Activism and BDS Beat 5 January 2013
The following statement, dated 1 January 2013, is issued by Jews for the Palestinian Right of Return. The initial signers are listed below along with a link for those who wish to sign on.
“For Palestinians, the right to return home and the right to live in dignity and equality in their own land are not any less important than the right to live free of military occupation.” – Prof. Saree Makdisi
For more than a century, Zionists have sought to construct a “Jewish state” through forced removal of the indigenous Palestinian people.
In 1948, this state was established through the Nakba (Catastrophe): erasure and occupation of more than 500 Palestinian towns and villages, dispossession of over 750,000 Palestinians, and a terror campaign of which the massacre at Deir Yassin is but the most infamous example. Since 1967, Israel has also occupied and colonized the remainder of historic Palestine. Today, this relentless ethnic cleansing continues — armed and financed by the US and its allies — on both sides of the 1948 “Green Line.”
As a cumulative result, seventy percent of Palestinians are in exile, the world’s largest refugee population.
Nowhere is this clearer than in Gaza, where Israel inflicts particularly brutal collective punishment on 1.7 million people — most of them refugees — for defiantly resisting expulsion from their homes throughout historic Palestine.
“Pick a point, any point, along [Gaza’s] 25-mile coastline,” writes Gaza City resident Lara Aburamadan, “and you’re seven or so miles — never more — from the other side. The other side is where my grandparents were born, in a village that has since become someone else’s country, off limits to me. You call it Israel. I call it the place where the bombs come from.”
To hide these crimes and shield itself from their consequences, the Zionist regime officially denies the Nakba, the ethical equivalent of Holocaust denial. It has even authorized legislation to penalize those who memorialize the Nakba — a step toward criminalizing its observance altogether.
As it is for all colonized peoples, liberation means reversing dispossession. “The Palestinian cause,” writes Dr. Haidar Eid in Gaza, “is the right of return for all refugees and nothing less.”
Return — one of the key demands of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaign — is affirmed in U.N. resolution 194, but derives from the principle of universal human rights and, as such, cannot be renounced or abandoned by any body or representative; it inalienably attaches to Palestinians, both individually and collectively.
Despite this, even some who criticize Israel’s 1967 occupation claim that Palestinian return is “unrealistic.”
However, solidarity means unconditional support for the just aims of those resisting oppression. As Palestinian journalist-activist Maath Musleh explains: “If you think that [return] is not possible, then you are really not in solidarity with the Palestinian cause.”
Some also object that refugees’ return would mean an end to the “Jewish state.” But supporters of social justice must ask themselves how they can defend a state whose very existence depends on structural denial of Palestinian rights.
Recently, more than a hundred leading Palestinian activists reaffirmed their opposition “to all forms of racism and bigotry, including, but not limited to, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, Zionism, and other forms of bigotry directed at anyone, and in particular people of color and indigenous peoples everywhere.”
Such racism and bigotry is reflected precisely in Zionism’s attempt to erase the Palestinian people, a century long campaign that dishonors the memory of Jewish suffering and resistance in Europe.
The moral response is clear: “There is one geopolitical entity in historic Palestine,” writes Palestinian journalist Ali Abunimah. “Israel must not be allowed to continue to entrench its apartheid, racist and colonial rule throughout that land.”*
As Jews of conscience, we call on all supporters of social justice to stand up for Palestinian Right of Return and a democratic state throughout historic Palestine — “From the River to the Sea” — with equal rights for all.
The full measure of justice, upon which the hopes of all humanity depends, requires no less.
