling for a ceasefire over the past six months. I attended several rallies in three cities already and am thankful for the hundreds that showed up. The people of Gaza strip I talked to and we Palestinains globally (15 million of us) thank you.
I, a Palestinian Christian biologist from Bethlehem, and my wife, Jessie, a Chinese-American, are on our first tour of Australia and New Zealand, giving dozens of talks and book signing and meeting thousands of people. I challenge the hegemonic Zionists who seem to have an influence in Australian media and politics to have a pulic debate about what is in Australias's best ineterests: Supporting human rights or continuing to support the Israeli genocide and ethnic cleansing of our people? I’m confident that we will have mutually beneficial exchanges with all Australians we meet. I’m confident that the sense of fairness that Australians consider to be part of the national character is leading them to support human rights and freedome and to end the genocide and apartheid that is supported by the Australian government under pressure of a lobby that has a different agenda. The bulk of humanity has aspirations for something that we – you and I, from opposite sides of the globe – can achieve together. a pluralistic society based on the principles of human rights and international law. For those who heard our talk and got our message, please do help us... check this new video ,https://youtu.be/qt8OTGoS198, our annual report and 10 year anniversary booklet at palestinenature.org then go to palestinenature.org/volunteer and palestinenature.org/donations
Resources (& below part of the schedule of some public events)
http://Ongaza.org
https://chuffed.org/project/106869-free-gaza-australia
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-03-11/the-forever-war/103574742
https://declassifiedaus.org/2023/11/03/targeting-palestine/
https://michaelwest.com.au/australia-zionist-defence-ties-with-israel/ https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2824%2900401-X/fulltext
https://twitter.com/PeterCronau/status/1764337528956686844?s=20
https:/overland.org.au/2023/12/where-is-the-australian-climate-movements-solidarity-with-palestine
https://www.plan.org.au/media-centre/support-for-gaza-ceasefire-and-more-government-action-swells-in-australian-community-as-aid-agencies-call-for-urgent-support/
https://johnmenadue.com/australian-military-refuses-to-disclose-arms-deal-with-israel-to-protect-its-reputation/
18 April 2024, Thursday, PERTH, 18:30-20:00 Public forum at the State Library (180 people capacity) in conversation with Jack Collard, a Whadjuk-Ballardong Nyoongar man from Boorloo.
Lecture titled: “Palestine, Land Rights & Environmental Justice” https://events.humanitix.com/palestine-land-rights-and-environmental-justice Venue: State Library of Western Australia 25 Francis St, Perth WA 6000, Australia This event is supported and co-hosted by: Palestine Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainability, Palestinian Community WA, Climate Justice Union, Friends of Palestine WA, and Unionists for Palestine WA
19 April 2024, Friday, PERTH, 11:00-12:00 “The ten-year anniversary of the Palestine Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainability’ Professor Mazin Butros Qumsiyeh” Professor Mazin Qumsiyeh joins the UWA Centre for Muslim States and Societies’ Seminar Series to share and speak about the Palestine Museum of Natural History (PMNH) and the Palestine Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainability (PIBS). Hosted by Centre for Muslim States and Societies, Seminar Series, University of Western Australia (UWA) Venue: Fox Lecture Theatre, Main Campus (Arts Building)
19 April 2024, Friday, PERTH, 18:00-22:00 Community dinner at Walyalup Civic Center Council Chamber Room 151 High St, Fremantle WA 6160. Theme: Hope and empowerment (love and unity) in the Holy Land . Hosted by Palestinian Christians in Australia (PCIA) and endorsed by Friends of Palestine WA (FOPWA)
20 April 2024, Saturday, ADELAIDE, 17:00-19:00 Enlightening lecture on Palestinian rights, peace, and environmental conservation Prof. Qumsiyeh will talk about popular resistance, PIBS/PMNH work, catastrophic environmental issues and key areas of patient history, diagnosis, symptoms, AND treatment for this displacement settler colonialism, followed by Q&A. Location: Theatre North 1, Humanities Building, Flinders University, Bedford Park.
21 April 2024, Sunday, ADELAIDE, 9:30-10:30 Community worship at Pilgrim Uniting Church - a Christian worship service of the protestant tradition, a Uniting Church in Australia congregation.
