Today, June 5, the thirty-sixth anniversary of the Israeli takeover of the West Bank and Gaza, will see peace and justice activists worldwide protesting what even Ariel Sharon has taken to calling an occupation.

Gush Shalom (translated from Hebrew, the name means “The Peace Bloc”) will be one of the chief Israeli groups actively mobilizing. Describing itself as the “hard core of the Israeli peace movement,” Gush Shalom has consistently advocated ideas–negotiation with the PLO, acceptance of a Palestinian state, acceptance of the right of return for Palestinian refugees, calls for Jerusalem to be established as a joint capital, insistence on dismantling of the settlements–years, sometimes decades, before the established Israeli parties and peace organizations. Check out its website for info on how you can help.

The International Solidarity Movement, a global group which sends volunteers to the occupied territories to assist Palestinains living under siege and to pay witness to the daily Israeli brutality, could also really use your support. Same for Stop US Tax-funded Aid to Israel Now! SUSTAIN is committed to supporting the Palestinian movement for justice, human rights and self-determination by building a grassroots campaign against US military aid to Israel. SUSTAIN is also helping sponsor the current Caterpillar campaign, which seeks to halt the sales of US-built Caterpillar bulldozers to the Israeli armed forces.

Little so vividly captures the brutality of occupation like the bulldozing of homes by the Israel Defense Forces using Caterpillar equipment. And the IDF soldier who killed Rachel Corrie, a 23 year old member of the ISM, while she was trying to prevent an illegal home demolition, used a Caterpillar D-9 bulldozer as his murder weapon. Click here to let Caterpillar know that it should stop profiting from murder and violence in the Occupied Territories.

And watch this space for info on a host of related groups, agencies, campaigns and publications, which we’ll survey in the days ahead.