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Stop the Seige of Gaza

by Sadie Sabot
Hundreds gathered in front of the Israeli Consulate to demnand an end to the siege of Gaza and Lebanon
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Several hundred people gathered today in front of the Israeli consulate in San Francisco to demand an end to the siege of Gaza and the new attacks on Lebanon.

From a press release from ADC-SF (the Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Committee)


“Bay Area Arab-Americans Demand an End to the Israeli Siege on Gaza and an End to U.S. Support of Israel”

On early Wednesday morning, July 12, a U.S.-made Israeli F-16 dropped two-quarter ton bombs on the home of Dr. Nabeel Abu-Selmeya, killing him, his wife, and seven of their children, ages 7-19, while they slept.

The attack on the Abu-Selmeya home is nothing new. Israel has a long-standing policy of attacking civilians both in Gaza and the Middle East. Since the start of Israel’s “Operation Summer Rain,” the Israeli occupation army has wantonly destroyed hundreds of acres of Palestinian farmland and demolished hundreds of Palestinian homes. In the three months preceding this latest Israeli operation, the Israeli army indiscriminately fired over 6,000 shells at the Gaza Strip from land, sea and air, resulting in the deaths of several dozens of civilians and ending a unilateral Palestinian cease-fire.

Meanwhile in Lebanon, Israeli leaders have vowed to continue attacking Lebanese civilian targets in response to an attack on the Israeli military. Several bridges and a power plant have already been destroyed. Innocent civilian deaths will follow if Israel is allowed to act without impunity.

“Israel has used U.S.-supplied Apache helicopters, F-16s, bullets and bombs to take Palestinian lives, destroy school buildings, bridges, homes, Gaza’s only power plant, and numerous other civilian targets,” said Ramiz Rafeedie, President of the American Arab Anti- Discrimination Committee-San Francisco. “The Israeli offensive and siege has only exacerbated a humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, with no food, medicine or electricity reaching nearly 1.4 million Palestinians.”

Lebanese-American activist Rayan Elamine said, “Lebanese are bracing themselves for an all-out assault by the invading Israeli army. At least two civilians have been killed already, and the death toll is sure to rise given Israel’s propensity for targeting civilians.”

The US government, Israel’s closest ally and supplier of military equipment, is complicit in these war crimes if it does not act to stop Israeli aggression.”

§driving by
by Sadie Sabot
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§Crowd shot
by Sadie Sabot
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§crowd shot with many Palestinian flags
by Sadie Sabot
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§Free Palestine!
by Sadie Sabot
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§Many people came with signs they made themselves
by Sadie Sabot
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§Jews say...
by Sadie Sabot
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this sign says: "US Jews Say...Stop the Siege on Gaza Now; Return all Palestinian Political Prisoners; There is only one side...Justice."
§Jews For A Free Palestine
by Sadie Sabot
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MONDAY JULY 17, 2006, AT NOON

ISRAELI CONSULATE, 456 MONTGOMERY STREET, SAN FRANCISCO

A CALL BY BAY AREA JEWS: Break the Siege on Gaza

BEFORE OUR EYES, the people of Gaza are being brutally and collectively punished by Israel. Israel is using a single captured Israeli soldier as a pawn to employ its enormous military might and terrorize an entire people.

The humanitarian situation in Gaza, already dire from 39 years of occupation, and a recent Israeli blockade of basic supplies, is now desperate. Israel's bombing of power stations and bridges and cutting off fuel supplies in Gaza deprives people of electricity, refrigeration, pumped drinking water, and sewage disposal. The relentless and deadly attacks by the Israeli military are compounded by the threat of epidemics and starvation.

Presenting this as an isolated hostage-taking incident ignores Israel's regular abduction of Palestinians from their homes. Israel holds over 9,000 Palestinians in prison, including almost 400 children. Thousands of these prisoners are held in "administrative detention" without charges or trial. They too need to be returned to their families.

With the recent arrest of 64 members of the Palestinian Parliament and many members of the Palestinian cabinet, Israel is also using this opportunity to wage an assault on Palestinian democracy. All of this is being done with diplomatic support and $3 billion in tax-funded annual aid to Israel from the U.S. government.

As Jews, we cannot and will not remain observers of crimes committed in our name. We call on other Jews and all people who believe in justice and peace to take a principled stand against this brutality.

Here's what you can do…

SUPPORT ISRAELIS protesting against their government's destructive actions: Gush Shalom (zope.gush-shalom.org), Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (http://www.ICAHD.org), New Profile (http://www.newprofile.org).

WRITE TO YOUR REPRESENTATIVES to demand that the US government stop funding Israel's war crimes and act to achieve an immediate ceasefire.

MAKE YOUR VOICES HEARD! JOIN WITH US TO PROTEST THE SIEGE OF GAZA--

Organized by: Break the Silence, Jewish Voice for Peace, Jews for a Free Palestine

§moral conscience?
by Sadie Sabot
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§No Pride In Occupation
by Sadie Sabot
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http://www.boycottworldpride.org/
§stop!
by Sadie Sabot
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§US OUT
by Sadie Sabot
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