The following press release was issued today by the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation:
Today, a coalition of civil society and human rights organizations delivered the names of thousands of constituents who sent letters and signed petitions to their members of Congress calling on them to #SkipTheSpeech of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on March 3.
Constituent letters and petitions were delivered to 75 members of Congress who have either pledged to skip Netanyahu’s speech or have expressed hesitation about attending. In total, more than 37,000 people have sent more than 110,000 letters to members of Congress. An additional 20,000 people have signed a petition calling on members not to attend. (Photos of the petition deliveries can be viewed here.)
More than 30 members of Congress have already publicly or privately committed to #SkipTheSpeech, with additional Representatives and Senators expected to do so this week. Those who have already pledged not to attend include members of the Congressional Black Caucus, including its leader, Representative G.K. Butterfield, and Representative John Lewis, one of the heroes of the US Civil Rights Movement. The #SkipTheSpeech campaign is being organized by Roots Action, US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation, Jewish Voice for Peace, Code Pink and American Muslims for Palestine.
Josh Ruebner, of the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation, stated: “Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to Congress has opened a huge political rift between the Obama administration and Democratic members of Congress on the one hand, and Republicans in Congress on the other. Our campaign is designed to provide grassroots political backing for the more than 30 members of Congress already pledging not to attend and to embolden others to follow their lead. As the head of a government engaged in serious human rights abuses and war crimes, including last summer’s attack on Gaza, Netanyahu should never have been honored with an invitation to address Congress in the first place.”
“A growing constituency of American Jews oppose Israeli policies led by Netanyahu that entrench the occupation and oppress Palestinians,” said Rebecca Vilkomerson, the Executive Director of Jewish Voice for Peace. “The 2013 Pew study of Jewish Americans and a poll during the war on Gaza in 2014 demonstrate growing criticism for Israeli policy among young people and Democrats. It’s time for our elected officials to follow their lead.”
“With the politicization of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s speech and the growing divide between Democrats and Republicans over Boehner’s invitation to the foreign leader, there is no more appropriate time to confront Congress on US foreign policy, the influence of the Israel lobby group AIPAC, and again highlight the brutal military occupation of Palestine,” said CODEPINK organizer Anna Kaminski.
“It is outrageous that the head of a foreign state is interfering in US foreign policy by trying to thwart diplomatic talks with Iran and push the US into war,” said Kristin Szremski of American Muslims for Palestine. “This shows that Israel is not a true friend or ally of ours.”
David Swanson, of Roots Action, stated: “Netanyahu’s failure to cancel this speech looks like the same obtuseness that has led him to continue misrepresenting an Iranian threat and urging his nation and this one closer to war. When Congress members hear Netanyahu say ‘there’s no one on the other side we can negotiate with’ they should remember that he puts them in the same category of people unworthy of any respect or compromise.”
“It is outrageous that the head of a foreign state is interfering in US foreign policy by trying to thwart diplomatic talks with Iran and push the US into war,” said Kristin Szremski of American Muslims for Palestine. “This shows that Israel is not a true friend or ally of ours.”
It certainly is outrageous and Israel is a friend/ally to no one – SKIP THE SPEECH! Or – here’s an idea – when he comes knocking on the door – don’t answer it!
New Gallup Poll : Seven in 10 Americans Continue to View Israel Favorably
http://www.gallup.com/poll/181652/seven-americans-continue-view-israel-favorably.aspx?utm_source=tagrss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=syndication
Sorry for being off-topic here, but I think this story important and would make a pretty topic for a full Mondo Weiss article:
It looks to me pretty much like a strong indicator of a sea change in Britain.
merde!
“REUTERS – Two senior U.S. Senate Democrats invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday to a closed-door meeting with Democratic senators during his upcoming visit to Washington, amid tensions over his plans to address the U.S. Congress on Iran’s nuclear program.
Senators Richard Durbin and Dianne Feinstein extended the invitation “to maintain Israel’s dialogue with both political parties in Congress,” according to a letter to the Israeli leader obtained by Reuters.
Feinstein previously told Haaretz that inviting Prime Minister Netanyahu to address Congress during an Israeli election period is “highly inappropriate” and that imposing new sanctions on Iran at this time is “reckless and dangerous.””
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/1.643929
Still licking the boot.
Without consultation with President Obama or Secretary of State Kerry, Republican Speaker of the House John Boehner has invited Israel Prime Minister Netanyahu to address a joint session of Congress. In a dereliction of protocol, Mr. Boehner consulted with Ron Dermer, the Israel Ambassador to the United States, over the White House or the State Department. Mr. Boehner offered a significant forum to a foreign nation’s leader to criticize our President’s foreign policy and Mr. Netanyahu readily accepted this ill-advised invitation.
My family and I view the actions by President Obama and his team on a multilateral nuclear accord with Iran as an appropriate use of a strong and effective US diplomacy. We trust in President Obama’s strategic and policy objectives. On the basis of years of general observation, reading and discussion, we have some healthy skepticism about Israel Prime Minister Netanyahu’s veracity and assessments. At a key point of our nation’s negotiations of the multilateral nuclear accord, which negotiations will likely have a significant outcome, it is bizarre to invite a foreign leader to speak before the United States Congress to argue for his nation’s interests and preferences and to inveigh against our nation’s effective foreign policy. This situation is disgusting, problematic as precedent, and contrary to our national interest.
My family and I ask you to not attend the speech by the Israel Prime Minister. This is very important to us.