Activism

Jews Say: End the War on Gaza — No Aid to Apartheid Israel!

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Statement of Jews for Palestinian Right of Return, July 22, 2014 (200 initial signers, endorsing allies forthcoming)

On July 12, 2014, Gaza civil society issued an urgent appeal for solidarity, asking: “How many of our lives are dispensable enough until the world takes action? How much of our blood is sufficient?”

As Jews of conscience, we answer by unequivocally condemning Israel’s ongoing massacre in Gaza, whose victims include hundreds of civilians, children, entire families, the elderly, and the disabled. This latest toll adds to the thousands Israel has killed and maimed since its supposed withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in 2005.

In response to this crisis, we urgently reaffirm our support for a ban on all military and other aid to Israel.

In 1967, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. opposed the Vietnam War with his famous declaration: “For the sake of the hundreds of thousands trembling under our violence, I cannot be silent.”

Today, *we* cannot be silent as the “Jewish state” — armed to the teeth by the U.S. and its allies — wages yet another brutal war on the Palestinian people. Apartheid Israel does not speak for us, and we stand with Gaza as we stand with all of Palestine.

In the face of incessant pro-Israel propaganda, we heed Malcolm X’s warning: “If you’re not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the oppressing.”

For Israel’s relentless war on Gaza is no more an act of “self-defense” than such infamous massacres as Wounded Knee (1890), Guernica (1937), the Warsaw Ghetto (1942), Deir Yassin (1948), My Lai (1968), Soweto (1976), Sabra and Shatila (1982), or Lebanon (2006).

Rather, it is but the latest chapter in more than a century of Zionist colonialism, dispossession, ethnic cleaning, racism, and genocide — including Israel’s very establishment through the uprooting and displacement of over 750,000 Palestinians during the 1947-1948 Nakba. Indeed, eighty percent of the 1.8 million people sealed into Gaza are refugees.

Like any colonial regime, Israel uses resistance to such policies as an excuse to terrorize and collectively punish the indigenous population for its very existence. But scattered rockets, fired from Gaza into land stolen from Palestinians in the first place, are merely a response to this systemic injustice.

To confront the root cause of this violence, we call for the complete dismantling of Israel’s apartheid regime, throughout historic Palestine — from the River to the Sea. With that in mind, we embrace the 2005 Palestinian call for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign, which demands:

* An end to Israeli military occupation of the 1967 territories

* Full equality for Palestinian citizens of Israel

* Right of return for Palestinian refugees, as affirmed by UN resolution 194

Sign petition at http://chn.ge/1o76rOC

Initial Signers (list in formation; organizations, schools and other affiliations shown for identification only; *Co-founder, Jews for Palestinian Right of Return)

