TheWorld Social Forum Free Palestine (WSFFP) took place in Porto Alegre, Brazil, atexactly the moment that Palestine was on the front page of every newspaperaround the world. The United Nations had just voted (138-9) to grantPalestinians limited statehood observer status at the United Nations.  Meanwhile, people in Gaza had also justsurvived another brutal Israeli onslaught.

Despiteour grief and rage at the latest attack on Gaza, the perseverance of thePalestinian people continues to be an inspiration. As has been true for almosta century, Palestine and the Palestinian people are in the stranglehold of aglobal negotiation for power and resources. And now, popular movements anduprisings throughout the region threaten the colonial hold of US, Europe,Israel and its collaborators with struggles against repression and massexploitation of resources, land and people and for basic survival and freedom. InSyria, the death toll has risen to an estimated 40,000-57,000 over the pasttwo-years as people's fights against repression are suffocated and infiltratedby the interests of these same forces.

Theoutpouring of support from the Asian American community for thisinitiative reveals the growing understanding of theinterconnectedness of our struggles against racism, oppression andefforts to use progressive issues and organizations to advancereactionary agendas. TheChina-Israel film festival is part of an effort by the IsraeliAmbassador Michael Oren, the Israeli consulate and Zionistorganizations to build support for the growing political and economicalliance between China and Israel and is part of the multi-milliondollar effort to "brand Israel" and counteract the growing outcryagainst Israeli violations of human rights, international law anddecency.

TAKEACTION: sendan email to Stephen Gong, the Director of CAAM, (sgong@caamedia.org)- ask CAAM to refuse participation in the China-Israel culturalfestival.