Main Anti-war Group Plans Rally Against Israeli Policies

[Purveyor]

Daniel Treiman | Fri. Feb 02, 2007

The anti-war group behind the recent demonstration that brought tens of thousands to Washington to protest the Iraq War already has plans for another mass rally in the nation’s capital. This time, though, the target of the protesters’ ire will be Israel.

United for Peace and Justice, the convener of the January 27 march, is joining with the U.S. Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation to co-sponsor a two-day “mobilization” in June, titled “The World Says No to Israeli Occupation.” The event will include a mass rally, a “teach-in” and lobbying. It will mark the 40th year since Israel’s capture of the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem in June 1967.

“The purpose of the event is to hopefully call greater attention both to the ongoing Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories, but also to call attention to the role that the U.S. plays in supporting that, and specifically the financial role, of course,” said UFPJ’s national coordinator, Leslie Cagan.

The Jewish community has had an uneasy relationship with the anti-war movement. While polls show that solid majorities of American Jews now disapprove of the decision to go to war in Iraq, most major Jewish groups have been quiet on the issue. Many supporters of Israel have been concerned that the anti-war movement has become a vehicle for promoting the Palestinian cause to a larger audience.

Josh Ruebner, grass-roots advocacy coordinator for the U.S. Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation, called UFPJ’s co-sponsorship of the June 10-11 mobilization “very significant.”

---end of excerpt---

http://www.forward.com/articles/main-anti-war-group-plans-rally-against/

[no_hypocrisy]

1. Damned "librul Jews" making trouble again.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/31/arts/31jews.html?em&ex=1170478800&en=f441c119cb1ee51a&ei=5087%0A

[The Count]

2. yeah, cuz that's US's most urgent problem, not starting the 3rd war any minute now

The sense of priorities of these people is amazing! Howz'about Darfur then?
Why not march to end the violence there?

[demnan]

3. That's too bad

I think we need to focus our anti-war movement on what this country is doing. They are making the same mistake that ANSWER made when organizing big protests. These big protests can lose focus if we aren't careful.

[BayCityProgressive]

4. This issue needs

to be addressed. This is one of the main causes of violence int he area. An equitable solutrion for both the Palestinians and the Israelis needs to be agreed to. Since our media and politicians won't take on these issues...where else will we confront them but in the streets. We need more than just an anti-Iraq war movement. We learned from Vietnam that we might be successful in making one war end but unless we take on the whole corrupt system, the same cycle of violence and curruption will come right back in another form. Focusing solely on the Iraq war treats the symptoms without curing the disease.

[msmcghee]

5. This is not an anti-war rally.

It's an anti-Israel rally - which I predict will have a healthy number of anti-Jew placards, signs and speakers. If it has any effect on events in the future it will be to cause more war and suffering of both Palestinians and Israelis.

The main cause of violence in the area is the same as it has been for seventy years - Arab intransigence at the horrible idea of having a Jewish state in their region - and their willingness to kill and murder Jews (and even each other) until they succeed in getting rid of it.

It's what they say. It's what their actions say. Why not believe them and deal with that reality?

[BayCityProgressive]

6. it is an anti-occupation rally

Israeli policies deserve criticism, so does the US. Since they are the biggest benefactor of our foreign aid, I as a tax payer have the right to voice my dismay with what my money is paying for. I will not be harrassed into not criticizing Israeli policy.

[msmcghee]

7. Are you saying that I am harassing you . .

. . by stating my honest opinion of the rally? Opinions are what forums like this are for. You shouldn't play the victim card so quickly. Wait for some real harassment.

I might add that another result of this rally (depending on how many show up and how it is reported) will be to decrease the number of people willing to go to actual anti-war rallies in the future - as many who disagree with our presence in Iraq would be horrified to find that by going to an anti-war rally they could be perceived as criticizing Israel's right to defend itself from terrorists.

Another result (again depending on the turnout and publicity) will be to turn independent voters away from Dem candidates in the next election - insofar as those candidates may be identified with such anti-Israel / anti-Jewish sentiments.