A talk to the congregation, Around 15 – 20 minutes about “Christians in the Holy Land” Location: 12 Flinders Street, Adelaide
21 April 2024, Sunday, ADELAIDE, 18:00-19:30 Public Forum, Free Palestine Adelaide Lecture titled “Shared Roots: Climate Change, Colonialism, and the Fight for Land Back” with Prof. Qumsiyeh and other guest speakers Location: The Joinery – 111 Franklin St, Adelaide SA 5000 Purpose of event: To shed light on the links between climate change, colonialism and ecological destruction. Also to show the connection between environmentalism and Indigenous Peoples' movements (e.g. in Palestine, Australia, etc.), and the crucial role of decolonisation in protecting ecosystems and the communities that rely on them globally. https://events.humanitix.com/shared-roots-adelaide
26 April 2024, Friday, SYDNEY, 18:30-20:00 Public forum at NSW Teachers Federation. Event titled “Land Rights, Climate Justice, and Palestine: In Conversation with Professor Qumsiyeh”
https://www.facebook.com/events/789288702631013/
Location: NSW Teachers Federation Conference Centre, 37 Reservoir St, Surry Hills. Gadigal Country
28 April 2024, Sunday, SYDNEY, 18:00 Sydney church service: Leichhardt Uniting – give talk
28 April 2024, Sunday, SYDNEY, 22:00 Online talk meet.google.com/tug-apto-rvf
2 May 2024, Thursday, BRISBANE, 16:00 – 18:00 Public Lecture at St Francis Theological College (SFC) Lecture titled: Environmental impact of the occupation and related military violence
https://www.stfran.qld.edu.au/upcoming-events/2024/5/2/public-lecture-professor-mazin-qumsiyeh
4 May 2024, Saturday, BRISBANE, 18:00 First Nations and Palestinians Solidarity - generations of resistance and fights for justice - Jagera Hall event
5 May 2024, Sunday, BRISBANE, 9:00 AM A 15-20 minute talk with St. Mary in Exile community/ Sunday liturgy - Q & A. The location is the Trades and Labor Council building, 1st Floor, 16 Peel Street South Brisbane...so very central...parking underneath...or South Brisbane station/Cultural Centre busway.
The Zionist project sought to transform a peaceful multiethnic, multicultural, multireligious, and multilingual Palestine to become the “Jewish state of Israel.” The project climaxed in the 1948 Nakba, when most of our people were forcefully removed. Then the new “Jewish state” expanded to the rest of Palestine in 1967 and is climaxing in the past 6 months with a genocide that so far killed over 41,000 civilians, andb injured 84,000, 72% of victims being women and children.
Eight million of a total of 15 million Palestinians are now refugees or displaced people. I’m one of them - I live in the West Bank, in an apartheid system that consists of a number of isolated cantons – or ghettos, or concentration camps, or Bantustans, depending upon your choice of terminology – spread across eight per cent of historic Palestine.
I and millions of Palestinians ((first people of various religions), live at the mercy of a set of discriminatory laws Israel has deemed appropriate for us while watching Jews in Israel (most colonial settlers from Eurole) take over most of our land and natural resources and shoot, injure, and jail us at will. Colonial settlers get automatic citizenship and a home on stolen land no matter where they come from simply for being Jewish while Palestinains refugees are denied their right to return to their homes and lands. Those of us who are still in the country face an apartheid racist genocidal regime. The regime denies us rights to food, water, education, healthcare, religion (access to Holy sites) and even movement. As Palestinians, we’re disturbed to know that Australia, which talks of the primacy of international law and human rights, can continue to offer its support to Israel including close military ties, knowing all humanrighst organizations and the UN have shown conclusively and unequivocally condemned these atrocities.
Australian government has also established a pattern of voting in support of Israel at the UN General Assembly, in stark contrast to the voting patterns of 95 percent of the countries on earth. But we’re heartened that Australia’s civil society and huge swathes of the public are actively and vocally supportive of the Palestinian struggle for justice and self-determination, whether that has been articulated via endorsement of cases at the world’s highest courts, or the floods of people on Australian streets calling for a ceasefire over the past six months. I attended several rallies in three cities already and am thankful for the hundreds that showed up. The people of Gaza strip I talked to and we Palestinains globally (15 million of us) thank you.
