UK

LABOUR HUB EDITORS

CADFA – direct solidarity with Palestine

MAY 22, 2024

As the Israeli genocidal bombardment of Gaza and its increased murderous belligerence towards Palestinians in the West Bank show no sign of coming to an end, people-to-people solidarity with the Palestinian people becomes all the more important. Here we look at CADFA.

CADFA – the Camden Abu Dis Friendship Association – works in the UK to promote awareness about the human rights situation in Palestine. The link began in 2003 when people from the London Borough of Camden made links with people in Abu Dis, a town in a Jerusalem suburb. At that time, the Israeli Separation Wall was being built across Abu Dis itself: in 2004, the International Court of Justice found this to be a serious human rights violations and in breach of international humanitarian law.

CADFA was formed to promote human rights and respect for international humanitarian law, linking people directly in order to build awareness and understanding. It works to bring Palestinian voices to the attention of people in the UK through publications, public events, creative projects and exchange visits. It has worked with schools across England and Wales, bringing speakers, visitors and organising  Zoom links with Palestine.

Through the  Building Hope project, CADFA works with groups across England and Wales to increase the  number of group visits from Palestine to the UK, including students, women, youth and others. Alongside partners in many places across the country, from Cornwall to Cardiff and Newcastle to Diss, CADFA ran two Palestinian women’s visits to the UK in March and July 2023.

The latest youth visit, one of dozens organised by CADFA, was originally scheduled for October 2023, but had to be postponed twice due to the latest phase in Israel’s war on the Palestinian people. In the end, the visit – a group of ten young Palestinians aged 13 to 16 – took place in February and March. Activities included meetings with young people including in schools and youth clubs, sightseeing and other fun activities and meetings with local people.

The group’s evaluation of the event says: “The young Palestinians were really heartened by the love and solidarity they found around them.” The next youth visit is planned for late September. Financial contributions are welcome.

CADFA is also involved in local activities in the Borough of Camden. Their blog recently reported: “As Camden Council have been shocking and cowardly for many months, avoiding their constituents, refusing deputations, closing the public gallery, actually cancelling a full council meeting to avoid a demonstration, we held our own ceasefire Council in Judd St. We elected our own Mayor, had a Nakbah Day deputation from Palestine live on Zoom and debated the motion that Camden Council should have been prepared to look at. It passed overwhelmingly and now we will send it to the Council to show them what is needed!” A short film of the event can be seen here.

CADFA holds regular weekly meetings which always include Palestinian speakers. They are open to people from outside the Borough on Zoom. A Palestine Festival is planned for Saturday July 14th at Calthorpe Community Garden.

Images: c/o CADFA.