  1. Avigail Abarbanel, Psychotherapist; editor, Beyond Tribal Loyalties: Personal Stories of Jewish Peace Activists (2012, Cambridge Scholars), Inverness, Scotland
  2. Noa Abend, Boycott From Within
  3. Stephen Aberle, Independent Jewish Voices; Vancouver, BC
  4. Lisa Albrecht, Ph.D. Social Justice Program, University of Minnesota
  5. Anya Achtenberg, novelist and poet; teacher; activist; International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network
  6. Mike Alewitz, Associate Professor, Central CT State Unversity; Artistic Director, Labor Art & Mural Project
  7. Zalman Amit, Distinguished Professor Emeritus; Author, Israeli Rejectionism
  8. Anthony Arnove, International Socialist Organization
  9. Gabriel Ash, International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network, Switzerland
  10. Ted Auerbach, Brooklyn for Peace
  11. Anna Baltzer, author and organizer
  12. Ronnie Barkan, Co-founder, Boycott from Within, Tel-Aviv
  13. Judith Bello, Administrative Committee, United National Antiwar Coalition
  14. Lawrence Boxall, Independent Jewish Voices, Canada; Vancouver Ecosocialist Group
  15. Linda Benedikt, writer Munich, Germany
  16. Nora Barrows-Friedman, journalist; Oakland
  17. Prof. Jonathan Beller, Humanities and Media Studies Graduate Program in Media Studies, Pratt Institute, Brooklyn
  18. Medea Benjamin, co-founder, CODEPINK
  19. Rica Bird, Joint Founder, Merseyside Jews for Peace and Justice
  20. Audrey Bomse, Co-chair, National Lawyers Guild Palestine Subcommittee
  21. Prof. Daniel Boyarin, Taubman Professor of Talmudic Culture, UC Berkeley
  22. Lenni Brenner, Author, Zionism In The Age Of The Dictators
  23. Elizabeth Block, Independent Jewish Voices, Toronto ON
  24. Max Blumenthal, Author, Goliath: Life and Loathing in Greater Israel; and Senior Writer for Alternet.org
  25. Mary P. Buchwald, Jewish Voice for Peace-New York
  26. Monique Buckner, BDS South Africa
  27. Maia Brown, Health and Human Rights Project-Seattle & Stop Veolia Seattle
  28. Estee Chandler, Jewish Voice for Peace, Los Angeles
  29. Rick Chertoff, L..A. Jews for Peace
  30. Prof. Marjorie Cohn, Thomas Jefferson School of Law; past president, National Lawyers Guild
  31. Ally Cohen, Ramallah, Palestine; International Solidarity Movement media coordinator
  32. Ruben Rosenberg Colorni, Youth for Palestine, Netherlands
  33. Mike Cushman, Convenor, Jews for Boycotting Israeli Goods (UK)
  34. Margaretta D’arcy, Irish actress, writer, playwright, and peace-activist
  35. Natalie Zemon Davis, Historian
  36. Warren Davis, labor and political activist, Philadelphia, PA
  37. Eron Davidson, film maker
  38. Judith Deutsch, Independent Jewish Voices Canada; Science for Peace
  39. Roger Dittmann, Professor of Physics, Emeritus California State University, Fullerton; President, Scholars and Scientists without Borders Executive Council, World Federation of Scientific Workers
  40. Gordon Doctorow, Ed.D., Canada
  41. Mark Elf, Jews Sans Frontieres, London, UK
  42. Hedy Epstein, Nazi Holocaust survivor and human rights activist; St. Louis, MO
  43. Marla Erlien, New York NY
  44. Shelley Ettinger, writer/activist, New York, NY
  45. Inge Etzbach, Human Rights Activist, Café Palestina NY
  46. Richard Falk, Professor of International Law, Emeritus, Princeton University; Former UN Special Rapporteur on Occupied Palestine, 2008-2014
  47. Malkah B. Feldman, Jewish Voice for Peace and recent delegate to Palestine with American Jews For A Just Peace
  48. Deborah Fink, Co-Founder, Jews for Boycotting Israeli Goods UK
  49. Joel Finkel, Jewish Voice for Peace-Chicago
  50. Sylvia Finzi, JfjfP; Jüdische Stimme für gerechten Frieden in Nahost, EJJP. Germany)
  51. Maxine Fookson, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner; Jewish Voice for Peace, Portland OR-
  52. Richard Forer, Author, Breakthrough: Transforming Fear Into Compassion – A New Perspective on the Israel-Palestine
  53. Sid Frankel, Associate Professor, University of Manitoba
  54. Prof. Cynthia Franklin, Co-Editor, Biography: An Interdisciplinary Quarterly, University of Hawai’i
  55. Racheli Gai, Jewish Voice for Peace
  56. Herb Gamberg, Independent Jewish Voices, Canada
  57. Ruth Gamberg, Independent Jewish Voices, Canada
  58. Lee Gargagliano, International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network
  59. Cheryl Gaster, social justice activist and human right lawyer, Toronto ON
  60. Alisa Gayle-Deutsch, American/Canadian Musician and Anti-Israeli Apartheid Activist
  61. Jack Gegenberg, Professor of Mathematics, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton NB
  62. Prof. Terri Ginsberg, film and media scholar, New York
  63. David Glick, psychotherapist; Jewish Voice for Peace
  64. Sherna Berger Gluck, Emerita Professor, CSULB; Israel Divestment Campaign
  65. Neta Golan, Ramallah, Palestine; Jews Against Genocide; Co-founder, International Solidarity Movement.
  66. Tsilli Goldenberg, teacher, Jerusalem, Israel
  67. Steve Goldfield, Ph.D.
  68. Sue Goldstein, International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network, Canada