Initial signers
List in formation; affiliations listed for identification only
- Max Ajl, Writer and activist; Cornell Students for Justice in Palestine
- Gabriel Ash, International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network Switzerland
- Max Blumenthal, Journalist and author
- Prof. Haim Bresheeth, Filmmaker, photographer and film studies scholar
- Lenni Brenner, Author and anti-war activist
- Mike Cushman, Convenor, Jews for Boycotting Israeli Goods (UK)
- Sonia Fayman, French Jewish Union for Peace; International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network France
- Sherna Berger Gluck, Founding member US Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel; Israel Divestment Campaign
- Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb, Coordinator, Fellowship of Reconciliation Peacewalks, Mural Arts in Palestine and Shomer Shalom Network for Jewish Nonviolence
- Hector Grad, International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network (Spain)
- Abraham Greenhouse, Blogger, Electronic Intifada
- Tony Greenstein, Jews for Boycotting Israeli Goods (UK)
- Jeff Halper, Director, Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD)
- Stanley Heller, Host of “The Struggle” TV News
- Tikva Honig-Parnass, Former member of the Zionist armed forces (1948); author of False Prophets of Peace: Liberal Zionism and the Struggle for Palestine
- Adam Horowitz, Co-Editor, Mondoweiss.net
- Selma James, Global Women’s Strike; International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network UK
- David Klein, Organizing Committee, US Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel
- Dennis Kortheuer, Organizing Committee, US Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel; Israel Divestment Campaign; Dump Veolia LA
- David Letwin, Activist and writer; Gaza Freedom March
- Michael Letwin, Co-Founder, Labor for Palestine; Organizing Committee, US Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel; Al-Awda NY: The Palestine Right to Return Coalition
- Antony Loewenstein, Australian journalist and author
- Barbara Lubin, Executive Director, Middle East Children’s Alliance
- Mike Marqusee, Author If I Am Not for Myself: Journey of an Anti-Zionist Jew
- Hajo Meyer, Auschwitz survivor; International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network
- Linda Milazzo, Participatory journalist and educator
- Prof. Ilan Pappé, Israeli historian and socialist activist
- Miko Peled, Author of The General’s Son
- Karen Pomer, Granddaughter of Henri B. van Leeuwen, Dutch anti-Zionist leader and Bergen-Belsen survivor
- Diana Ralph, Assistant Coordinator, Independent Jewish Voices-Canada
- Dorothy Reik, Progressive Democrats of the Santa Monica Mountains
- Prof. Dr. Fanny-Michaela Reisin, President, International League for Human Rights (German Section FIDH); Founding member of Jewish Voice for a Just Peace – EJJP Germany
- Rachel Roberts, Civil rights attorney and writer
- Ilana Rossoff, International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network
- Carol K. Smith, Activist and civil rights attorney
- Lia Tarachansky, Director, Seven Deadly Myths
- Hadas Thier, Contributing author of The Struggle for Palestine; Israeli-born daughter and grand-daughter of Nazi Holocaust survivors
- Dr. Abraham Weizfeld, Montréal; Jewish People’s Liberation Organization
- Sherry Wolf, Author and public speaker; International Socialist Organization; Adalah-NY
- Marcy Winograd, Former Congressional Peace Candidate; public school teacher
- Dr. Roger van Zwanenberg, Non-Executive Director, Pluto Books Ltd.
To support the Jews for Palestinian Right of Return statement below, please:
- Go here to sign as an individual or organization.
- Or e-mail jfpror at gmail.
Notes
See also: “The Way Forward for Palestine Solidarity, 23 June 2010.
Comments
First Jew, not only a politician
Permalink Hadassah replied on
It’s a pity...but I can’t put my name on this list, because I'm an anti-Zionist Jewish woman in accordance with the tradition, NOT JUST a politician who demands that Justice must be applied to the Palestinian people.
It’s very difficult to find on that list, Jews who live in according to the Torah, they live as non-Jews, (eat not Kosher, are not decent in clothing, relationships, don’t pray ...). It’s a Chilull HaShem (blasphemy)!
More, among them there are those who support the two-state solution, which means that they recognize the Zionist regime and the Zionist entity; they are therefore Zionists with their conscience!
Of course, I regret that we aren’t more authentic Jews who publicly denounce the Zionism as ideology, the Zionist criminals and the injustice that the Zionists commit against the Muslims in Palestine and everywhere else in the world ...in the name of the Jews!
Rating the conscience of others
Permalink Bruce E Batchelor PhD replied on
So some people of good conscience signed, in substantial numbers, a document of protest, and you think that their opinion would be worth worth if they observed YOUR traditions. That attitude seems to be a big part of the problem being stated.
Act as Jews
Permalink Hadassah replied on
When non-Jews act for justice, I rejoice and give my support. As for the Jews, if they want to be active in public, they must act as Jews with all that this entails. For the Jews, it’s different, because first en foremost, we are a people with a spiritual vocation.
Strongly disagree
Permalink Johan Viljoen replied on
Please forgive a harsh reply, but this attitude seems little more than the flipside of Zionism itself, i.e. it concerns itself purely with the Jewish point of view and pays no heed to the Palestinians at all. In effect your rejection of Zionism is merely a matter of Jewish ideology rather than genuine concern over the welfare of fellow human beings. To me this is the real chillul Hashem, subordoning the cause of justice to the selfish interests of the tribe. When the final judgment over mankind is rendered, do you really think that eating kosher will count for more than liberating the oppressed and standing up in resistance to tyranny? Remember the words of Isaiah, that pious fasting on Yom Kippur means nothing if not accompanied by charity - what is the value of spirituality if it does not stand in service to mankind?
Be reassured, you've only
Permalink Hadassah replied on
Be reassured, you've only misjudged me! Of course, I am first a Jew, but be a Jew in accordance with the not falsified Torah and Talmud, it’s first to be a "Mentsh."
