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Israel Celebration Day Report Back: Justice in Palestine Coalition Holds Powerful Action
The Justice in Palestine Coalition held a powerful action today at the entrance to SBC (Pac-Bell) Park-- calling into question what there is to celebrate about 56 years of racist colonialism, displacement, and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians.
Israel Celebration Day Report Back: Justice in Palestine Coalition Holds Powerful Action.
The Justice in Palestine Coalition held a powerful action today at the entrance to SBC (Pac-Bell) Park-- calling into question what there is to celebrate about 56 years of racist colonialism, displacement, and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians. As people entered the event to 'celebrate' the anniversary of the formation of the state of Israel, the demonstrators passed out leaflets which listed the crimes against the Palestinian people. There were speakers and street theater performances, which depicted such atrocities as the bulldozing of Palestinian homes and land seizures, and drawing clear connections between the recent revelations of torture in Abu Graib prison in Iraq and the ongoing torture of Palestinians by the Israeli "Defense" Forces.
Strong messaging by the Coalition stressed the need to treat this as a somber occasion, and organizers worked to minimize the amount of angry altercations between the 300 or so demonstrators and the 'celebrants' by focusing on non-engagement with racist hecklers. This was mostly very effective: ugly incidents were kept to a minimum. The Justice in Palestine coalition, which consists of the Arab-American anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), SUSTAIN (Stop US-funded Tax Aid To Israel Now), Jews for a Free Palestine (JFFP), QUIT (Queers Underming Israeli Terrorism), and other groups, were unified in their message of support for the Palestinian struggle of national liberation. Other groups present were the Heads Up collective, Malcom X Grassroots Movement, and the International Socialist Organization (all of which, along with QUIT and other allies, helped provide security for the demonstration) Students for Justice in Palestine (of UC Bekeley), and Jewish Voice for Peace were also representing.
It is an unfortunate fact that there is a minority of indiduals who attend pro-Palestine actions who use the Palestinian struggle as a cover for a disgusting anti-Jewish agenda. A handful were present today, but the Justice in Palestine Coalition was unwavering in their rejection of anti-Jewish slogans and imagery (such as motages equating the Star of David with the Nazi Swastika). The leadership shown by Arab, Muslim, and Jewish organizations, united in their support of peace with justice for Palestine, was truly moving, and speaks to the possibility of unity in struggle toward collective liberation for Arabs, Jews, and all peoples.
--Jeff Giaquinto, Heads Up Collective
The Justice in Palestine Coalition held a powerful action today at the entrance to SBC (Pac-Bell) Park-- calling into question what there is to celebrate about 56 years of racist colonialism, displacement, and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians. As people entered the event to 'celebrate' the anniversary of the formation of the state of Israel, the demonstrators passed out leaflets which listed the crimes against the Palestinian people. There were speakers and street theater performances, which depicted such atrocities as the bulldozing of Palestinian homes and land seizures, and drawing clear connections between the recent revelations of torture in Abu Graib prison in Iraq and the ongoing torture of Palestinians by the Israeli "Defense" Forces.
Strong messaging by the Coalition stressed the need to treat this as a somber occasion, and organizers worked to minimize the amount of angry altercations between the 300 or so demonstrators and the 'celebrants' by focusing on non-engagement with racist hecklers. This was mostly very effective: ugly incidents were kept to a minimum. The Justice in Palestine coalition, which consists of the Arab-American anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), SUSTAIN (Stop US-funded Tax Aid To Israel Now), Jews for a Free Palestine (JFFP), QUIT (Queers Underming Israeli Terrorism), and other groups, were unified in their message of support for the Palestinian struggle of national liberation. Other groups present were the Heads Up collective, Malcom X Grassroots Movement, and the International Socialist Organization (all of which, along with QUIT and other allies, helped provide security for the demonstration) Students for Justice in Palestine (of UC Bekeley), and Jewish Voice for Peace were also representing.
