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Some countries have many such relationships with Palestinian cities. In Australia we know of only two; neighbouring municipalities Marrickville and Leichhardt in Sydney.
We hope that this network will grow as it has done elsewhere.
News From Hebron
B'tselem Report on Hebron:
Ghost Town:Israel's Separation Policy and Forced Eviction of Palestinians from the Centre of Hebron
Israeli Human Rights organisation, B'tselem has issued a report on the policies that are turning Hebron into a ghost town.
You can find the report on their website.
Click here for the B'tselem report.
Inaugural Meeting of Leichardt Friends of Hebron
On Tuesday 9 July 2007,the new community group Leichhardt Friends of Hebron held its first meeting.
The guest speaker was Mary Baxter, a former university lecturer at Melbourne's RMIT, and “a grandmother in her mid-70's” Mary Baxter has been working as a volunteer human rights in the Israeli controlled section of Hebron. In September 2005 Mary became an observer with a Palestinian-led human rights organisation, has been based in Tel Rumeida, a suburb of the Palestinian city of Hebron in the West Bank.
She talked about her work in Hebron which involves collaboration with Machsom Watch (Israeli mothers and grandmothers), Christian Peace Teams and the Ecumenical Accompaniment Program in Palestine and Israel.
Friends of Hebron aims to establish partnership projects between the communities of
the Leichhardt Local Government Area and the people of Hebron in
Occupied Palestine and to work in Leichhardt to raise awareness of human rights and
humanitarian issues relevant to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
They also hope to work with the neighbouring municipality Marrickville in its partnership with Bethlehem.
They also hope to work with the neighbouring municipality Marrickville in its partnership with Bethlehem.
Friends of Hebron welcomes new members.
Membership is open to all residents of Leichhardt, the Inner West and wider Sydney community who support their aims.
Contact Leichhardt Friends of HebronMembership is open to all residents of Leichhardt, the Inner West and wider Sydney community who support their aims.
Leichhardt NSW - a new link with Hebron
At
its April 2007 meeting Leichhardt Council voted unanimously to form a
Sister City/ Friendship Agreement with El Khalil (Hebron) in Palestine.
Councillors are to be congratulated for the compassion and solidarity
with one of the most beleaguered cities in Occupied Palestine. The
Council voted to investigate the establishment of a friendship or
sister city relationship with the City of Hebron in Palestine along
similar lines as that with Maliana in Timor Leste and report back to
Council on the possibilities.
Leichhardt Council Minutes (once you connect to the Leichhardt council website, scroll to the bottom of page 3 of their minutes to read this item)
Marrickville NSW - connecting with BethlehemOn 19th June 2007, Marrickville Council voted to formalise a sister city relationship with the City of Bethlehem Council, drawing fire from a Jewish community group.
Since 2001, Marrickville Council has had an in principle agreement with Bethlehem, Palestine. This agreement was formalised as a sister city partnership during a visit to Marrickville from the Mayor of Bethlehem in September 2007. Previous plans for a mayoral visit had previously been derailed by the realities of life under occupation in Bethlehem.
Even this was not without its difficulties as the visas of Mayor Victor Baterseh and his party were held up by an uncooperative Federal government and former prime minister, John Howard, who lost his seat in the 2007 elections.
Marrickville Council is to be congratulated for pioneering, amongst Australian communities, the concept of a sister city relationship with a Palestinian city.
Sydney Morning Herald Report
O little town of Marrickville what a fuss you've caused...
Information about the UK "Twinning with Palestine" network
www.twinningwithpalestine.net
Coalition for Justice & Peace in Palestine
PO Box 399
Dulwich Hill NSW 2203
cjpp@coalitionforpalestine.org