1) BRISTOL DEMO - SATURDAY

Bristol responded magnificently with a huge rally and more than five
hundred people marched through the city to express their opposition to the
slaughter in Gaza.
See pics (halfway down page) at
 http://bristol.indymedia.org/article/689464?comment_limit=0&condense_comments=false#attachment5711
A glimpse of the Bristol demo was included on National Channel 4 news see
 http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1184614595?bctid=6300642001


2) EMERGENCY VIGIL - MONDAY

As news is emerging of the Israeli land-offensive organisers are calling an

EMERGENCY vigil on MONDAY 5th on the Centre in Bristol 5-6pm
These vigils will continue on every weekday and further protest are planned
in Bristol later this week


3) OTHER PROTESTS
The protest will grow over the next week so it makes good sense that people
organise in their local towns and neighbourhoods. This email list covers
Bristol, Bath, Gloucester, Somerset, and some of Wiltshire. Send your info
and it will be rebroadcast. Also use your local media and post directly
into the Calendar section of  http://bristol.indymedia.org
So far:-
Easton, Bristol. Corner of Robertson Road and Stapleton Road. Vigil.
5-6pmThursday 8th Jan
Bradford-on-Avon Silent Peace Vigil Westbury Gardens. 11-12am Thursday 8th
Jan.


4) WHAT ELSE TO DO

MPs etc - People are encouraged to contact their MP and MEPs. Several
Bristol MPs are quite supportive of Palestine such as Stephen Williams MP.
Both Roger Berry MP and Kerry McCarthy MP have visited Palestine and have
published outspoken articles in local papers. Graham Watson MEP has been
very critical of the special EU trade agreements with Israel. Use the
website www.WriteToThem.com. You can just send one sentence “I am shocked
by the attacks on Gaza” but please do it now!

MEDIA - Perhaps even more important is to complain to the media at their
bias in reporting events from Gaza and Palestine. The easiest way is to
visit the website of the news outlet eg Google BBC, ITV, Channel 4 News
etc. Use the online complaints facility - please do it now!

Also a very powerful way to get your voice heard at times like this is to
use the letters page of both local and national newspapers. Even if you’ve
never don this before – please do it now.

BOYCOTT - Look for the label on food stuffs - Israel or West Bank - Refuse
to buy these goods. Complain (politely but firmly) to the manager of the
store. Find out more at:-
Boycott Israeli Goods Campaign www.bigcampaign.org
Jewish Boycott of Israeli Goods  Jews4BIG@googlemail.com

5) OPPOSE THE EU- ISRAEL TRADE AGREEMENT
The new EU-Israel Trade Agreement is being planned but does not include any
concrete actions that will end Israel’s blatant disregard for human rights
and International Law. Write urgently to your MEPs use www.WriteToThem.com


6) DONATE
MAP has 25 years experience of working in the region and has distributed
over $100,000 worth of emergency medical supplies since 27th December. With
funds, we can get supplies through to the people that need them. Please
give whatever you can today. All donations will be used to provide
desperately needed and life-saving medicines and medical equipment for the
people of Gaza.
DONATE NOW: Online: www.map-uk.org Or text: GAZA to 07900 848 024


7) THE RAYTHEON CONNECTION
Raytheon are involved with radar developments for the F-16 bombers as used
on the air strikes on Gaza, plus missiles and the so-called smart bombs
used in the attacks. A rooftop protest is now in its THIRD WEEK, against
Raytheon and the arms industry in Bristol.
See www.bristol.indymedia.org/article/689418
BOEING make missiles and attack helicopters. THALES make armed drones.
PROTESTS PLANNED THURSDAY & SATURDAY AFTERNOONS THIS WEEK
And visitors are welcome at anytime. The protesters are always at home! The
Raytheon office is at Argentum House, Bristol business Park Frenchay. See
map at:-
 http://www.multimap.com/listings/?query=argentum+house+The+cresent&around=on&lat=51.50021&lon=-2.54749&qs=&countryCode=GB&tab=map#map=51.50008,-2.54264|15|4

Turn off the roundabout on Coldharbour Lane in front of UWE Frenchay
Campus. Turn left into the Business Park and the protest is about fifty
yards along this road on the right. Just look for the office building with
the tents on the roof and slogans painted on the tiles!
There’s a wish-list at  http://bristol.indymedia.org/article/689450


8) NEW LOCAL INFORMATION WEBSITE

Janie is local writer and journalist who visited Palestine a year ago. She
has set up a new site at  http://speakingloudly.blogspot.com/
Which will have more posts up to here in the next few days - including
quoting some outstanding Israeli Jewish voices that are rarely heard.
There has been a rally by local Jews near Gaza, in the city most hit by
rockets - calling for an end to the attack on Gaza.
See her previous work at  http://israel-palestine.janineroberts.com/


9) INFORMATION ABOUT A RELEVANT TRAINING COURSE

If you've been active recently over the Gaza massacre, and are trying to
deal with feelings of rage and frustration, the SALT course might appeal.
Several people -including Ed Hill- active around Palestine in Bristol have
found the course enriching and supportive. It stands for 'Spiritual
Activist Leadership Training' and is co-coaching in a mutually supportive
atmosphere. About 10 people meet over 9 half weekends (Fri night and
Saturday day) through the year and it costs only £15 a time. It's a pretty
diverse range of activists too. For details email David Mowat on
 bigbromo@yahoo.co.uk. (He's active too around Palestine worked there in the
Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme a couple of years ago)

10) KEEP IN TOUCH

Check Bristol-Indymedia regularly for fresh news on this protest, or better
still make it your “home-page” to always be in touch with the local
activist and campaign scene. And visit Bristol Palestine Solidarity
Campaign  http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/Bristol-PSC/