It is an unfortunate fact that there is a minority of indiduals who attend pro-Palestine actions who use the Palestinian struggle as a cover for a disgusting anti-Jewish agenda. A handful were present today, but the Justice in Palestine Coalition was unwavering in their rejection of anti-Jewish slogans and imagery (such as motages equating the Star of David with the Nazi Swastika). The leadership shown by Arab, Muslim, and Jewish organizations, united in their support of peace with justice for Palestine, was truly moving, and speaks to the possibility of unity in struggle toward collective liberation for Arabs, Jews, and all peoples.
--Jeff Giaquinto, Heads Up Collective
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Some people seem to be too worried about expressing themselves about Palestinian rights -- fear of the smear if you know what I mean. The "A" word. At any rate, others do not believe it is necessary to kowtow to those who would settle for less than anyone here in the USA or in South Africa would. "Two peoples, Two States" is official apartheid. It doesn't work for the US, nor South Africa and therefore there must be no special privileges for Zionist Jews and Israel.
Here's another report of the event on June 6:
The highlight was seeing our airplane fly overhead with the trailing sign "Israel: 56 years of ethnic cleansing"!
Palestinian rights activists, including anti-zionists and/or anti-occupation activists all converged on this gloriously sunny day to protest the Zionists' big "Israel Day" celebration at the ballpark in San Francisco.
It was a very good turnout, with a raucous three-ring circus atmosphere, as there was street theatre, an apartheid wall, huge banners protesting Israel's various racist policies and US support thereof, and chanting "Free, free Palestine", etc., amidst a sea of Palestinian flags.
Although all protesters were opposed to Israel's crimes against humanity, there was some dissension amongt the protesters.
Some took offense to the protester who was dressed as Uncle Sam. His sign read something like "Onward Christian soldiers" and "We want YOU to die for Israel" with a swatstika in place of the "s" in the word "Israel". The ones who disapproved of this protester's sign and his opinions then tried to tell others to shun him, however many felt he had the right to express his opinion.
After all, even one of the Israeli politicians publicly noted how he was reminded of Nazi Germany after seeing pictures of the devastation in Rafah after the recent Israeli army incursions. Let's face it, it's really not a stretch of the imagination to see the distinct similarities of the way the Zionists treat the Palestinians and the way the Nazis treated the Jews.
Some tried to assert that such a person as "Uncle Sam" was "hurting the Palestinian cause". Many of us feel, however, that some groups such as the Jewish Voices for Peace actually hurt the Palestinian cause more by refusing to publicly embrace the one-democratic-state solution and the Palestinians' right to return to their ancestral homeland. Groups such as the Jewish Voices for Peace also refuse to denounce Zionism as the racist ideology that it is. They fail to acknowledge that Zionism is actually the root cause of terror, and that indeed, the Zionists have always used terror themselves since the day Israel was created in 1948 and continue to do so in order to ethnicly cleanse Palestine for a Jewish supremacist state.
It can be argued that groups such as the Jewish Voices for Peace are merely apologists for Israel, window-dressing as it were, a public relations effort for Jews in general. There are likely individuals associated with this group who do indeed embrace the one-democratic-state solution and the Palestinians' right to return, however, none of them ever seem to do so publicly, and certainly the group has a policy not to take a position on such matters. How convenient. Were groups working in the Civil Rights Movement or for ending apartheid in South Africa similarly deliberately vague in their strategy and beliefs in ending segregation and apartheid? I think not.
A protester with Women in Black actually held a sign at the anti-war rally on June 5 in San Francisco saying "Israel, Palestine: Two Peoples, Two States." This is nothing but official apartheid! It's hard to imagine anyone who claims not to be a racist carrying such a sign during protests of apartheid South Africa.
So, we wonder, who is really harming the Palestinian cause?
At the very least, let's agree to disagree on the fine points, and let everyone who feels strongly against the United States' support of apartheid Israel and the subsequent wars that the U.S. is fighting on behalf of Israel, join in the protests. In fact, even those who still think that the war on Iraq is about "oil" may join in the protests. Even those who merely want to "end the occupation" in Palestine and Iraq should be allowed to join in the protests. In other words, this is democratic America, after all, and we all have the right to our own ideas and what and how we want to protest.
For the sake of world peace, we must address the real cause of the so-called "war on terror" and that is Zionism and the Zionist Jewish supremacist state of Israel, which is being supported unconditionally by our country. The USA is falling fast into the Black Hole that Israel is already in, thanks to supporting racist double standards and unjust aggression in Israel and the Middle East.
