Labour Group call on Brent Council to consider a formal twinning arrangement with Nablus in the occupied West Bank

 Nablus (Copyright: istock Getty Images)

The Labour Group have tabled a motion for the Full Meeting of Brent Council to consider twinning with the city of Nablus in the Israeli Occupied West Bank.

The meeting is on Monday 18th November at 6pm and the  motion is number 9 on a 19 item agenda so will probably be debated between 7pm and 8pm. You can watch live HERE or attend in-person at Brent Civic Centre.

The Motion:

Brent Twinning with Nablus

 

This Council notes:

 

That Brent currently has a single twinning relationship, that with South Dublin, established in 1997, at a time when Brent had the largest Irish-born population in mainland Britain.

 

That Brent currently has the second highest Arab diaspora in England and Wales, within which there is a significant number of residents of Palestinian heritage.

 

That like Brent, Nablus in Palestine – as one of the oldest cities in the world – has a long and rich history of culture, diversity and dynamism, ranging from historical architecture, a lively economy and a youthful population.

 

That Brent has a long history of internationalism, including conferring on Nelson Mandela the Freedom of the Borough.

 

That a growing number of community and charitable organisations, including Brent Trades Union Council, Brent NEU and Brent Friends of Palestine have developed productive relations with Palestinian organisations and diaspora, further strengthening bonds to the city of Nablus.

 

That through the joint work of Brent Trades Union Council, Brent NEU and of Brent and Harrow PSC, CADFA and the Palestinian Forum in Britain, opportunities have been provided to young Palestinians to meet Brent young people, Councillors and MPs, and share and develop a bond over their experiences in education, sports and culture. Opportunities for visits to Palestine by young Brent residents are being planned.

 

That the establishment of the “Brent-Nablus Twinning Project” organisation provides an opportunity for Brent to explore the potential of a formal twinning arrangement with Nablus through community engagement.

That community organisations and official representatives in Nablus have shown a desire to develop a more formal arrangement of partnership with Brent and have communicated this desire with their partners in Brent, leading to this proposal.

 

This Council believes:

 

Twinning enhances bonds and improves relations between communities, creating friendships through what we have in common, as well as learning from other cultures, traditions and experiences.

 

Twinning allows avenues for growth through togetherness, improving understanding and ability to tackle issues through collaboration, knowledge and skill shares.

 

A successful twinning relationship would promote initiatives like educational collaborations, sports programmes, and heritage preservation workshops, creating long-term connections between residents and institutions and engages with local communities, cultural organisations, and leaders in both twinned regions to support the establishment of the partnership.

 

This Council resolves to:

 

Consider a formal twinning agreement between Brent and the city of Nablus, which sits under the governance of the Palestinian National Authority, and receive a report considering the proposal at a future council meeting.

 

Explore immediate steps to foster connections, such as cultural exchange programmes, student and school collaborations, and shared community projects, to create a foundation for future growth.

 

Engage with the “Brent-Nablus Twinning Project” organisation to develop a framework for the potential twinning, whilst engaging with local communities, cultural organisations and leaders in both Brent and Nablus to support theestablishment of this partnership.

 

Councillor Ihtesham Afzal

Wembley Hill Ward

LETTER: Readers please support my letter to councillors on 'Divest for Palestine'

 

Credit: Middle East Eye

 

Dear Editor,

 

Could you please publish the letter below. I really need Wembley Matters readers who support to it to  add their name to the letter and it's so simple, just email me  (zerinetata@hotmail.com) and I will send them the prepared letter and all they have to do is sign it.

 

Dear Leader and Councillors,

 

BRENT AND HARROW PSC PETITION TO DIVEST FOR PALESTINE.

 

It is with such a heavy heart that I am writing to you about the dire situation in Gaza. Just as you think things could not possibly get any worse, they do.

 

The images are so horrific, especially those of the videos made by the Israeli soldiers themselves. These they have brazenly put on social media, showing their acts of violence against Palestinian men, women and children. They are joking and laughing and do not even bother to  hide their faces or their names. Such is the freedom they are given by the State of Israel, which also allows them to continue the carnage with impunity. 

