A congregation of about 40 people from the Jewish Women for Justice in Israel/Palestine joined together on Tuesday for Occupy Boston — Not Palestine to protest U.S. support of Israeli military presence in Palestine.
The demonstration and march was hosted in part by Occupy Boston, whose campsite of ‘Occupods’ is inhabiting Dewey Square.
The U.S. spends more than $8 million in taxes on military aid and support to Israel per day, according to the JWJIP. At least 6,430 Palestinians and 1,084 Israelis have been killed in the conflict between the two since Sept. 29, 2000.
Anna Shenk, one of the organizers of the demonstration, said she came to give presence and voice to the Palestinians.
“I lived in Jordan for two years, working to provide food and clothing to Palestinian refugees,” Shenk said. “I learned firsthand what being chased out of your home does to you, no matter who you are, and it’s outrageous.”
Nancy Murray, of Boston, said she agrees that the occupation of Palestine has gone on for far too long.
“Americans, open your eyes,” she said. “It’s because of your tax dollars that Israel occupies Palestine. We pay $8 million in military aid for Israel to do whatever the hell it wants.”
Marguerite Rosenthal, of Boston, said that there are rising concerns about how the new Middle East would treat the U.S. and its support of Israel.
“New regimes in the Middle East will not be subservient to the U.S., like previous regimes were,” Rosenthal said.
Other protestors, such as Alan Meyers, said they were fighting to raise awareness about an issue that about “99 percent of the countries in the world” were supporting.
To Meyers, the issue was both political and personal.
As an active member of Jewish Men for Justice and a participant of the Campaign for Justice for 12 years and counting, he said his friends and he came down because “many issues that are relevant to Occupy Boston are also relevant to Occupy Boston — Not Palestine.”
“Decisions are made by a minority on issues of justice that concern a majority,” Meyers said. “Almost every country except Israel and the U.S. are with us right now.”
Murray said she agreed that issues of justice were being mishandled. For her, the occupation is about the misuse of resources that could be redirected, she said.
“We need to build houses in the U.S. instead of destroying houses in Palestine,” Murray said. “The occupation has gone on for so long because the U.S. vetoed 41 valid UN Security Council resolutions. They’ve given Israel the green light to abuse human rights.”
Many protestors at the demonstration were concerned with the issue of violating human rights. Anne Glick, a demonstrator from Newton, said that the violation of human rights was “outrageous” as Israel builds a fence to keep in the Palestinians.
“What the U.S. is doing is taking away human rights,” she said. “The U.S. has to stop giving aid to Israel. $8 million of our tax dollars every day go to stop the Palestinians from living correctly.”
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On a day when one Israeli soldier is exchanged for 1027 terrorists among whom are those who murdered civilians, women and children in the most cruel of possible ways, this small band of deluded fools parades in support of the murderers of their own people.
Whether these people are Jewish or not, they are simply in trying to be kind to the cruel, in fact cruel to the kind.
The marchers are right, of course. Aid to Israel obviously has to end.
The movement for boycott and sanctions against Israel is causing panic:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbnT1hmdD-w
But boycott is the right thing to do. Look how Palestinians are forced to live.
the marches are far from rite, and if they had a litle bit of brain they would understand the situation is not the way they see it , it is not a disoute about land its a world wide islam problem … that problem is in the usa just the same as it is in israel.. the global islamisation is happening everywhere . usa to . wake up america and open your eyes…dont take a good couse and loose it to stupid…..
The Palestinians get millions from us each year.
The students are painfully ignorant of the facts. You cannot occupy your own country. There was never a nation of “Palestine” nor a uniquely Palestinian people prior to 1948. There were simply Arabs and Jews who lived the area. Both were offered a Sate. The Jews got a nation and so did most Palestinians. Ever heard of Jordan kids? The remaining Arabs (later adopting the name “Palestinian”) refused the deal back then. They then allowed two attempts at genocide from the surrounding nations and some land from those aggressors was taken. Perfectly just. All nations have done the same and it is in accord with international law.
Here is a quiz. Name one Palestinian King, President or Prime Minister prior to Arafat?
“Peace will come when the Arabs will love their children more than they hate us.” – Golda Meir
By the way – Why is it okay for all Jews to be expelled from Palestinian territories? 12% of Israelis are Arabs. Why is ethnic cleansing of Jews okay?
The so-called demonstrators remain painfully silent about the ongoing war against the Jews that is being carried out by Islamist extremists in Hamas, Hezbollah, Turkey, Iran and throughout the Arab world. Even President Abbas has made it clear that he rejects any sovereign Jewish State in the mideast. Israel is the only democratic and progressive country in the mideast. Indeed, Israel is the only country in which Jews, Christians and Muslims have complete liberties and which women and gays have equal rights. It is ironic that some leftists, who regard themselves as progressive, support racist, misogynistic, and homophobic Palestinians and their patrons. Unfortunately, there is an unholy alliance between the fringe left in the United States and anti-Jewish Islamist extremists. On a positive note, there is overwhelming American support for the right of Israel to live as a free and secure state. As a progressive, I support multi-culturalism and diversity in the mideast. That requires the existence of the tiny State of Israel with defensible borders.
They are not supporting the murderers of their own people they are pursuing peace and compromise in a region that is devoid of it. It is this black and white “If you are not with us you are against us” mentality that creates naught but division, hatred, and ignorance. They are people, certainly some among them are criminals and murderers, but the same can be said of any people, and the Jews and Israel are by no means exempt from that. They are people, and they deserve the same right to self-govern and exist without the constant threat of violence that Israel does.
Shalom Freedman – You seems to live in yourself denial as Toronto Rabbi Dow Marmur does.
http://rehmat1.wordpress.com/2011/10/18/rabbi-and-moses-11th-commandment/
The fact that Israel still keeps the draconian prisoner laws from the British colonial period to put people in administrative detention for years without charge shows that the whole prisoner dichotomy is BS to begin with. The whole prisoner situation shows how absurd the power dynamics are, that thousands of palestinians are in jail and one israeli and its a soldier.
I know I dont want to give any more of my money towards the confiscation of palestinian land and the ethnic cleansing of its people. I also dont consider Israelis any more of “my people” than palestinians or other groups. This whole us vs them dichotomy is only a way for zionists to urge American Jews on to supporting their colonialism and I refuse to be a part of it.
Do you guys also boycott Jordan and Lebanon for oppressing Palestinian refugees?
Also American for oppressing Iraqis? China for oppressing Tibet? I hope you boycott Chinese goods!
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