I, a Palestinian Christian biologist from Bethlehem, and my wife, Jessie, a Chinese-American, are on our first tour of Australia and New Zealand, giving dozens of talks and book signing and meeting thousands of people. I challenge the hegemonic Zionists who seem to have an influence in Australian media and politics to have a pulic debate about what is in Australias's best ineterests: Supporting human rights or continuing to support the Israeli genocide and ethnic cleansing of our people? I’m confident that we will have mutually beneficial exchanges with all Australians we meet. I’m confident that the sense of fairness that Australians consider to be part of the national character is leading them to support human rights and freedome and to end the genocide and apartheid that is supported by the Australian government under pressure of a lobby that has a different agenda. The bulk of humanity has aspirations for something that we – you and I, from opposite sides of the globe – can achieve together. a pluralistic society based on the principles of human rights and international law. For those who heard our talk and got our message, please do help us... check this new video ,https://youtu.be/qt8OTGoS198, our annual report and 10 year anniversary booklet at palestinenature.org then go to palestinenature.org/volunteer and palestinenature.org/donations
Resources (& below part of the schedule of some public events)
http://Ongaza.org
https://chuffed.org/project/106869-free-gaza-australia
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-03-11/the-forever-war/103574742
https://declassifiedaus.org/2023/11/03/targeting-palestine/
https://michaelwest.com.au/australia-zionist-defence-ties-with-israel/ https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2824%2900401-X/fulltext
https://twitter.com/PeterCronau/status/1764337528956686844?s=20
https:/overland.org.au/2023/12/where-is-the-australian-climate-movements-solidarity-with-palestine
https://www.plan.org.au/media-centre/support-for-gaza-ceasefire-and-more-government-action-swells-in-australian-community-as-aid-agencies-call-for-urgent-support/
https://johnmenadue.com/australian-military-refuses-to-disclose-arms-deal-with-israel-to-protect-its-reputation/
18 April 2024, Thursday, PERTH, 18:30-20:00 Public forum at the State Library (180 people capacity) in conversation with Jack Collard, a Whadjuk-Ballardong Nyoongar man from Boorloo.
Lecture titled: “Palestine, Land Rights & Environmental Justice” https://events.humanitix.com/palestine-land-rights-and-environmental-justice Venue: State Library of Western Australia 25 Francis St, Perth WA 6000, Australia This event is supported and co-hosted by: Palestine Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainability, Palestinian Community WA, Climate Justice Union, Friends of Palestine WA, and Unionists for Palestine WA
19 April 2024, Friday, PERTH, 11:00-12:00 “The ten-year anniversary of the Palestine Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainability’ Professor Mazin Butros Qumsiyeh” Professor Mazin Qumsiyeh joins the UWA Centre for Muslim States and Societies’ Seminar Series to share and speak about the Palestine Museum of Natural History (PMNH) and the Palestine Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainability (PIBS). Hosted by Centre for Muslim States and Societies, Seminar Series, University of Western Australia (UWA) Venue: Fox Lecture Theatre, Main Campus (Arts Building)
19 April 2024, Friday, PERTH, 18:00-22:00 Community dinner at Walyalup Civic Center Council Chamber Room 151 High St, Fremantle WA 6160. Theme: Hope and empowerment (love and unity) in the Holy Land . Hosted by Palestinian Christians in Australia (PCIA) and endorsed by Friends of Palestine WA (FOPWA)
20 April 2024, Saturday, ADELAIDE, 17:00-19:00 Enlightening lecture on Palestinian rights, peace, and environmental conservation Prof. Qumsiyeh will talk about popular resistance, PIBS/PMNH work, catastrophic environmental issues and key areas of patient history, diagnosis, symptoms, AND treatment for this displacement settler colonialism, followed by Q&A. Location: Theatre North 1, Humanities Building, Flinders University, Bedford Park.
21 April 2024, Sunday, ADELAIDE, 9:30-10:30 Community worship at Pilgrim Uniting Church - a Christian worship service of the protestant tradition, a Uniting Church in Australia congregation.
