To kick off Israeli Apartheid Week, we ask you to join the IPSC Dublin branch for a Boycott Israeli Goods day of action. On Saturday 5th March, Assemble at 1pm at the Spire, O'Connell Street.

From there we will visit several city centre outlets that stock Israeli goods, making consumers aware of their presence, the connection between these products and the occupation of Palestine and asking people to boycott them.

Israeli exports – from both the illegal settlements and inside Israel – contribute to the economy of Israel's apartheid occupation regime and the oppression of the Palestinian people. Indeed, the Israeli government is dependent on a strong export-orientated economy and Europe is Israel's largest trading partner.

Almost 200 organisations, representative of a broad spectrum of Palestinian civil society – trade unions, professional bodies such as academic unions and associations, churches, medical unions, political organisations and NGOs – have called on the international community to endorse the call for a campaign of Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel, similar to that which helped to end the apartheid regime in South Africa.

For more info click here

The Oscar-nominated, award-winning, Palestinian film Omar is being shown as part of the Israeli Apartheid Week on Wednesday 9th March 2016 at 7.30pm in Pery's Hotel, Glentworth St, Limerick.

Nominated for an Oscar in 2014; a gripping thriller about betrayal and love. Omar (Adam Bakri), a young Palestinian baker and freedom fighter ready to risk his life to strike at the Israeli military with his friends Tarek (Eyad Hourani) and Amjad (Samer Bisharat) in the Occupied Territories. He routinely climbs over the separation wall to meet his girlfriend Nadia (Leem Lubany) and agrees to work as an informant after he's tricked into an admission of guilt by association in the wake of an Israeli soldier's killing. So begins a dangerous game, is he playing his Israeli handler (Waleed F. Zuaiter) or will he really betray his cause? And who can he trust on either side? Palestinian filmmaker Hany Abu-Assad (Paradise Now, The Idol) has made a dynamic, action-packed drama about the insoluable moral dilemmas and tough choices facing those on the frontlines of a conflict that shows no sign of letting up.

For more info click here

On Thursday 10th March from 1pm to 2pm, we ask you to join the Dublin branch of the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign for a lunchtime protest outside Dail Eireann (the Irish parliament) calling for an end to the obscene arms trade with Apartheid Israel, and ensuring our government know that #PalestinianLivesMatter.

Ireland has bought €14.7m worth of arms and military components from Israel over the last decade, while Irish-based companies have exported €6.42m worth of military and ‘dual use’ hardware to Israel since 2011. Meanwhile, Israel has killed over 9,000 Palestinians, including 2,060 children since 2000. Military items exported from Israel will have used Palestinians as ‘human test subjects’ so such weapons can be marketed as ‘battle proven’. Any military components exported to Israel will be used to kill and maim yet more Palestinians and to entrench the decades-long military occupation.

Neither Israel nor arms manufacturers in Ireland should be allowed to profit from the killing of Palestinians; this trade in death must end. We are calling upon the government of Ireland to end the Irish arms trade with Israel, and to advocate for an international arms embargo at EU and UN levels until Israel ends the occupation of Palestinian land and complies fully with its obligations under international law.

For more info click here

FILM SCREENING OF THE DOCUMENTARY PALESTINE IS STILL THE ISSUE

DRUMCREE COMMUNITY CENTRE Ashgrove Road, Portadown

SATURDAY 12th MARCH @ 12.30pm. Free Admission – donations welcome.

John Pilger first made the documentary film 'Palestine Is Still The Issue' in 1977. It told how almost a million Palestinians had been forced off their land in 1948, and again in 1967.

Many years later, John Pilger returned to the West Bank and Gaza to ask why the Palestinians, whose right of return was affirmed by the United Nations more than half a century ago, are still caught in a terrible limbo – refugees in their own land, controlled by Israel in the longest military occupation in modern times..

For more info click here

To end our Israeli Apartheid Week 2016 activities we are proud to present another day showcasing the wonderful culture of Palestine. From 2pm on Sunday 13th March we'll be hosting another of our ever popular events allowing people to experience the rich Palestinian culture of resistance.

As the celebrated Palestinian singer Mohammed Assaf has said, "the occupation tries to kill every beautiful thing" – it is for this reason that Palestinians struggle to keep their cultural traditions (old and new) alive and vibrant. We aim to bring a little of this important aspect of the Palestinain people's ongoing resistance to Israeli apartheid to audiences in Ireland.

We are hosting a day-long series of events including exhibitions, poetry and musical performances, discussion, film and even a limited amount of Palestinian snacks. NOTE: All the events are FREE – though several require advance booking to ensure entrance. Please see full details (including booking details where applicable) of each aspect of the day below.

Exhibition 1 – Handala and the Life and Work of Naji Al Ali

A selection of the work of Palestinian cartoonist Naji Al Ali (1938-1987).

Exhibition 2 – The Art of Solidarity: Posters from the IPSC Archive

An exhibition of a selection of political posters produced by the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

2.30 – 3.30pm: A Caged Bird’s Song – Poetry & Music From Palestine

Readings of Palestinian poetry of resistance, live performances of Palestinian music and live link up with the Lajee Cultural Centre in Aida refugee camp in Bethlehem. BOOKING IS ESSENTIAL – GET TICKETS HERE.

4 – 5pm: Talk and Discussion about Palestine’s culture of resistance

A talk followed by question and answers session about the important role played by Palestinian culture in mirroring and contributing to resistance.

6.00-7.30pm: Film Screening – Slingshot Hip Hop

A documentary film about the importance of the Palestinian hip hop scene as a means of cultural resistance to Israeli apartheid. BOOKING IS ESSENTIAL – GET TICKETS HERE.

For more info about all these events and to book tickets click here