We’re Not Done Yet

Among many other funds that support Palestinian citizens in their living conditions under oppression and war, this fund is aiming to protect a symbol that finds its urgency in symbolic, economic, and demographical stabilisation in Palestina. The olive tree as being an important source of income for at least 70000 farmers has become a symbol of peace, wealth, and hope for many Palestinians. The Israeli colonisation of land has complicated and destroyed many of these sources for their own military and infrastructural aims, hereby violating international rights. The mission of Plant een Olijfboom is to plant new olive trees on the private land of Palestinian landowners to protect it from further appropriation, hereby shining light on the land confiscations by the Israeli authorities.

#SOSColombia

After a national strike erupted in Colombia against a pandemic-related tax reform (that would raise the price of basic foods and widen the tax base to include more middle-class workers) that was answered with police aggresions and state violence. All while “A growing number of Colombians, 42.5% of them to be exact, are living in poverty after 14 months of the COVID-19 pandemic; 16.8% of Colombians have also been unemployed as of March.” NGO Temblores has registered 1708 cases of police violence, 37 deaths, 831 arbitrary detentions, and 10 sexual assaults.

Support from abroad can make a big difference. Find more info on what’s happening in Colombia here. Donate here to get food and protective equipment to demonstrators.

 

 

The firm Hadiklaim is mentioned on the blacklist of the UN for their involvement in the violation of human rights in the by apartheid Israels occupied regions of Palestine. They’ve contributed to the illegal settlements, theft and exploitations of Palestinian grounds, especially in the Jordan valley – one of the more fertile areas in the occupied west bank of the river Jordan. The olive, a traditional product of the region, has been wiped out and replaced by dates. These dates are transported all over the world and put money in the pockets of colonial settlers and the Israeli tax system.

In the Netherlands this firm can, of course, do what it wants and is offering a lot of dates under different names in our supermarkets. Examples of these brands are: Jordan River and King Solomon. Remarkable here is the fact that Hadiklaim is not openly linked to the these products and is not as transparent about the origin of the product as one would wish. By collaborating with the dutch company Palmfruits BV they manage to get a code on the packaging starting with 871, indicating that the product is Dutch. By all means: do eat dates, they are delicious but take the time to find out who’s pockets you fill with your purchase.

“Het Frisia-Nederland Conflict”

Can’t wrap your head around the situation in Palestine? Joris Luyendijk wrote a book giving a new perspective on this and other matters. Dutch designer studio Ruiter Jansen used a passage of the book to create the following image.