If you knew me, you would know how much I devote myself to the Palestinian cause, day and night. Not only go to demonstrations, or give money, but I also write, articles (in French, search in Google), letters to political authorities in office to persuade them to stand on the side of the oppressed, instead on the side of the Zionist regime and its American, French, Arabic ...collaborators! But these activities don’t allow me to drop the Divine Commandments that affect all aspects of the life. I have a responsibility to the survival of the Jewish People; I must pass the Jewish Tradition, authentic Faith and Halakhic practices. Hashem expects other things from Jews than from non-Jews.
Zionism is an ideology that attacks the Judaism, and I must denounce this heresy and fight it with all that follows, ie the Zionist entity, the crimes of the Zionist army, police against the Muslim and anti-Zionist Jews in Palestine, the Zionist lobbies in the world ...
Except that Zionism is a political movement, it’s also a force of evil that only can be fought with spiritual weapons which is the observance of the Torah that G’d claims from the Jews.
HYPOCRISY OF ORIGINAL INTENT
Permalink THOMAS W ADAMS replied on
Statement of the Zionist Organization Regarding Palestine
Presented to the Paris Peace Conference (with proposed map of Zionist borders) FEB 3RD 1919
AND THE QUOTED BORDERS WERE ALL OF PALESTINE.
CONCLUSION.
In every part of the world on the Day of Atonement the Jews pray that "all nations may be united by a common bond, so that the will of God may reign supreme throughout the world". In the fulfillment of this prayer, the Jews hope that they will be able to take an honorable place in the new community of Nations. It is their purpose to establish in Palestine a government dedicated to social and national justice; a government, that shall be guided like the community of old by that justice and equality which is expressed in the great precept of our Lawgiver: "There shall be but one law for you and the stranger in the land".
ALL OF WHICH IS RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED.
Rothschild (Lord Walter Rothschild).
ON BEHALF OF THE ZIONIST ORGANIZATION.
Nahum Sokolow. Chaim Weizmann.
ON BEHALF OF ZIONIST ORGANIZATION OF AMERICA.
Julian W. Mack.
Stephen S. Wise.
Harry Friedenwald.
Jacob de Haas.
Mary Fels.
Louis Robison.
Bernard Flexner.
ON BEHALF OF THE RUSSIAN ZIONIST ORGANIZATION.
Israel Rosoff.
ON BEHALF OF THE JEWISH POPULATION OF PALESTINE IN ACCORDANCE WITH MANDATE RECEIVED.
Nahum Sokolow.
Chaim Weizmann.
LIES LIES AND MORE LIES FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.
The Zionists aren't authorized to speak in the name of the Jews
Permalink Hadassah replied on
First, the Zionist Organization is not authorized to speak in the name of the Jews. Of course, since the Zionists appeared in history, they want to be regarded as Jews. It’s a transgression of the Torah (for Jews) not to submit to the Divine oaths including the yoke of Exile. As long as the Exile will last, we haven’t to have domination, certainly not in the Holy Land the Occupied Historic Palestine. We Thora Jews, according to the Divine Will, live dispersed throughout the world and expect the prophecies come true. We have nothing to do with the Zionists, ie the Zionist regime, the Zionist entity, American Zionists like Zionist lobbies (AIPAC...) and the non-Jewish politicians (American, French (under diktat of the CRIF ), Arabic) collaborating with the Zionists.
When the Exile will end, it isn’t so that the Jews will have a Jewish State; it will be a kingdom where only the King and Master of the world will reign. The Jews have their role, but also the nations will walk in His light. This is still different from what religious Zionists are planning!
We Jews say in our prayers each day that the house (the Third Temple that G’d will bring down from the Heaven) is a house of prayer for all peoples. It isn’t necessary to terrorize the Muslim population t is not necessary to terrorize the Muslim population so that Zionist religious sects will be able to build the Third Temple by destroying mosques and invading al-Aqsa!
Isreal should obey the will of God
Permalink Rich Johnsen replied on
They have already won.....Just look at the birthrates!!!!!!!
Who is this "Israel"?
Permalink Hadassah replied on
Who is this "Israel"?
When in the Torah is written the word Yisroel ("Israel"), it always refers to the Jewish people, never to a State. However, in most cases, in speech, articles ... it refers to the Zionist entity!
The Zionists aren’t the Jewish People. The one who converts to Zionist ideology is spiritually excluded from the Jewish People, even if he has a name that sounds Jewish, a beard, he studied the Torah, he goes into a synagogue. They’re religious Zionists.