That's not harassment my friend. That's just the truth.

[demnan]

8. I'm not saying the issue doesn't need addressing

I just think it needs to be addressed differently. I'd rather focus on our policies. If you want to have a separate protest to address issues in Israel, feel free to have it, but I won't be there, I'm concentrating on our policies right now.

[Tom Joad]

9. It IS what the US is doing. Everyone knows where those bombs come

from, the cluster bombs that rain down on Lebanon, the bombs that kill families on the beaches of Gaza, and so forth. It is a direct result of US policy.

[oberliner]

11. Bombs that kill families on the beaches of Gaza?

Which other family besides the Ghaliya family are you referring to?

Which beach besides the one near Beit Lahia was bombed?

You make it sound like Israel goes around bombing beaches filled with families throughout Gaza when you are in fact (I think) referring to one incident.

[Tom Joad]

12. I am sorry. Israeli policies has brought great pain to all of Gaza.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/12/24/INGBBN1VKK1.DTL

The World Health Organization said the targeting of Gaza's critical infrastructure, such as the destruction of Gaza's only power plant during recent conflicts, has initiated a chain reaction of lack of power, scarcity of fuel for generators and a shortage of water. This, in turn, has harmed the functioning of the health system and negatively affected people's health.

Over 150,000 Palestinian and Israeli children suffer from post-traumatic stress disorders. There has been a doubling in the number of Palestinians seeking help from mental health clinics, according to the group Christian Aid. Most of the new cases are children.

On a recent visit to Gaza, Louise Arbour, the U.N. high commissioner for human rights, said widespread violations against civilians had taken place in the Gaza Strip. She also told journalists that the lack of accountability for human rights violations in Gaza leaves locals with no one to turn to when a violation occurs.

Articles 19 and 50 of the Fourth Geneva Conventions state clearly the responsibility of the occupying power -- in this case Israel -- to treat humanely the wounded and sick, to protect hospitals and to care for children. Physicians for Human Rights-Israel has demanded Israel's compliance with the Geneva Conventions, to which Israel is bound as a signer.

The World Food Program has indicated that "the growing number of poor in Gaza are living on the bare minimum and face a daily struggle to cover their daily food needs." As a result of the present crisis, 70 percent of Gaza's population doesn't have enough to eat. This has forced the World Food Program to increase the number of Gazans given monthly aid to 220,000 persons from 160,000 -- including poor farmers and fishermen.

According to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, large tracts of agricultural land have been damaged as a result of the Israel Defense Forces ground incursions. Access and movement in and out of Gaza are still compromised. Closures of key border points have affected the ability of Gazans to obtain essential medical care not available in Gaza.

UNICEF estimates that almost 840,000 Palestinian children living in Gaza bear the consequences of shelling and attacks by Israel. At the same time, shortages and closures make it practically impossible to deliver good health care. Destruction of the main power plant, water shortages and water contamination create the conditions for outbreaks of communicable diseases, which mainly affect children.

Violence and closures have impaired access of civilians, particularly women, to life-saving services such as surgery and emergency obstetric care. Between Sept. 28, 2000, and Aug. 20 some 68 Palestinian women gave birth at checkpoints, which probably explains the deaths of 34 newborns and four mothers among them.

[pelsar]

13. worse...

the us is now sending arms to fatah......i would expect that, that too should be within the list to be protested.....

fatah has a pretty sad record these last weeks when it comes to killing people, in the streets, in the hospitals...or

am i to understand that when US taxpayers money goes to fatah to kill civilians.....it doesnt 'count"..and that is because......

[Tom Joad]

14. Why isn't Israel protesting? Instead, it is done with Israel's blessing.

I would not say it is worse.
I would say it is to be condemned, nonetheless.

It is not being condemned by Israeli leaders, that seems certain.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/28/AR2006122801126.html

JERUSALEM, Dec. 28 -- With Israel's blessing, Egypt has delivered a large shipment of arms to forces loyal to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Israeli officials said Thursday, in the latest Israeli attempt to boost the embattled leader in his conflict with the radical Hamas organization.