 

Tragically, it is a Labour government which is arming Israel and is therefore complicit in their war crimes, including genocide, i.e. certain acts committed with the intent to destroy in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group.

 

Netanyahu has made no secret of his determination to completely destroy Palestine and its people, as he has stated that it is the only way Israel can defend itself. He totally rejects the 2-state solution.

 

Our government is powerless to act against Israeli policy. They are heavily indebted to Israel, having put themselves in a position of accepting almost unlimited funding for many decades. Therefore, we the residents must do something and the only avenue open to us is to petition the powers that be at Brent Council to vote to divest for Palestine.

 

We understand that the UK Lawyers for Israel have already written to Brent Council. We trust this will not deter you from choosing to do the right thing.

 

The lives of the Palestinians are very much in your hands because you will join other local authorities and set an example, which we hope all others will follow.  This surely will help bring an end to the invasion.

 

On behalf of especially the children of Gaza, we implore you to support Council action on this petition.

 

(I would not normally appeal to you to listen to the post below regarding Israel, as there are literally millions going around on social media.  But this one is by a Burmese scholar,  a world renowned expert on genocide. It has no emotive images. He is relating his observations in simple terms and is impartial with no axe to grind. Please, I would urge you to listen to it.)

 

https://x.com/ousmannoor/status/1832506169715212540?t=Rd4RWTUNogb-7h01GNzFqg&s=08

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Zerine Tata

Chair, Hillcroft Crescent Residents Association

 

You can see and sign the Brent and Harrow Petition HERE

Bob Blackman MP invites Suella Braverman to his Edgware fundraiser dinner and gets a noisy surprise

 

Bob Blackman, Conservative M for Harrow East and Monday Club  Joint Executive Secretary, held a fundraising dinner last night in Edgware.

His special guest was none other than ex-Home Secretary and joint-founder of Wembley's Michaela School, Suella Braverman. Both have strong Brent connections with Blackman an ex-leader of Brent Council (and deputy leader in the Lib-Dem coalition) and Braverman (actual name Sue-Ellen) was born in Harrow and brought up in Wembley. Her mother was a Brent Conservative councillor.

Last night's dinner I understand was held to raise funds for Blackman's General Election campaign but amidst Sunak's problems and Braverman's undisguised leadership ambitions, of wider political significance.

The local community, having got wind of the dinner, marshalled at short notice a mass picket outside the restaurant. It was peaceful but noisy.  Some guests entered through the front door on Mollison Way, others came via an alternative entrance as far as could be ascertained. There was no attempt to stop them entering.

Chants and individual speakers objected to Bob Blackman's stance against a Gaza ceasefire, his admiration for Mahendra Modi and support for the exclusion of caste from equality laws.  Suella Braverman's support for Israel and antipathy to pro-Palestine demonstrations and her 'dream' of deporting refugees to  Rwanda deportations enraged the demonstrators who charged them  both with complicity in alleged genocide. 

The crowd chanted, 'While you dine, babies die.'

Those present at the right-wing Fest must have been able to hear the demonstrators and after two and a half hours of chants and speeches a metal grill was lowered over the restaurant windows and entrance.

Despite the noise and anger the protest was disciplined and when a minute's silence was requested for the victims of the Middle East conflict a total silence fell over the suburban street and the demonstrators dispersed without incident.

 

 

Saturday's actions across Brent, Camden and Harrow supporting 'Ceasefire Now!' in Gaza conflict

 Supporters of a ceasefire in Gaza will be marching to the Camden  offices of Tulip Siddiq (MP for Hampstead and Kilburn) and Keir Starmer (Holborn and St Pancras) tomorrow to call on them to declare their support for a 'Ceasefire Now! before more lives are lost. 

 

Barry Gardiner MP (Brent North) and Dawn Butler (Brent Central) both defied the Labour whip yesterday and joined other from Labour, SNP and Green Party in voting for a ceasefire and have been thanked by PSC members.

