Portland protest challenges AIPAC fundraiser

Details: Written by Saed Bannoura Saed Bannoura; Published: 26 April 2010 26 April 2010; Hits: 3035 3035

[ See original for photos . . .]

A group of protesters in Portland, Oregon, USA, erected mock settlements, a 'Wall of Shame', and a checkpoint as part of a protest against the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC)'s annual Oregon fundraiser on Sunday.

AIPAC is the largest and most powerful Zionist lobby in the US, with branches in all 50 US states and financial contributions to every US congressmember and senator. Recently, however, their meetings and fundraisers have been met by increasing protests, like the one held Sunday in Portland.

One protester represented the recent murder of a non-violent demonstrator in Iraq Bur'in village by staging a 'die-in' at the entrance of the event. He was not arrested, but was moved out of the way to allow the financial contributors to AIPAC to enter.

The mock settlements were constructed out of cardboard, and accompanied by a demonstrator dressed as Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, wearing a helmet labeled 'Caterpillar' after the US-based construction company whose military bulldozers are used to destroy Palestinian homes.

In addition, some demonstrators dressed as Israeli soldiers demanded ID from those entering the event. Although the attendees did not oblige the protesters by showing ID, they were again stopped, just a few meters away, by an actual checkpoint set up by the event organizers to ensure that only paid ticket-holders were able to enter the controversial event.

The protesters also held up a representation of the Israeli Annexation Wall, painted with the words, “Wall of Shame”. These are words that a group of Jewish activists painted on the actual Wall in Qalqilia soon after the Wall was constructed there in 2002. The Wall is constructed on Palestinian land in the West Bank, and has made it impossible for any semblance of a normal life to continue in the West Bank.

The attendees of the AIPAC dinner included a number of local politicians including US Senator Ron Wyden and Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski, as well as Oregon rabbis and leaders of Jewish organizations who pledged during the dinner to stand by Israel. The human rights violations and abuses brought out by the protesters were not addressed by the speakers at the fundraising dinner.

Video footage shows Israel firing on nonviolent protest in Gaza

Details: Written by Adam Horowitz Adam Horowitz; Published: 26 April 2010 26 April 2010; Hits: 3262 3262

http://mondoweiss.net/2010/04/video-footage-shows-israel-firing-on-nonviolent-protest-in-gaza.html

Above is video that International Solidarity Movement (ISM) volunteer Bianca Zammit shot up until the time she was shot by the Israeli military during a nonviolent protest in Gaza. The demonstration opposed an Israeli-imposed buffer zone that is having a devastating effect on farmers in Gaza who are now no longer able to work their land. Protesters report that Israeli soldiers fired live ammunition at the protesters at point blank range. In addition to Zammit, 22-year old Hind Al Akra was shot in the stomach and 18-year old Nidal Al Naji was shot in the leg. All three are now in stable condition.

Protest: Stop funding Israeli Apartheid! End support for AIPAC!

Details: Written by AUPHR AUPHR; Published: 25 April 2010 25 April 2010; Hits: 2678 2678

"A lobby is like a night flower: It thrives in the dark and dies in the sun."

SteveRosen, the former AIPAC foreign policy chief

"Even in these partisan times, support for AIPAC is an article of faith for both political parties. This is as it should be . . ."

OregonGovernor Ted Kulongoski

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) is one of the most powerful lobbies in the United States. AIPAC has huge influence in shaping U.S. Foreign policy in the Middle East. AIPAC's lobbying helps instill an aggressive, militaristic foreign policy with ourlocal, state, and federal politicians. The policies being promoted by AIPAC today will often be repeated by our politicians in thecoming year. AIPAC often drafts the congressional letters and bills supporting hardline policies which support Israel's ongoing human rights violations. AIPAC opposes holding Israel accountable to international law and opposes Obama's call for a freeze on Israel's illegal settlements.

Americans United for Palestinian Human Rights www.auphr.org

See our web site for our calendar of events and AUPHR meetings.

Rabbis thank Judge Goldstone for upholding principles of justice, compassion and truth

Details: Written by Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb, Shomer Shalom Network for Jewish Nonviolence Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb, Shomer Shalom Network for Jewish Nonviolence; Published: 24 April 2010 24 April 2010; Hits: 2478 2478

Rabbis thank Judge Goldstone for upholding principles of justice, compassion and truth
Dear Judge Goldstone,

As rabbis from diverse traditions and locations, we want to extend our warmest mazel tov to you as an elder in our community upon the bar mitzvah of your grandson. Bar and Bat Mitzvah is a call to conscience, a call to be responsible for the welfare of others, a call to fulfill the covenant of peace and justice articulated in our tradition.

As rabbis, we note the religious implications of the report you authored. We are reminded of Shimon Ben Gamliel’s quote, “The world stands on three things: justice, truth, and peace as it says ‘Execute the judgment of truth, and justice and peace will be established in your gates’ (Zekharya 8:16).” We affirm the truth of the report that bears your name.

We are deeply saddened by the controversy that has grown up around the issuing of the report. We affirm your findings and believe you set up an impeccable standard that provides strong evidence that Israel engaged in war crimes during the assault on Gaza that reveal a pattern of continuous and systematic assault against Palestinian people and land that has very little to do with Israel’s claim of security. Your report made clear the intentional targeting of civilian infrastructures such as hospitals, schools, agricultural properties, water and sewage treatment centers and civilians themselves with deadly weapons that are illegal when used in civilian
centers.

This is the ugly truth that is so hard for many Jewish people to face. Anyone who spends a day in Palestinian territories sees this truth immediately.

Judge Goldstone, we want to offer you our deepest thanks for upholding the principles of justice, compassion and truth that are the heart of Jewish religion and without which our claims to Jewishness are empty of meaning. We regret that your findings have led to controversy and caused you not to feel welcome at your own grandson’s Bar Mitzvah. We believe your report is a clarion call to Israel and the Jewish people to awaken from the slumber of denial and return to the path of peace.

Rabbi Everett Gendler
Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb
Rabbi Brant Rosen
Rabbi Brian Walt
Rabbi Haim Beliak
Rabbi Michael Lerner
Rabbi Arthur Waskow
Rabbi Michael Feinberg
Rabbi Shai Gluskin
Rabbi David Shneyer
Rabbi David Mivasair
Rabbi Laurie Zimmerman
Rabbi Douglas Krantz
Rabbi Margaret Holub
Rabbi Rebecca Alpert
Rabbi Mordecai Liebling
Rabbi Phyllis Berman
Rabbi Zev-Hayyim Feyer
Rabbi Eyal Levinson
Rabbi Doron Isaacs
Rabbi Gershon Steinberg-Caudill
Rabbi Erin Hirsh
Rabbi Michael Rothbaum
Rabbi Benjamin Barnett
Rabbi Julie Greenberg
Rabbi Linda Holtzman
Rabbi Ayelet S.Cohen
Rabbi Jeffrey Marker
Rabbi Nina H.Mandel
Rabbi Victor Reinstein
Rabbi Meryl M. Crean
Rabbi Sheila Weinberg
Rabbi Pamela Frydman Baugh
Rabbi Lewis Weiss
Rabbi Shaul Magid
Rabbi Stephen Booth-Nadav
Rabbi Phillip Bentley
Rabbi Ana Boswell Levy
Rabbi Chava Bahle

Oregonian Advertisement - STOP Funding Israeli Apartheid

Details: Written by Webmaster Webmaster; Published: 20 April 2010 20 April 2010; Hits: 2334 2334

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