  69. Marty Goodman, former Executive Board member, Transport Workers Union Local 100; Socialist Action
  70. Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb, Freeman Fellow, Fellowship of Reconciliation
  71. Hector Grad, International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network, Spain
  72. Prof. Jesse Greener, University of Laval
  73. Cathy Gulkin, Filmmaker, Toronto ON
  74. Ira Grupper, Bellarmine University, Louisville, KY
  75. Jeff Halper, The Israeli Committee Against House demolitions (ICAHD)
  76. Larry Haiven, Independent Jewish Voices Canada, Halifax
  77. Evelyn Hecht-Galinski, publisher, Germany
  78. Stanley Heller, The Struggle Video News TSVN
  79. Shir Hever, Jewish Voice for Just Peace, Germany
  80. Deborah Hrbek, media and civil rights lawyer, NLG-NYC
  81. Dr. Tikva Honig-Parass, Jews for Palestinian Right of Return
  82. Adam Horowitz, Co-Editor, Mondoweiss
  83. Gilad Isaacs, Economist, Wits University.
  84. Selma James, International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network
  85. Jake Javanshir, Independent Jewish Voices, Toronto
  86. Riva Joffe, Jews Against Zionism
  87. Val Jonas, attorney, Miami Beach
  88. Sima Kahn, MD; President of the board, Kadima Reconstructionist Community
  89. Yael Kahn, Israeli anti-apartheid activist
  90. Michael Kalmanovitz, International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network (UK)
  91. Dan Kaplan, AFT Local 1493
  92. Susan Kaplan, J.D. National Lawyers Guild
  93. Danny Katch, activist and author
  94. Bruce Katz, President, Palestinian and Jewish Unity (PAJU), Montreal, Canada
  95. Lynn Kessler, Ph.D., MPH, psychologist/social justice activist
  96. Janet Klecker, Sonomans for Justice & Peace for Palestine, Sonoma CA
  97. Prof. David Klein, California State University, Northridge; USACBI
  98. Emma Klein, Jewish Voice for Peace, Seattle WA
  99. Sara Kershnar, International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network
  100. Harry Kopyto, Legal activist Toronto ON
  101. Richard Koritz, veteran postal trade unionist and former member of North Carolina Human Relations Commission
  102. Yael Korin, PhD., Scientist at UCLA; Campaign to End IsraelI Apartheid, Southern California
  103. Dennis Kortheuer, CSULB, Israel Divestment Campaign
  104. Steve Kowit, Professor Emeritus, Jewish Voice for Peace
  105. Toby Kramer, International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network
  106. Jason Kunin, Independent Jewish Voices Canada
  107. Dr. David Landy, Trinity College, Dublin
  108. Jean Léger, Coalition pour la Justice et la Paix en Palestine, membre de la Coalition BDS Québec et de Palestiniens et Juifs Unis
  109. Lynda Lemberg, Educators for Peace and Justice, Independent Jewish Voices, Toronto ON
  110. David Letwin,* activist and teacher, Al-Awda NY
  111. Michael Letwin,* former President, Association of Legal Aid Attorneys/UAW Local 2325; USACBI; Al-Awda NY
  112. Les Levidow, Jews for Boycotting Israeli Goods (J-BIG), UK
  113. Corey Levine, Human Rights Activist, Writer; National Steering Committee, Independent Jewish Voices Canada
  114. Joseph Levine, Professor of Philosophy, University of Massachusetts Amherst
  115. Lesley Levy, Independent Jewish Voices, Montreal
  116. Mich Levy, teacher, Oakland CA
  117. Abby Lippman, Professor Emerita; activist; Montreal
  118. Brooke Lober, PhD candidate, University of Arizona, Gender and Women’s Studies Department
  119. Antony Loewenstein, journalist, author and Guardian columnist
  120. Jennifer Loewenstein, Professor of Middle Eastern Studies, University of Wisconsin, Madison
  121. Alex Lubin, Professor of American Studies, University of New Meixco
  122. Andrew Lugg, Professor Emeritus, University of Ottawa, Canada
  123. David Makofsky, Jewish Voice for Peace, Research Anthropologist
  124. Harriet Malinowitz, Professor of English, Long Island University, Brooklyn
  125. Mike Marqusee, Author, If I Am Not for Myself: Journey of an Anti-Zionist Jew
  126. Miriam Marton, JD
  127. Dr. Richard Matthews. independent scholar, London ON
  128. Daniel L. Meyers, Former President National Lawyers Guild-NYC
  129. Linda Milazzo, Writer/Activist/Educator, Los Angeles
  130. Eva Steiner Moseley, Holocaust refugee, Massachusetts Peace Action board member and Palestine/Israel Working Group
  131. Dr. Dorothy Naor, retired teacher, Herzliah, Israel
  132. Marcy Newman, independent scholar; Author; The Politics of Teaching Palestine to Americans
  133. Alex Nissen, Women in Black
  134. Dr. Judith Norman, San Antonio, TX
  135. Henry Norr, retired journalist, Berkeley CA
  136. Michael Novick, Anti-Racist Action-Los Angeles/People Against Racist Terror
  137. Prof. Bertell Ollman, NYU
  138. Karin Pally, Santa Monica, CA
  139. Prof. Ilan Pappé, Israeli historian and socialist activist
  140. Karen Platt, Jewish Voice for Peace, Albany CA
  141. Dr. Susan Pashkoff, Jews Against Zionism, London UK
  142. Miko Peled, writer, activist; Author, The General’s Son: Journey of an Israeli in Palestine