Sure; the Palestinians are more numerous than the few Jews in Palestine. I say Jews, not "Israelis" who are Zionists.
Expression of solidarity
Permalink Asim Ghani replied on
1. One state, Palestine, the ancient country of Muslim and Jew, Christian and Druze--from the River to the Sea, from the borders of Lebanon and Syria to the Gulf of Aqaba.
2. Right of return to all Palestinians expelled by Zionism from their ancient country, regardless of the returnees' religions and beliefs.
Palestine without Zionism
Permalink Hadassah replied on
This is how it should be! A free Palestine under Islamic Palestinian sovereignty, with the Palestinian flag, liberated from the Zionist yoke...while waiting for the Divine outcome.
Palestinian state?
Permalink John Costello replied on
Hadassah, wouldn't the establishment of a Palestinian state doom the Jews of Israel to the Zionist state you have already berated? Why wait for a divine outcome when you know in your heart what it should be? Shouldn't we extol and strive for what we believe to be right and just? Why not be the one keeping a cool head when so many are losing theirs?
A Palestinian State with first Palestinians of before '48
Permalink Hadassah replied on
The creation of a Palestinian State is politically necessary, because it’s justice towards the Palestinians before ‘48. We have no to wait; this is within our (humans) reach!
The Zionist entity is the worst thing that was created in the world; it is the source of conflicts in Palestine, the Middle East and around the world. it was established on lies and theft with the complicity of the UN which itself was deceived by the Zionists, when these negotiate between 46 and 48 saying in the name of ALL Jews who asked them nothing! It was also established without the authorization and full agreement of the Arab population.
Thus, the Zionism with its Zionist entity is an accident of history; it has no place:
• nor in Palestine the Holy Land, because it’s against de Thora and the biggest proof for the Jewish People, it’s the physical realization of the Zionist ideology conceived against God and the Torah and the Nakba for the Palestinian people.
• nor elsewhere, because it’s a deadly poison that harms humanity, and human relationships.
Of course, the Zionist entity must be dismantled; it’s a sine qua non condition so that a Palestinian State over the entire land of Historic Palestine can be established. Also the Muslims around the world should more commit themselves to their brothers in Palestine
The Jewish People is in Exile, thus not in the Holy Land where they were driven by G’d for their transgressions of the Thora. Except for a few thousand Jews (not hundreds of thousands), the Jews have nothing to do in the Holy Land. We are living dispersed throughout the world and we expect that G’d willforgive us and bring us on the ancestral land to practice Mitsvess. This is our hope for the future.
About the Zionist occupiers (the ‘frum’ as the laity, the wicked as the friendly guys), the Palestinians, Muslims as Jews, must fight them, drive out them of their land.
Why should the Palestinians continue to suffer from Zionism ?
Thank you Hadassah. States
Permalink John Costello replied on
Thank you Hadassah. States are political entities necessary for our survival given our evolutionary level. I was refering to that reality. Perhaps you are right and old stories are true and we will be delivered. I'm afraid I posess neither your faith nor your cosmic connection to the inside track on the future. I believe we have to deliver ourselves and the fewer states we pit against each other and the more universally applied is our law the sooner we will reach the promised land. There are no GOOD reasons people of all faiths can't live in harmony only ignorance, fear and greed divide us. All of which can be addressed by the human intellect if it is not distracted by war and an absence of reason. Believe what you like but SHOW me the way.
thankssss alot from the heart.
Permalink munir Abbushi replied on
am amember of palestinian and israeli groap.we work togather for the same target.we believe in this project.one state for 2 peoples..let us coordinate our efforts.we have weekly meetings in all cities in the west bank..some times in israel..cozmost of us havnt permits.
brother & sistering
Permalink John Costello replied on
Thank you also from my heart muni Abbushi. I don't live in Palestine. I live in Madison, Wisconsin, USA. A few years ago we made an effort, as a community, to support the struggle of the Palestinian's right to dignity, through dialogue, in the face of, what I like to call, cultural elitism. That is the idiom of the colonizer and it is a relentless and pernicious one, somehow we don't see ourselves as a party to it.
We asked our city council to declare that we are a sister city to Rafah. That effort failed in what is considered a progressive city. It is very difficult to overcome racism in our foriegn policies because the human equation gets lost in all the fearmongering. Things are stagnant right now, just when they shouldn't be and that is because we have such a self-defeating opposition to our political establishment.
I want to be of help in any way I can but it's almost as if we're all walking around in straight-jackets here. We're stuck in the mud and can't see that you're throwing us the rope. If you want to help me help you help me get the left right.
This is coming from an average guy who happens to have seen you waving on the shore. I hope that counts for something even if it isn't from someone who pretends to be your great, good freind.