NATIONAL PALESTINE SOLIDARITY AND DIVESTMENT CONFERENCE GEARS UP FOR
RUTGERS UNIVERSITY OCTOBER 10-12
August 30, 2003
New Brunswick, NJ . Over objections of New Jersey Governor McGreevey and
State Senate President Bennett, the Palestine Solidarity Movement
and Rutgers students are exercising their
hard-won rights and moving ahead with plans to host the Third North
American Conference of the Palestine Solidarity Movement to be held
October 10-12, 2003. The conference brings together hundreds of student
and community groups working in solidarity with the Palestinian people and
for divestment from Israel.
Scheduled for Rutgers since January of this year the conference and its
organizers have overcome attacks from New Jersey State Senate President
John Bennett, Governor James McGreevey and political players active in
policy-making regarding Israel. Student and community-based groups around
the country are working to develop a program that will focus their work
together over the coming year.
The conference comes at a critical time for a solidarity movement whose
focus is ending Israel's apartheid. The students' efforts to support
divestment build on the successful legacy of the South African freedom
movement. Conference workshops and speakers will direct their attention to
stopping Israel's construction of the apartheid wall, dismantling
settlements and supporting Palestinian self-determination.
The PSM conference is scheduled to take place at the Douglass College
Center in New Brunswick, NJ. Students are still grappling with the
University's latest attempts to stifle their efforts, this time to move
the conference under the pretext of "security."
Solidarity with the Palestinian people is widespread, with numerous events
across the country and around the world. Organizers of this conference
are pleased to take part in this legacy and support any additional events,
wherever they may be held.