WILPF Remembers Peace Activist and Educator Riad Hamad

Riad Hamad, longtime peace activist and educator, died tragically April 14, 2008. Born in Beirut, Lebanon, he called Austin, Texas, home since 1970. A lifelong scholar, Riad received the first of numerous degrees from the University of Texas at Austin. At the time of his death, he was pursuing a PhD in Educational Technology. He was a computer technology teacher at Clint Small Middle School. He was a selfless individual who focused on helping students realize their potential. He was also a champion of human rights and worked tirelessly for peace and justice. He created the Palestine Children's Welfare Fund to aid Palestinian children, women and families in need. He raised millions of dollars for schools, hospitals and charitable organizations in Palestine. He also endured years of FBI surveillance and harassment from some individuals and groups.

US WILPF became acquainted with Riad in 2005 at the time that we initiated our national campaign, "Women Challenge US Policy: Building Peace on Justice in the Middle East." We had contacted him because we wanted to sell peace dove pins made in Palestine to raise money to support the campaign and, even more than that, to promote our hope that we will realize peace and justice for all the citizens of Palestine and Israel. Riad gave us a fair price and, upon learning more about our work, gave us an additional generous quantity of pins at no charge. We continue to sell his olive wood broaches and mother of pearl lapel pins on our website.

We were shocked and saddened to learn of Riad's death and extend to his family and many friends our sincere sympathy. He was an outstanding, noble, and generous man -- he died tragically and much too soon. We mourn the loss of his life.

WCUSP continues to be concerned about conditions in the Gaza Strip, where poor nutrition, health concerns, water contamination and power cuts have become an everyday worry. The blockade of Gaza by Israel and the continued closure of the area have made life for ordinary citizens very difficult. Bombing raids have put everyone at risk and contributed to psychological wounds as well as physical ones. We urge both sides to stop attacks and move to the peace table. We encourage our members to sign and submit the Gaza postcards to your Congressional representatives. Those we receive without representatives listed are being delivered to the Presidential candidates.

We also are making plans for workshops at the National Congress in Iowa which will help to link Middle East issues to other relevant issues in WILPF work, such as disarmament, water, and racism.

Call-In Number: 712-775-7000 Access code: 061252#

Tuesday, March 11 9 PM EST

WILPF's Women Challenge US Policy: Building Peace on Justice in the Middle East Campaign joins the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation and United for Peace and Justice to invite you to a debriefing conference call on the massive military assault in the besieged Gaza Strip and the consequences of the increase in military aid to Israel requested by President Bush.

The massive Israeli military assault on Gaza of recent days is the most immediately murderous part of a series of escalating regional crises that are rippling across the Middle East, involving Palestine and Israel, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria -- and U.S. warships moving into strategic positions off the Lebanese coast.

In Gaza, Israel's attack killed between 125 and 131 Palestinians, of whom half were civilians, and at least 22 of whom were children, including several infants. The attack devastated Gaza's 1.5 million residents already suffering under what a coalition of British humanitarian agencies including Amnesty International and Oxfam called "worse than at any time since the beginning of the Israeli military occupation in 1967."

The United States should be cutting off military aid to Israel for its human rights abuses and violations of the U.S. Arms Export Control and Foreign Assistance Acts, not increasing it.

Join Phyllis Bennis on the conference call!

We are U.S. activists with responsibility for the damage done by our government's actions. While it is easy (and often necessary) to protest actions by the Israeli government, or by Hamas, Fatah or Hezbollah, our own country too often remains free of criticism from its citizens and certainly from the corporate media. Download WILPF's 10 Reasons for U.S. Peace and Justice Activists to Challenge U.S. Policy in Palestine and Israel here.

The US administration is currently laying the groundwork for the resumption of peace negotiations between Israel and Palestine, scheduled to take place in November or December. In preparation, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is visiting the region this week.

The Women Challenge US Policy: Building Peace on Justice in the Middle East (WCUSP) Campaign of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, US Section (WILPF US) calls upon WILPF members and supporters to contact the State Department, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. Tell the US administration and elected leaders not to support Israel's use of collective punishment against the people of Gaza.

You are invited to a conference:

The Effects of War on Women and the Environment in Israel/Palestine

Foundry United Methodist Church at 16th and P Streets NW,
Washington, DC on October 19th, 2007 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

The intention of the gathering is to:

• Raise awareness of the disparate effect of the continued conflict on women.
• Get the facts about the exploitation of water and other natural resources in the region.
• Hear the voices and experiences of Israeli and Palestinian women.
• Explore collaborative ways to repair damage done to women, their families, and to the environment.
• Promote the United Nations Resolution 1325 for Women, Peace & Security

While Palestinian women living under Israeli occupation struggle with daily survival in the face of one of the most powerful militaries in the world, Israeli women live in a constant state of insecurity as a result of the conflict. The cycle of violence perpetuates itself and comes “home” to everyone.   We don’t pretend to have the answer to this centuries’ old struggle.  “Women to Women for Peace” have been promoting the strengthening of women’s role in peacemaking and intercultural understanding among women as a way to peace since 1981.

But there is a lot each one of us can do to build momentum for a peaceful solution: quality and quantity of non-governmental organization preparation for and

Educate yourself—use this information packet, gather and use the resources listed here, follow the news, and analyze the news you read.

Educate others—request additional information packets to distribute, copy this packet, organize a public program using the suggested speakers (list included), write letters to your local paper (sample included), talk to your friends and family and neighbours.

Speak up loud and clear—raise the urgent need for a peaceful solution (suggested solutions included) at every opportunity and public forum on the Middle East, war and peace events, and especially at rallies and programs calling for an end to the War against Iraq. We need to add the call for a peaceful resolution to the Iran crisis to all anti-war mobilizations.