Members of Brent and Harrow Palestine Solidarity Campaign and Tulip Siddiq's constituents from both side of Kilburn, plus supporting organisations ,will travel to Chalk Farm Station to assemble from 1130am and march to Camden Town station to join with Camden PSC and others at 12.30pm for the last lap of the march to the Crowndale Centre near Mornington Crescent station where a rally will be held at 1pm.

 

The 31 bus from Swiss Cottage Station, Kilburn High Road station and Kilburn Park goes to Chalk Farm station. Those wanting a shorter walk are advised to join at Camden Town station by 12.30pm.

 

The route will be the direct main road between the stations,

Last week Brent and Harrow PSC held a candlelit vigil outside Kilburn station where the names and ages  of Palestinian and Jewish children killed in the conflict were read out, interspersed with poetry readings in a deeply affecting event supported by diverse members of the community.

 

Tomorrow there will also be an event in Harrow organised by Brent and Harrow PSC  with a
rally outside the office of Harrow East MP Bob Blackman at 11am-12 noon outside 209 Headstone Lane, Harrow HA2 6ND.  In  Kingsbury leafleting will take place outside Barclays, 505-507 Kingsbury Road, NW9 9EG. Barclays invests in arms companies that supply Israel's armed forces.

Members of both groups are invited to join the rally in Camden at 1pm at the Crowndale Centre, 218 Eversholt Street, NW1 1BD.

 

Brent and Harrow PSC on the peaceful 800,000 strong march on Saturday

Stop Annexation, Brent Divest: meeting Monday July 13th via Zoom

 

Zoom meeting on Monday July 13th 7.00 - 8.45PM 

email brent2harrowpsc@outlook.com for zoom log-in

  
Stop Annexation! Hugh Lanning, Labour & Palestine 

The Israeli Government, with the support of Donald Trump, is threatening to annex more Palestininan lands. How do we build a campaign to stop them?

Brent Divest!  Liz Lindsay and Martin Francis, local activists and BHPSC 

Building a campaign to get Brent Council to divest its pension fund from companies who are complicit in the oppression of Palestininans.    

Brent & Harrow Palestine Solidarity Campaign supported by Brent Trades Union Council and Brent Stop the War

Members of the Brent Council Pension Fund particularly welcome 

- the pension fund is your deferred wages

Oppose anti-semitism and support free speech Brent councillors urged

Brent and Harrow PSC have written to Brent councillors about the motion on anti-Semitism to be discussed at the Council meeting on Monday 18^th September.

Dear Councillor 

RE: Full Council – 18 September 2017

Motion selected by the Conservative Group ADOPTION OF INTERNATIONAL

HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE ALLIANCE DEFINITION OF ANTISEMITISM

Councillor Joel Davidson Brondesbury Park Ward 

We welcome the discussion on how to combat anti-Semitism in the ongoing battle against racism in all its forms.

The International Holocaust Remember Association’s definition is as follows:

“Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.” 

However, the guidance issued by the IHRA uses a number of controversial examples of forms of anti-Semitism, most of which (7/11) refer to Israel. We submit that the effect of adopting the guidance would be to prevent criticism of the actions of the Israeli State and of a legitimate critique of Zionism as a political ideology. For example, the guidance states that to call Israel a racist enterprise can be anti-Semitic. This has been used to describe anyone who refers to Israel as an apartheid state as ‘anti-Semitic’ and to withdraw meeting facilities from them.  Similarly, the example of not holding Israel to a standard has been used to say calling for boycott is anti -Semitic, which in the opinion of eminent QC Hugh Tomlinson is a threat to legally protected freedom of expression.

Mixing the issue of anti-Semitism with the policies and actions of the Israeli State, it is likely to make it harder to identify and oppose anti-Semitism, a goal to which we are all committed. DETAILS

If you wish to support the adoption of the (38 word) definition, we ask therefore, that this does not include the highly controversial guidance. In this way, opposition to anti-Semitism is made clear, without any limitation of legitimate criticism of the Israeli State or the ideology of Zionism. 

