ELSC Newsletter: March 2023
Published on Tue Apr 11 2023 - modified on Wed Apr 12 2023Dear friend,
We stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people facing mass repression. As Europe carries on with its concerted efforts to silence Palestine, the movement perseveres, and we nonetheless have victories to report!
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UK UPDATES: WOMEN CHALLENGE REPRESSION IN COURT
NEW CASE: WE ARE TAKING LLOYDS BANK TO COURT TO PROTECT PALESTINIAN RIGHTS ADVOCACY!
Two Muslim women, Affy and Aliya are suing their employer Lloyd’s Bank, one of the UK’s biggest banks, for discrimination. In May 2021, both posted statement in support of Palestine on the bank’s internal chat for employees. Affy and Aliya were investigated and subsequently sanctioned for breaching the bank’s policies on discrimination, harassment, abusive and offensive content. In addition to unimaginable consequences for their personal and professional lives, they both lost their annual bonuses and received written warnings that could remain on their records indefinitely while Affy lost a prestigious graduate role.
The ELSC launched a crowdfunding campaign to help both employees cover the costly legal fees of their lawsuit against Lloyds.
We need at least £30 000 to support Affy and Aliya in Court!
Join our fight against all types of racism and support Affy and Aliya’s claim by sharing this campaign across all platforms!
📣 SHARE on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Linkedin 📣
SHAIMA DALLALI RESISTING NUS DISMISSAL
Following Shaima Dallali’s summary dismissal from her role as President of the National Union of Students (NUS) after an investigation accusing her of antisemitism based on her beliefs concerning the Palestinian struggle, she is now taking legal action!
In bowing to political pressure, the NUS has undermined its own commitment to anti-racism, including the fight against antisemitism, and has abandoned its duty of care to its elected President Shaima Dallali. She has been subjected to the most intense public scrutiny and horrifying abuse, including death threats.
The ELSC signed a joint statement with other organisations in the UK to condemn Shaima Dallali’s dismissal by the NUS.
Read more about the NUS repressing Palestine advocacy here
DR SHAHD ABUSALAMA CONTINUES THE FIGHT AGAINST THE REPRESSION FROM SHIEFFIELD UNIVERSITY
Dr Shahd Abusalama has been countlessly targeted with intensified anti-Palestinian smears by pro-Israel groups, outlets, and social media trolls, which culminated after her enrolment at Shieffield Hallam University (SHU).
After successfully fighting two investigations and the suspension of her teaching, SHU launched a third investigation. Dr Shahd Abusalama was cleared but decided to leave this hostile environment.
The fight now continues as SHU decided to violate Shahd’s employment rights and disclosed misleading information to the pro-Israel ‘Jewish Chronicle’, which instigated a further round of brutal smears in the media. Dr Shahd Abusalama is fighting back and pursuing legal action to hold SHU accountable!
✊ SUPPORT SHAHD’S ESSENTIAL FIGHT ✊
As a Palestinian woman, I want to be able to articulate my story and political views without being harassed and subject to discrimination. But this is not just my lawsuit. With this legal fight, we will make sure that no other individual faces persecution or harassment for their legitimate beliefs from our employers. This case will challenge systemic issues, including the oppressive IHRA definition, the rights of workers to fair treatment, and legitimate protest and free expression.
Shahd
NEWS FROM GERMANY
DR ANNA YOUNES’ SURVEILLANCE CASE: THE FIGHT CONTINUES WITH TWO NEW LAWSUITS
On 2 November 2022, exactly three years after she discovered RIAS’ covert surveillance of her activities and after two legal victories, German Palestinian scholar Dr Anna Younes launched two new lawsuits. She requests the Administrative Court of Berlin to find the preparation and transmission of the secret dossier on her unlawful, and acknowledge that RIAS/MBR’s surveillance and false labelling of Dr Younes as an anti-Jewish racist violated her right to privacy and right to reputation. In addition, she requests compensation for the ensuing harm inflicted by RIAS/MBR for over two years.
Read more about the case and watch this video.