  143. Prof. Gabriel Piterberg, UCLA
  144. Mitch Podolak, Founder, Winnipeg Folk Festival and Vancouver Folk Music Festival
  145. Karen Pomer,* granddaughter of Henri B. van Leeuwen, Dutch anti-Zionist leader and Bergen-Belsen survivor
  146. Lenny Potash, Los Angeles CA
  147. Fabienne Presentey, Independent Jewish Voices, Montréal
  148. Diana Ralph, Independent Jewish Voices Canada
  149. Roland Rance, Jews Against Zionism, London
  150. Karen Ranucci, Independent Journalist, Democracy Now!
  151. Ana Ratner, Artist, Puppeteer, Activist.
  152. Michael Ratner, President Emeritus, Center for Constitutional Rights
  153. Prof. Dr. Fanny-Michaela Reisin, Jewish Voice Germany
  154. Diana M.A. Relke, Professor Emerita, University of Saskatchewan
  155. Prof. Bruce Robbins, Columbia University
  156. Stewart M. Robinson, retired Prof of Mathematics
  157. Professor Lisa Rofel, University of California, Santa Cruz
  158. Mimi Rosenberg, Producer & Host, Building Bridges and Wednesday Edition, WBAI 99.5 FM; Association of Legal Aid Attorneys/UAW Local 2325
  159. Lillian Rosengarten, Author, From The Shadows Of Nazi Germany To The Jewish Boat To Gaza
  160. Prof. Jonathan Rosenhead, British Committee for the Universities of Palestine (BRICUP)
  161. Yehoahua Rosin, Israel
  162. Ilana Rossoff, International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network
  163. Martha Roth, Independent Jewish Voices; Vancouver BC
  164. Marty Roth, Emeritus professor of English, University of Minnesota
  165. Ruben Roth, Assistant Professor, Labour Studies, Laurentian University; Independent Jewish Voices Canada
  166. Emma Rubin, International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network
  167. Cheryl A. Rubenberg, Middle East Scholar; Editor, Encyclopedia of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict; Author, The Palestinians in Search of a Just Peace
  168. Josh Ruebner, Author, Shattered Hopes: Obama’s Failure to Broker Israeli-Palestinian Peace
  169. Mark Rudd, retired teacher, Albuquerque NM
  170. Ben Saifer, Independent Jewish Voices Canada
  171. Evalyn Segal, Rossmoor Senior Community
  172. Sylvia Schwarz, International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network
  173. Yossi Schwartz, Internationalist Socialist League; Haifa
  174. Carole Seligman, co-editor, Socialist Viewpoint magazine
  175. Yom Shamash, Independent Jewish Voices, Vancouver, Canada
  176. Tali Shapiro, Boycott from Within; Israel
  177. Karen Shenfeld, Poet, Toronto ON
  178. Sid Shniad, National Steering Committee, Independent Jewish Voices Canada
  179. William Shookhoff, Independent Jewish Voices, Toronto ON
  180. Melinda Smith, Jewish Voice for Peace, Albuquerque NM
  181. Kobi Snitz, Tel Aviv
  182. Marsha Steinberg, BDS-LA for Justice in Palestine, Los Angeles
  183. Lotta Strandberg, Visiting Scholar, NYU
  184. Carol Stone, Independent Jewish Voices, Vancouver BC
  185. Miriam (Cherkes-Julkowski) Swenson, Ph.D.
  186. Matthew Taylor, author
  187. Laura Tillem, Peace and Social Justice Center of South Central Kansas
  188. Peter Trainor, Independent Jewish Voices, Toronto
  189. Rebecca Tumposky, International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network
  190. Darlene Wallach, Justice for Palestinians, San Jose CA
  191. Dr. Abraham Weizfeld, JPLO
  192. Bonnie Weinstein, Co-Editor of Socialist Viewpoint magazine; Publisher, Bay Area United Against War Newsletter
  193. Sam Weinstein, International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network-Labor; former President, UWUA Local 132
  194. Judith Weisman, Independent Jewish Voices; Not in Our Name (NION); Toronto ON
  195. Paul Werner, PhD, DSFS Editor, WOID, a journal of visual language
  196. Noga Wizansky, Ph.D., artist, instructor, and researcher; Administrator, Institute of European Studies, UC Berkeley
  197. Marcy Winograd, public school teacher, former congressional peace candidate
  198. Bekah Wolf, UC Hastings College of Law Student; Co-founder, Palestine Solidarity Project
  199. Sherry Wolf, International Socialist Organization
  200. Dave Zirin, Author, Game Over: How Politics Have Turned the Sports World Upside Down

Disclosure: This article contains the signature of Michael Ratner, who was a financial supporter of our website at the time the article was published.

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I am not a Jew. But I pray – may God bless your holy work.

WOW what an impressive list of scholars, leaders, intellects, and how brave of them to make this stand. Congratulations Adam, you have represented us as well! You should be proud of yourself for doing the right thing, this is indeed a humanitarian disaster, not religious or political issue.
Great job people! Hope others will take your cue, and do the same.

Another very interesting piece on Democracy Now about Israeli reservists who are refusing to serve:

http://www.democracynow.org/2014/7/24/amidst_brutal_operation_in_our_name

Guys like these deserve the Peace Prize!

Times are changing. So good