Student Activist Summer Handbook

FOSNAOrganizing
Written By Friends of Sabeel

Welcome

Welcome! This student advocacy guide is designed to help students continue their personal advocacy & activism journey when colleges and universities close over the summer. We know that during the year there are resources readily available through groups such as Students for Justice Palestine and many others. However, as students leave campuses they may not know the ways they can still support Palestine on their own. This guide has been designed to help with that and get you connected with organizations and movements that are working continuously to help advocate for Palestine. In this guide we will discuss multiple topics within advocacy & activism for Palestine such as days to commemorate, ways to be a source of information, divestment of funds on an individual level, supporting Palestine through civic engagement, upcoming events and trips to look out for, and additional resources that students can access. We hope that this guide will help you whether you are just starting or have been supporting Palestine throughout your college career. 

The Mission of FOSNA

Friends of Sabeel North America is a non profit Christian ecumenical organization seeking justice and peace in the Holy Land through education, advocacy and nonviolent action. FOSNA promotes the vision of Sabeel Jerusalem within the United States, joining Friends of Sabeel chapters around the world. We support the call of Kairos Palestine to end Palestinian suffering, and an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestine in accordance with international law and United Nations resolutions. We support equal rights and access to resources, such as land and water, for all inhabitants of the region based on principles of social, economic, and political justice. We support the right of return for all refugees in accordance with U.N. Resolution 194, an end to U.S. policies that support and perpetuate the occupation and we support active engagement in the campaign for boycott, divestment, and sanctions against Israel. FOSNA opposes distortions of the Bible and theologies that lead to violence and prejudice and all forms of racism, including anti-Semitism, and anti-Arab or anti-Muslim bigotry.

Days to Commemorate

  • March 9th (Martyr's Day)

  • March 21st (The Battle of Al-Karameh and Palestinian Mother’s Day)

  • March 30th (Land Day)

  • April 5th (Palestinian Children’s Day)

  • April 17th (Prisoner’s Day)

  • May 15th (Nakba Day)

  • June 5th (Naksa Day)

  • November 15th (Palestinian Declaration of Independence Day)

  • November 29th (International Day of Solidarity)

  • December 10th (Human Rights Day)


How to be a Source of Information

Staying Updated on the Events Taking Place in Palestine

One of the most important tasks in being an advocate and source of information is for you to stay updated on what is going on in Palestine. Staying updated can look like many things and this will look different for each person. As both students and Gen Z the first thing we check is our social media. Tik Tok, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Twitch and many other platforms can be sources of content and news. By checking certain hashtags associated with Palestine once a day, or even  once a week will keep you updated on different things going on. Many things happen everyday and as the weather changes during the summer we may see an increase in tension as well as violence against Palestinians. So by staying updated with factual information you can help educate others and learn of ways to help.  

Sources of Information for You to Utilize

Not only is staying updated important but where you get your information is important as well. Many different news stations, social media platforms, and people we talk to will have their own biases and leanings. Where you source information from will change how this news is presented to you. With thousands of outlets of media available to you it can be hard to pick which one and hard to know whether what they are explaining is current, factual, and a good source. However, we are here to help you with that. Listed below are some sources that are great places to get information about what is happening in Palestine. Also if you have a major news station that you watch and want to know how their information stands up against a bias chart check out this link.

Ways to Share Information 

There are many ways for you to share information you know and have learned about Palestine. If you are just starting out and want to share information in a simple way, you might want to focus on word of mouth. By talking to people you know about what is going on you are both starting your activist journey amongst the people you know and sharing information in a simple way. Another way to share information is through resharing on social media. This is something that does not take a long time to do but can make an impact because the people who view your story will get the chance to see what is happening. Since summer is a time where people are a lot more active and social this is a great time to reshare information. For any of you that may be creatives you can use websites like Canva to design your own posts. These posts can be on educating others on historical Palestinian events like the Nakba, sharing about different cultural events such as the henna night that takes place during a Palestinian, and even about Palestinian artists.  

Boycott on an Individual Level

Continue your boycott throughout the summer! You can choose to not spend money on brands and companies that support the Israeli Occupation of Palestine. Use BDS Movement as a resource to guide you through your consumer choices.

Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) is a Palestinian-led movement for freedom, justice and equality. BDS upholds the simple principle that Palestinians are entitled to the same rights as the rest of humanity.

Israel is occupying and colonising Palestinian land, discriminating against Palestinian citizens of Israel and denying Palestinian refugees the right to return to their homes. Inspired by the South African anti-apartheid movement, the BDS call urges action to pressure Israel to comply with international law.

BDS is now a vibrant global movement made up of unions, academic associations, churches and grassroots movements across the world. Since its launch in 2005, BDS is having a major impact and is effectively challenging international support for Israeli apartheid and settler-colonialism.

Boycotts can be seen in a variety of different communities including the African American community. The Buy Black movement focuses on the support of Black businesses and the reinvestment of Black funds into the Black community. Through this small swapping out of certain products for others the Black community is divesting their funds from companies that do not support the fight for Black lives into places that do. Our struggles are connected, and we can support each other through our dollar!