We can overcome this challenge and we will
Here's another report of the event on June 6:
The highlight was seeing our airplane fly overhead with the trailing sign "Israel: 56 years of ethnic cleansing"!
Palestinian rights activists, including anti-zionists and/or anti-occupation activists all converged on this gloriously sunny day to protest the Zionists' big "Israel Day" celebration at the ballpark in San Francisco.
It was a very good turnout, with a raucous three-ring circus atmosphere, as there was street theatre, an apartheid wall, huge banners protesting Israel's various racist policies and US support thereof, and chanting "Free, free Palestine", etc., amidst a sea of Palestinian flags.
Although all protesters were opposed to Israel's crimes against humanity, there was some dissension amongt the protesters.
Some took offense to the protester who was dressed as Uncle Sam. His sign read something like "Onward Christian soldiers" and "We want YOU to die for Israel" with a swatstika in place of the "s" in the word "Israel". The ones who disapproved of this protester's sign and his opinions then tried to tell others to shun him, however many felt he had the right to express his opinion.
After all, even one of the Israeli politicians publicly noted how he was reminded of Nazi Germany after seeing pictures of the devastation in Rafah after the recent Israeli army incursions. Let's face it, it's really not a stretch of the imagination to see the distinct similarities of the way the Zionists treat the Palestinians and the way the Nazis treated the Jews.
Some tried to assert that such a person as "Uncle Sam" was "hurting the Palestinian cause". Many of us feel, however, that some groups such as the Jewish Voices for Peace actually hurt the Palestinian cause more by refusing to publicly embrace the one-democratic-state solution and the Palestinians' right to return to their ancestral homeland. Groups such as the Jewish Voices for Peace also refuse to denounce Zionism as the racist ideology that it is. They fail to acknowledge that Zionism is actually the root cause of terror, and that indeed, the Zionists have always used terror themselves since the day Israel was created in 1948 and continue to do so in order to ethnicly cleanse Palestine for a Jewish supremacist state.
It can be argued that groups such as the Jewish Voices for Peace are merely apologists for Israel, window-dressing as it were, a public relations effort for Jews in general. There are likely individuals associated with this group who do indeed embrace the one-democratic-state solution and the Palestinians' right to return, however, none of them ever seem to do so publicly, and certainly the group has a policy not to take a position on such matters. How convenient. Were groups working in the Civil Rights Movement or for ending apartheid in South Africa similarly deliberately vague in their strategy and beliefs in ending segregation and apartheid? I think not.
A protester with Women in Black actually held a sign at the anti-war rally on June 5 in San Francisco saying "Israel, Palestine: Two Peoples, Two States." This is nothing but official apartheid! It's hard to imagine anyone who claims not to be a racist carrying such a sign during protests of apartheid South Africa.
So, we wonder, who is really harming the Palestinian cause?
At the very least, let's agree to disagree on the fine points, and let everyone who feels strongly against the United States' support of apartheid Israel and the subsequent wars that the U.S. is fighting on behalf of Israel, join in the protests. In fact, even those who still think that the war on Iraq is about "oil" may join in the protests. Even those who merely want to "end the occupation" in Palestine and Iraq should be allowed to join in the protests. In other words, this is democratic America, after all, and we all have the right to our own ideas and what and how we want to protest.
For the sake of world peace, we must address the real cause of the so-called "war on terror" and that is Zionism and the Zionist Jewish supremacist state of Israel, which is being supported unconditionally by our country. The USA is falling fast into the Black Hole that Israel is already in, thanks to supporting racist double standards and unjust aggression in Israel and the Middle East.
We can overcome this challenge and we will
Why has nobody kicked this creep's butt yet?
Windy Wendy: "So, we wonder, who is really harming the Palestinian cause?"
Hmm. How about "peaceniks" who post neo-Nazi URLs or incite others to violence by saying things like "Why has nobody kicked this creep's butt yet?"
@%<
Hmm. How about "peaceniks" who post neo-Nazi URLs or incite others to violence by saying things like "Why has nobody kicked this creep's butt yet?"
@%<
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