BOOK NOW-LAST CHANCE! Support Palestine Solidarity and Stop the War - fundraising Garden Party tomorrow

FUNDRAISING GARDEN PARTY SUNDAY 10TH JULY

From 4pm to 9.30pm 

https://www.facebook.com/BrentStoptheWar  http://brentpsc.blogspot.co.uk/

Supporters are invited to a fundraising party in a beautiful Willesden Garden. Ticket price includes all entertainment and a deliciously varied buffet with plenty of vegetarian options as well as meat, fish, salads and desserts. Plenty of liquid refreshment will also be available at an additional charge.

Performers include:

MC and Socialist Magician Ian Saville www.redmagic.co.uk

From the Lyrical to the Satirical with singer-songwriter Leon Rosselson www.leonrosselson.co.uk

Soula Ensemble performing Arabic music of many kinds:

Muwashah from the Arabic-Andalusian tradition, modern songs (Fairouz, Marcel Khalife) and Palestinian songs https://m.facebook.com/SoulaEnsemble/

Drinks, raffle and stall with Palestinian goods extra

TICKETS

From:

Brent Stop the War email brentstopthewar@gmail.com or ring Sarah on 07951 084 101

Brent and Harrow Palestine Solidarity Campaign email brent2harrowpsc@outlook.com or ring Martin on 0208 908 3913

OR BUY TICKETS ON EVENTBRITE HERE

Where?

A beautiful garden in Willesden Green - Address will be disclosed on payment, London, NW2
Contact Martin on mafran@globalnet.co.uk if you would like to help organise the event, provide some home cooked food or help on the day.

More from Brent and Harrow PSC  www.brentpsc.blogspot.co.uk

Brent Council decides bins more important than human rights

Labour Brent Council's Executive last night approved the awarding of the £142.3m Public Realm contract to Veolia despite representations calling for the company to be removed from the procurement process because if its alleged grave misconduct in servicing illegal Israel settlements in the Occupied Territories of Palestine.

 The Executive was addressed by Dan Judelson of Brent Jews for Justice for Palestinians,  Cllr Paul Lorber, leader of the Liberal Democrat group on the council, and myself.

Executive members argued, to varying degrees, that they cared about human rights and the plight of the Palestinians, but that they had no option, for legal reasons and to get the best deal for Brent council tax payers, to award the contract to Veolia. Cllr Jim Moher, rolled out on these occasions as the Executive's blunderbus, accused me and Paul Lorber of attempting to wreck the contract with an eye on gaining electoral advantage next year. He said that people like us, trying to occupy the high moral ground, may be concerned about human rights but the man in the street cared about his bins being emptied. Muhammed Butt summing up said there was no greater advocate than him of the Palestinian cause but that the Council had to act legally and could not risk Veolia taking legal action against them for not following procedures. He added that faced with huge cuts in central government funding the savings the new contract involved was the most important issue.

Fiona Ledden, answering a challenge about lack of transparency in not informing  the campaign and the public of the legal advice she had received regarding  Bin Veolia in Brent's allegation said that she was constrained because it would be irresponsible to share legal advice with the public as it was privileged. It had been shared with members of the Executive behind closed doors. If the advice had been made public it could have been used by other parties in a Judicial Review. She said that she had received clear legal advice that Veolia UK was a separate company from that operating in Israel/Palestine and that in her communications with other local authorities she could find no case of Veolia being excluded from a contract.

This is the speech I made to the Executive:
 

When Muhammed Butt took over from Ann John as council leader he recognised, in the light of the library closures issue, the need to communicate with residents better and engage with them –

        

                                         be a ‘listening council’

Following his disagreement with Gareth Daniel  (former Chief Executive) he recognised the need to rebalance the power relationship between officers and elected members

                                   he wanted to move from ‘managerialism’ to              

                                        political leadership.

The public realm contract issue leads us to ask:

                                what happened to these intentions?