Supporting Palestine Through Civic Engagement

The final and possibly most important way that you can support Palestine is through civic engagement. According to Youth.gov, civic engagement involves working to make a difference in the civic life of one’s community and developing the combination of knowledge, skills, values, and motivation to make that difference. Civic engagement and civic participation can happen in both political and nonpolitical means. However, we will mainly focus on the political area for this section. There are many ways that you can support Palestine politically. Three ways that we will explain are through voting, speaking with your public officials and speaking at your state house or local government building. While voting is not the main focus during the summer, it is good to know what to look for before elections come up. When looking at a candidate you need to view their thoughts on foreign policy and see if they align up with your fight for Palestine. If they don't, you shouldn’t vote for them and should cast your vote for someone else. When election time comes up in your specific areas you can view candidates' campaign websites to see their plans and opinions on certain issues. The second thing you can do is speak with your current public officials. If you want to make your opinion known about issues Palestine is facing, write a letter, send an email, or even call to discuss it with them. If there is a specific policy that you feel passionate about, speak to your public official about it. The final thing that you can do is state specific so I would double check based on your location but you can speak at your state house about the occupation of Palestine.

In the state of Indiana, for example, people have the ability to make a speech before state senators to talk about a topic that impacts them. If you want to make a speech about the importance of fighting for Palestine and fighting against racism and apartheid then this could be an opportunity for you. To get more information on this specific way to participate I would check the Indiana General Assembly website. 

FOSNA has plenty of quick action links to email representatives and government officials with. Here are just a few recent initiatives:

  • Defending the Human Rights of Palestinian Children and Families Act (HR3103)

    Tell your representative to cosponsor or support the Defending the Human Rights of Palestinian Children and Families Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act, reintroduced by Rep. Betty McCollum (MN-04) for the new congressional term.

  • Urgent Action: Free Mohammed al-Halabi

    Amnesty International has taken up the cause of imprisoned World Vision Staffer Mohammed al-Halabi, a very positive development for FOSNA's long-running #Justice4Halabi campaign.

    On 15 June 2022, Mohammed al-Halabi, Gaza director of humanitarian aid and development organization World Vision, was convicted of diverting millions of dollars to the Hamas administration, which Israel considers a terrorist group. On 30 August 2022 he was sentenced to 12 years in prison, after having spent already six years in detention. He was interrogated without legal representation, tortured, tried in secret hearings, and convicted on secret evidence that heavily relied on a coerced statement. Amnesty International considers that Mohammed al-Halabi has been unjustly targeted and tried in an unfair trial. He must be released or tried in proceedings that meet international fair trial standards.

    Last year, Halabi's appeal date was set for May 17th. However, the prosecution has stalled on providing materials to his lawyer on the pretext that there is a confidential file that even his lawyer is not permitted to see. Then, they were told that they could not bring in their materials due to the recent escalation in Gaza.

    Please contact Israeli Minister of Justice Yariv Levin in Jerusalem and Ambassador Michael Herzog in Washington, D.C. to demand #Justice4Halabi.

  • Demand Justice for Shireen Abu Akleh and Contact the Department of Justice

    This week, on May 11th, we mark one year since Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was killed. Now is the time to demand justice. 

    It is important to Shireen's family, to journalists and human rights activists around the world, that this investigation be completed and the findings made public. You can help keep Shireen's memory alive by contacting the Department of Justice and inquiring as to the status of the report and urge them to complete and publish their findings:

    • Use the Department of Justice web form linked to below: 

    • Make the subject of your message either: “Federal Bureau of Investigation” or “Message to the Attorney General"

    • Copy the text below into the box, or compose your own.

    • Submit your letter.

Upcoming Trips to Participate In

  • FOSNA’s Visit Palestine Trip (July 8th-17th, 2023)

    • Objectives:

      • Worship with Palestinian Christians. The worship will be a time to join together to discuss how our faith applies to our lives today, especially in Palestine & Israel.

      • Experience the reality of joy resistance, and struggle of the Palestinian community living in the Land of our Holy One- religious extremism, shrinking space, the wall, settlements, checkpoints, confiscated land and demolished homes, refugee camps, and environmental degradation.

      • Learn about the loss of civil and property rights of Palestinian citizens of Israel

      • Meet and reflect with Palestinian Christians, Muslims, Samaritans, Jewish Israelis and internationals who partner with Sabeel to uplift international and humanitarian law.

      • Act in solidarity with the Palestinian community.

    • Cities:

      • Jerusalem

      • Hebron

      • Bethlehem

      • Jericho

    • Key Places:

      • Um Al Kheir (Bedouin Palestinian village)

      • Tent of Nations

      • Al Aqsa

      • Afro-Palestinian Community

      • Aida Refugee Cam0p

    • Costs:

      • Early Bird: $250 Deposit + $1758 Registration (not including flight + extras)

      • Standard:  $250 Deposit + $2000 Registration (not including flight + extras)

    • Interest Form and Additional Questions

Additional Resources to Support You

We understand that this guide should not be the only place you have for resources but instead is a building block for you to start off on. Below you will find additional resources that will be beneficial for you to look through and continue your advocacy journey on. We hope that this guide has been beneficial to you and that you will utilize this throughout your time as a student activist and into your adult life as an activist. Remember injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere!


Jadaliyya (https://www.jadaliyya.com/       

Friends of Sabeel
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