Labour Committee on Palestine

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-100,000 onanti-war march Now the hayonets are beginning to think FOR THE last few weeks Nazi racialist propaganda has been sold openly in Brick Lane market as a rocult of the rouncil un. I COUL LUVILL L11knowingly issuing a licence to an individual who was acting on behalf of a fascist organisation.

Anti-racist groups in the area have been alarmed by this, and have made efforts to get the licence cancelled. But the council has hidden behind legal arguments.

The left councillors are attempting to question this policy in full council, and have issued a call to get rid of the stall.

Other incidents like racial attacks and harassment by white tenants on but peace in our hearts"

There were many interesting themes and reports at the conference but the main theme that came out was impatience with the dead hand of bureaucracy and official party machines.

For example the organisers refused to invite officials from Eastern European organisations apart from Romania.

A key debate, therefore, was on Friday night between Tony Benn and Rudolf an estate where a Bengali was moving into his new home and had it barricaded against him, have been temporarily thwarted by other tenants and antiracist group support, but the general increase in racism shows the nastier effects of a patriotic war like the Falklands.

Weak

The Labour Party is weak on the question of selfStarring HE recently released film of Chaim Potok's famous novel, The Chosen, cannot be judged simply by what it says about Zionism and the Palestinians.

Still, its total emotional was being gained.

The great confusion over political aims and solutions was also clear. But the feeling of comradeship and of being part of a mass movement seemed to overcome the widest differences at this stage.

A tremendous ovation was given to Fenner Brockway, over 90 years old, who proposed that next year, the conference should be held in Berlin and that we should organise a mass demonstration to coincide with it. defence against racist attack and Bengalis' memories of the events in 1978 leave a suspicion of labour movement involvement.

The left Labour councillors stand will be backed by a council lobby, but socialists should be aware that just revoking • the licence will not end the fascist violence.

SUSAN CARLYLE Jollywood vehicle for Zionism.

We all know that the American Indians were blood-thirsty savages and the settlers wonders of Christian morality; and that ''EVENTS in the Lebanon have shaken sections of the Zionist establishment by their brutality. In Britain, some of those who until now have been ardent supporters of the state of Israel and of Zionism in general have recoiled in horror and begun to see the true nature of the Zionist state and the validity of the Palestinian cause.

•'This makes the present particularly propitious time to establish a longneeded campaign, a Labour Committee on Palestine.' Words With these words, Andrew Hornung, a Socialist Organiser supporter, introduced an inaugural meeting of the Committee which will fight in the labour movement and the Labour Party in particular against Zionism and for Palestinian selfABOUT 100,000 demonstrators rallied in Tel Aviv last Saturday to protest against Israel's invasion of Lebanon. The "Peace Now" movement, which called the demonstration, is calling for an end to the war, peace negotiations now, and the resignation of Defence Minister Sharon. determination.

The inaugural meeting, held on June 30, was well attended, both by representatives of different tendencies on the left and by interested individuals, including Israeli anti-Zionists. The Committee hopes to function like the Labour • Committee on Ireland, organising support groups throughout the country.

Left The meeting agreed that there was a long road ahead, as a number of prominent left-wingers have been energetic proZionists - lan Mikardo, Les Huckfield, Tony Benn to name a few. Indeed, in the Labour Party, it is frequently right-wing MPs, like Andrew Faulds, that have taken much more creditable positions.

After a brief discussion statement was adopted as Opposition to the war has come from the most unlikely sources, including Nahum Goldman^ World president of the Zionist Federation, and Rabbi Amitai, head of the Hesder religious seminaries which are close to the ultra-conservative • Gush Emunim movement. basis for the campaign, centred on solidarity with the Palestinians, opposition to the Zionist state, and immediate withdrawal by Israel from the 'occupied territories' *Labour Committee on Palestine picket of El Al office, Regent Street, 12.00 noon Saturday 17 July. "Zionists, hands off Lebanon! Out of the occupied territories now! Solidarity with the Palestinian people and their chosen representative, the PLO!"

*Labour Committee on Palestine Public Meeting: Friday 23 July at 7.00pm, County Hall. Labour movement, Palestinian and Israeli anti-Zionist speakers.

*Contact Labour Committee on Palestine, c/o 28 Carlton Mansions, Holmleigh Road, London N16.

Twenty three graduates from the seminaries have been killed so far in the Lebanese fighting, a figure which casts some doubt on the Israeli casualty figures.

While the 'Peace Now"

movement is predominantly middle class and certainly does not question the fundamentals of Zionism, the huge turn out makes the protest immensely significant.

Among the protestors were many soldiers and reservists as well as the relatives of fighters at the front. Increasingly meetings opposing the war are being addressed by pilots and paratroopers.

Their protests are unlikely to go unpunished, however. A group of army officers who took part in the huge "Peace Now" demonstration may face courtmartial. The Agriculture Minister has called their action "mutiny"

Other soldiers have signed anti-war petitions and 22 air force pilots and paratroopers from the unt that carried out Entebbe raid in 1976 have written to Sharon demanding his resignation.