New Yorkers protest Tzipi Livni. (Photo: Bud Korotzer)
About 50 protesters picketed outside the Russian Tea Room yesterday as Tzipi Livni spoke inside. The protest was organized by Jews Say No!, American Jews for a Just Peace, and Adalah-NY: The New York Coalition for the Boycott of Israel. Livni was giving a speech as part of a two-day conference on “Peace and Security” hosted by the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and Political Violence.
Livni was being protested because of her role in Israel’s 2006 attack on Lebanon and the winter 2009 attack on Gaza. Activists highlighted a 2009 Der Spiegel quote that would seem to indicate Livni doesn’t feel much remorse about the Gaza attack, "Naturally I regret every civilian casualty, but what happened at the UN school was not a mistake." With quotes like these, no wonder Livni has been targeted for war crimes prosecution.
Interestingly enough, while the rest of the conference sessions were held across town at the Waldorf Astoria, the location of the Livni speech was kept private. Organizers cited “security concerns,” but in her bio they also referenced the fact that Livni faces the threat of arrest whenever she travels outside Israel. Worried about a subpoena maybe?