Veolia’s activities in the occupied territories of Israel are a moral and human rights issue, as well as a ‘political one’ just as British companies’ collusion with the Apartheid regime in South Africa was for the Brent Labour administration in the 1980s.

But from the beginning we were handed over to officers to discuss the issue – not elected members.

These officers were about as transparent as a lump of lead.

We gave officers detailed legal evidence on Veolia’s grave misconduct in the occupied territories – the procurement panel decided there were no grounds for exclusion of Veolia but gave no reasons why or how they had reached that decision.

We and our human rights lawyer met Fiona Ledden (Head of Procurement) to ask what legal advice they had received so that we could respond – they refused to tell us what the advice was and its source. We were put in the Kafkaesque situation of attempting to respond to evidence we couldn’t see. Our lawyer warned Fiona Ledden that this refusal could be used to press for a judicial review.

We asked if our allegations had been put to Veolia, they said no.

Surely any fair process would do that and should have in terms of protecting the council’s reputation.

When Veolia did write to the council, apparently of their own volition, they claimed to have sold the Tovlan landfill site. We submitted evidence that this was untrue.  No reaction from officers to being deliberately misled by a bidder.

When Enterprise asked for extra time to put in their final bid they were refused. The council’s reason for refusal of extra time are almost the same, and as unenlightening, as the refusal to exercise their discretion to exclude Veolia –

‘because that’s what we have decided.’

So no comeback for Veolia for giving misleading information to the council but instead officers’ action leaving Veolia as the only bidder.

If the officers refused to engage with us, what about the elected members of the executive?

Our petition with more than 2,000 signatures was presented to the executive. There was no response from the Executive member leading on the environment. It was referred to Fiona Ledden, head of procurement for consideration.  The same Fiona Ledden who had been stonewalling us.

A request to Cllr butt and Fiona Ledden for the outcome of that consideration was requested some time ago but only answered on Thursday. This merely said the council did not intent to revisit the decision not to exclude Veolia made on January 31^st

                                          in other words ‘we are ignoring your petition’

Our supporters made presentations on the issue to various Brent Connects forums. The notes say their comments would be referred to Cllr Roxanne Mashari as lead member for environment.  They have heard no more.

Liz Lindsay, Secretary of Brent and Harrow PSC has received no response to a request sent to Cllr Mashari in June, to meet with her and Brent members of Jews for Justice for Palestinians regarding the contract.

The officers’ report you are considering this evening makes absolutely no reference to any of these representations. If we had not made them public and written to councillors you will have had no idea that this is a controversial issue.

           Transparency? Accountability? Participation?

The GCs of both Hampstead and Kilburn and Brent Central Labour parties, Brent TUC and Brent members of Jews for Justice for Palestinians have supported our case.  We have been supported by several of the candidates for the Brent Central parliamentary nomination. Brent Lib Dems were ruled out of order when they tried to put a question about Veolia at full council.

I know that some members of the Executive have misgivings on the issue. Cllr Mashari herself, reporting on a visit to Israel/Palestine with the Young Fabians, paid for by BICOM (set up to ‘create a more supportive environment for Israel in Britain) said that the one issue she was repeatedly told should be addressed to bring peace was that of illegal Israeli settlements.

Apart from all of the above can the council truly save that they are sure of ‘best value’ for Brent residents in a process that led, at the final hurdle, to Veolia having no competitor for the Executive to consider.

 In Q1 of 2013-14 there was a failure to reach targets for reduction in residual waste and increased recycling at a cost of £226,000 with Veolia the current contractor.

We suggest the Executive:

1.     Extend the current contract for a year

2.     Start a new procurement process with robust ethical conditions attached

3.     Consider separating the parks/ground maintenance services from that contract to allow waste specialist companies to bid.

4.     Consider supporting an in-house bid for the parks/grounds maintenance contract

You mustn't miss Sunday's amazing garden party in Willesden Green

The Annual Summer Fundraising Garden Party in Willesden Green has become justly famous not only for the beautiful and fascinating garden in which it is held but for its great entertainment and fabulous home-cooked food which includes vegetarian options and fantastic deserts. ALL INCLUDED IN THE TICKET PRICE.