Israel has been trying to reinforce Abbas's standing among his people. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Abbas is a partner for negotiations -- unlike Hamas, which rejects the existence of Israel and refuses to renounce violence. Hamas took over the Palestinian government after winning parliamentary elections last January.

Nabil Abu Rdeneh, a spokesman for Abbas, issued a statement denying any arms deal. At midday Thursday, however, witnesses saw a truck belonging to the national security force carrying what appeared to be sealed boxes of weapons. The force is allied with Abbas's Fatah organization.

When the truck attempted to make a quick detour, a box fell to the ground, scattering automatic weapons on the road, the witnesses said. Security officers quickly got out of the truck and collected the guns.

Amos Gilad, a senior Israeli Defense Ministry official, told Israel Radio that the military assistance was rendered to reinforce the "forces of peace" against the "forces of darkness" threatening the region, a reference to Islamic extremists. There has been a week-long hiatus in violence between Fatah and Hamas, but Palestinians say it could resume at any time.

Israel approved the transfer of 2,000 automatic rifles, 20,000 ammunition clips and 2 million bullets on Wednesday, Israeli officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the shipment had not been officially confirmed by Israel, the Palestinians or Egypt.

Ahmed Youssef, a political adviser to Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas, said Egyptian officials had assured him that no arms were sent. He accused Israel of spreading false rumors about an arms shipment in "an attempt to increase tensions among the Palestinians."

[pelsar]

15. why should we condem it?

frankly we're hardly surprised......having multiple armed gangs each with different agendas and different states backing was bound to erupt....once they had the freedom to act.

maybe its egypt whos sending the guns...or course its egypt whos not doing much about the smuggling....and i guess the US has given its blessing...and maybe even payed for the guns..

will the protesters protest that?....i somehow doubt it




i wouldnt try to compare the happennings now to how israel acts......: they have gunfights in hospitals, at elementry schools, all over the streets..with civilians caught up in the crossfires, road blocks, up and down gaza......

[Tom Joad]

16. Israel has a far deadlier record in the illegally occupied territories,

[Tom Joad]

10. US Campaign to End Israeli Occupation is working for just policies for the Middle East

Do check it out.

http://www.endtheoccupation.org/

[Tom Joad]

17. Peace Action supports this protest. It is the largest grassroots peace lobby

in the nation.

http://www.peace-action.org/abt/abtpa.html
Peace Action, the merger of SANE and The Nuclear Freeze, has effectively mobilized for peace and disarmament for nearly fifty years.

As the nation's largest grassroots peace group we get results: from the 1963 treaty to ban above ground nuclear testing, to the 1996 signing of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, from ending the war in Vietnam, to blocking weapons sales to human rights abusing countries, and eliminating funding for new nuclear weapons, Peace Action and its 100,000 members have been, and continue to be, at the forefront of the international movement for peace.

[Tom Joad]

18. Jewish Voice for Peace, US based organization, supports this protest

http://www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org

Jewish Voice for Peace is a diverse and democratic community of activists inspired by Jewish tradition to work together for peace, social justice, and human rights. We support the aspirations of Israelis and Palestinians for security and self-determination.

We seek:

* A U.S. foreign policy based on promoting peace, democracy, human rights, and respect
for international law
* An end to the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem
* A resolution of the Palestinian refugee problem consistent with international law and equity
* An end to all violence against civilians
* Peace among the peoples of the Middle East

We are among the many American Jews who say to the U.S. and Israeli governments: "Not in our names!"

JVP supports peace activists in Palestine and Israel, and works in broad coalition with other Jewish, Arab-American, faith-based, peace and social justice organizations.


FOR A CHANGE IN U.S. POLICY

Jewish Voice for Peace calls for a U.S. foreign policy that promotes democracy and human rights. The United States must stop supporting repressive policies in Israel and elsewhere. U.S. military aid to countries in the Middle East must be based on rigorous enforcement of the Arms Export Control and Foreign Assistance Acts, which mandate that military aid may be used for only defensive purposes within the recipient country's borders, and that aid may not be delivered to countries that abuse human rights....