A talk to the congregation, Around 15 – 20 minutes about “Christians in the Holy Land” Location: 12 Flinders Street, Adelaide
21 April 2024, Sunday, ADELAIDE, 18:00-19:30 Public Forum, Free Palestine Adelaide Lecture titled “Shared Roots: Climate Change, Colonialism, and the Fight for Land Back” with Prof. Qumsiyeh and other guest speakers Location: The Joinery – 111 Franklin St, Adelaide SA 5000 Purpose of event: To shed light on the links between climate change, colonialism and ecological destruction. Also to show the connection between environmentalism and Indigenous Peoples' movements (e.g. in Palestine, Australia, etc.), and the crucial role of decolonisation in protecting ecosystems and the communities that rely on them globally. https://events.humanitix.com/shared-roots-adelaide
26 April 2024, Friday, SYDNEY, 18:30-20:00 Public forum at NSW Teachers Federation. Event titled “Land Rights, Climate Justice, and Palestine: In Conversation with Professor Qumsiyeh”
https://www.facebook.com/events/789288702631013/
Location: NSW Teachers Federation Conference Centre, 37 Reservoir St, Surry Hills. Gadigal Country
28 April 2024, Sunday, SYDNEY, 18:00 Sydney church service: Leichhardt Uniting – give talk
28 April 2024, Sunday, SYDNEY, 22:00 Online talk meet.google.com/tug-apto-rvf
2 May 2024, Thursday, BRISBANE, 16:00 – 18:00 Public Lecture at St Francis Theological College (SFC) Lecture titled: Environmental impact of the occupation and related military violence
https://www.stfran.qld.edu.au/upcoming-events/2024/5/2/public-lecture-professor-mazin-qumsiyeh
4 May 2024, Saturday, BRISBANE, 18:00 First Nations and Palestinians Solidarity - generations of resistance and fights for justice - Jagera Hall event
5 May 2024, Sunday, BRISBANE, 9:00 AM A 15-20 minute talk with St. Mary in Exile community/ Sunday liturgy - Q & A. The location is the Trades and Labor Council building, 1st Floor, 16 Peel Street South Brisbane...so very central...parking underneath...or South Brisbane station/Cultural Centre busway.
Tuesday, 7 May, 6-9 PM
Public event and refreshments after in Footscray.
Popular resistance theme
Discussion: Paola and Clare
Wednesday, 8 May, 6-8 PM
Public Event, Presentation by MQ followed by Q&A on “The Occupation and Food Sovereignty in Palestine: Lessons for the Global Community on the Environmental Impact of Militarism with Professor Mazin)
Hosted by Free Palestine Melbourne, Sustain; the Australian Food Network, Just Food Collective, Café Lab and Books not Bombs.
Location: RMIT University - Building 80, Cinema Theatre 435-457 Swanston St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
https://events.humanitix.com/occupation-the-environment-and-food-sovereignty-in-palestine
Proceeds from this event will support PIBS.
Thursday, 9 May, 6-8:30 PM
Event with Beit e'Shai & First Nations colleagues. A conversation with Prof Mazin Qumsiyeh & Aboriginal scholars (Zena Cumpston & Tristen Harwood)
Topic: “Land, Biodiversity & the Colony”, discussing parallels of settler-colonial projects occupying Palestine & Aboriginal Nations in the continent known as Australia. Topics include: the impacts of militarism on the environment, plant kin and climate change, food sovereignty and biodiversity, conservation as a form of settler colonialism.
Location: Aunty Alma's Gathering Place
550 High Street Preston
https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1205423
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kbVX-T0vmrH5d8RbfFt1CP2ubRKBe0E2/edit
Saturday, 11 May, 6-8PM
Church of All Nations - 180 Palmerston St, Carlton. Mazin will be speaking of his life as a Palestinian Christian and the work of sustainability of the natural world and humans.
Sunday, 12 May, 10 AM
Church of All Nations - 180 Palmerston St, Carlton. Mazin will be speaking of his life as a Palestinian Christian and the work of sustainability of the natural world and humans.
Sunday, 12 May, 5 PM
Public event: the Environmental Nakba with Friends of the Earth with a speaker online from FOE Palestine in Northcote., the format will be a moderated discussion followed by a Q&A.
Monday, 13 May, 6 PM
Public event - From Nakba to Genocide - A 76-Year History of Human and
Environmental Injustice. 40 min talk follow by Q&A with Professor Chris Mayes