In addition soft drinks, beer and wine are available.

This year's event should be great.  Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond her control Julie Felix has had to drop out but we still have:

The wonderful Singer Songwriter, Leon Rosselson

The amazing Socialist Magician, Ian Saville, 

A brand new act for us, Mizan the Poet  

Our regular Folk and Rock Duo, Finisterre  

and  Musical Comedy duo Jo Stephenson and Dan Woods 

have stepped into the breach. They will perform some of their show from the Chelsea Fringe Can You Dig It? plus Dan's History of the Soviet Union to the melody of Tetris. 

SUMMER FUNDRAISING GARDEN PARTY

Sunday 7th July, 4pm - 10pm 

In Kate and Jamie's Garden, Willesden Green (the full address comes with the ticket!)

Special advanced prices

£15 Solidarity / Waged, £11 Low Waged / Retired, £8 Students / Benefit Claimant's

Prices on the door rise to £10 / £15 / £20

for more information and to reserve your ticket(s) e-mail brentstopthewar@gmail.com or brentharrowpsc@hotmail.co.uk    

or else ring/text Sarah (StW) on 07951 084101 or Martin (PSC) on 020 8908 3913

Organised by Brent Stop the War and Brent& Harrow Palestine Solidarity Campaign

Council challenged to exclude Veolia from Brent public realm contract

 

Following  a two year local campaign by activists in North London, French multi-national waste company Veolia withdrew from a North London Waste Authority £4.7 billion waste contract just before Christmas.  Campaigners opposed Veolia on the grounds that it abuses human rights through its complicity in Israel's violations of international law in the occupied territories of Palestine.

Richard Falk, UN Special Rapporteur on the West Bank and Gaza Strip, in a letter to NLWA councillors wrote:

It is my view that Veolia’s violations of the UN Global Compact principles and its deep and protracted complicity with grave breaches of international law make it an inappropriate partner for any public institution, especially as a provider of public services.

....I urge you to follow the example set by public authorities and European banks that have chosen to disassociate themselves from Veolia and take the just and principled decision not to award Veolia any public service contracts. Such a measure would contribute to upholding the rule of law and advancing peace based on justice.

Veolia currently  operates waste collection, recycling and street cleansing services in Brent in a contract that expires in 2014. The procurement process for a new contract, that also includes parks maintenance, has begun.

Brent Palestine Solidarity Campaign has pledged to campaign against its inclusion in the upcoming Brent Council public realm procurement process. Liz Lindsay, Secretary of Brent and Harrow Palestine Solidarity Campaign said:

Brent Council must not ignore Veolia’s grave misconduct. They should not include Veolia in their procurement short list. Otherwise they will risk Veolia pulling out at the last minute as they did with the NLWA procurement, This would leave  the Council obliged to give the contract to the only remaining bidder  left in the process.  I am sure  Brent Council will recognise Veolia’s role in Palestine and exclude Veolia from the start.

Declaration of interest. I am chair of Brent and Harrow Palestine Solidarity Campaign

Veolia under scrutiny on human rights

Brent councillors will shortly be receiving a letter (LINK) signed by 302 borough residents setting out the case for Veolia, the French multi-national, to be removed from the list of potential  contractors for the new 25 year, multi-million contract for the West London Waste Authority. A similar letter has been signed by residents in the other five boroughs that constitute the WLWA.

The case is based on the premise that in its activities in the illegally occupied territories:

a) Veolia has demonstrated racist practices in its recruitment policies; and

b) Veolia has been guilty of grave misconduct through its active participation in violations of international and humanitarian laws and norms

Veolia is one of the company's on the current 'long-list' from which the WLWA will be making a short-list soon.

Brent and Harrow Palestine Solidarity Campaign is holding a meeting on Tuesday November 22nd at 7pm at Willesden Green Library to discuss the issues concerned (see notice below):