⚖️ Donate to support Dr Younes in her legal battle as she reclaims her rights in court ⚖️
DEUTSCHE WELLE CASE: THE FIGHT GOES ON
After the German public broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW) fired seven Arab journalists in February 2022 based on allegations of antisemitism, we witnessed two victories last year as the dismissals of Maram Salem and Farah Maraqa were found unlawful.
A year later, on 24 February 2023, journalist Zahi Alawi also won his lawsuit! A Labour Court found his dismissal by DW unlawful and ordered his reinstatement.
But the fight goes on! In a last-minute gambit, Deutsche Welle appealed the decision issued by the Berlin Labour Court in favour of Farah Maraqa. A new hearing is taking place on 10 May 2023, but Farah is confident and stands firm.
✊ SUPPORT FARAH’S ONGOING FIGHT! ✊
BERLIN: FIRST VICTORY AT THE TRIALS OF THE 2022 NAKBA DAY ARRESTS
Following a city-wide ban on commemorations of the 74th anniversary of the Nakba, the Berlin Police detained and fined dozens of individuals for walking in the street and peacefully showing solidarity with Palestine, such as through wearing the Kuffiyeh or the colours of the Palestinian flag. Some of them were beaten. Read more about our urgent letter to UN Special Rapporteurs and request for accountability in relation to unjustified repression and violence from the Berlin police.
9 months later, several protesters are challenging the fines in German courts. Stay tuned as more hearings will happen in the coming weeks and support!
SIGN the call to stop Germany’s attempt to criminalise solidarity with Palestine & DONATE to help with the legal proceedings’ fees
For more information on the bans and repression, read Human Rights Watch statement by Omar Shakir.
THE MOVEMENT PERSEVERES
We have published many of our legal victories in the UK, in Germany, in Austria, and in The Netherlands on our website. Pushing back is possible when we stand together!
⚖️ Will you help us win more cases? ⚖️
Consider a monthly donation to the ELSC. Every donation, no matter how small or large, makes a difference.
RESISTING THE ISOLATION OF PALESTINIAN CIVIL SOCIETY
As part of our work at ELSC, we monitor and support European and Palestinian organisations facing attacks and incidents in the EU and the UK leading to defunding by donors, the implementation of policies restricting funding and/or de-risking by financial institutions.
These incidents happen in a context of coordinated smear campaigns led by pro-Israeli groups and the Israeli government, which form part of a larger strategy to shut down Palestine advocacy while shielding Israel from accountability.
Do you want to know more? Check our twitter thread!
ELSC ONLINE
ELSC gave an interview on Antisemitism, Palestine and academic freedom
We spoke to Dr Sevgi Doğan for Security Praxis blog about the impact of the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism on academic freedom and unfounded allegations of antisemitism in academia. Read it here.
Read ELSC comments given to Hebh Jamal in +972 Magazine on the chilling effects on free expression of Palestinian rights advocacy and legitimate demands for accountability as Germany takes drastic steps toward further criminalising Palestinian activism.
ELSC was hosted by Lina Hadid and Lamia Bazzari to speak on defending and empowering advocates for Palestinian rights across Europe on their Free Palestine Podcast. Tune in!
USEFUL RESOURCES
Visualizing Palestine introduces the system and actors involved in suppressing speech critical of the Israeli regime and Zionism in its recent visual #SystemofSilencing. This is the first of five visuals that will be published in the next months, highlighting attacks on freedom of expression aimed at shielding Israel from accountability. Follow along!
UK-based organisation CAGE published two expert reports signed by leading scholars, Professor John Dugard SC and Professor Avi Shlaim on the notion of “Israel’s right to exist”. As observed in several cases of suppression of Palestinian rights advocacy, this concept is often very broadly interpreted by pro-Israel actors and raised to purport allegations of antisemitism and target Palestinian rights advocates.
Thank you for your continued support!
In solidarity,
The ELSC team
Remember to follow the ELSC on social media and amplify our work!
If you are interested in empowering the Palestine solidarity movement in Europe, we welcome your one-time or monthly donations to the ELSC. For any inquiries, contact us at info@elsc.support.
If you would like to put your skills (whether legal, editing, artistic, communications, or any other skills) at the service of our movement in support of Palestinian rights advocates, please contact us at info@elsc.support.
