2011

Letter published in the JC on 5.8.11

You quote Carol Roberts (“Rich talk for Israel critics”, JC, July 29) describing Jews for Justice for Palestinians as “virulently anti-Israel”.

We challenge the policies of the Israeli government and are dedicated to ending the occupation, to supporting peace, human rights, justice and compassion for all Israelis and Palestinians, surely a reflection of Jewish ethical tradition.

Such misconceptions arise as long as those with alternative views about the direction in which Israel is travelling are demonised and denied the opportunity to debate and discuss their views within Jewish venues.

We Jews pride ourselves in our tradition of genuine debate: the JC, for example, includes alternative views on many issues. Rabbi Danny Rich should be congratulated for his willingness to work with the growing community of Jewish human rights activists. Let’s not shut down discussion on an issue which provokes so much passion.

Diana Neslen,
Jews for Justice for Palestinians
www.jfjfp.org

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Protests at IDF night time raid on Freedom Theatre, Jenin

27.07.11

Dear Ambassador

It is with profound shock and dismay that we have learnt of the onslaught on the Freedom Theatre by members of the Israeli Defence Forces. It is beyond our understanding that a cultural icon like the Freedom Theatre, the only professional venue for theatre and multi media in the Northern West Bank, could be attacked in such a brutal manner.

We note that, in accordance with army practice, the theatre was raided at 3am in the morning and the manager, Adnan Naghnaghiye, together with Bilal Saadi, a member of the board, were arrested and taken to an unknown location. The General Manager of the Theatre, Jacob Gough, from the United Kingdom and Jonatan Stanczak, the co-founder, were made to squat next to a family with four small children and surrounded by 50 heavily armed soldiers, who threatened them with abuse when they tried to reason with them.

The actions of the Israeli army are more in keeping with those of police state, afraid of the power of human expression, than with one that chooses to call itself a democracy.

We demand that the arrested members be released immediately and the attacks on the theatre cease.

Yours sincerely,

Diana Neslen
Secretary
Executive Jews for Justice for Palestinians

See more on this topic here.

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Two boats head for Gaza

21.07.11

We would like to express admiration for the French boat, Dignité Al Karama, and the courage of its crew which, in the face of coordinated hostility by Israel and Greece, managed to challenge the blockade of Gaza. This vicious, morally repugnant siege constitutes an international crime, a denial of freedom and a violation of human rights and dignity. We will campaign relentlessly to bring it down.

Glyn Secker, Captain of the Irene, The Jewish Boat To Gaza which sailed and was boarded by Israeli forces last September, on behalf of Jews For Justice For Palestinians and the passengers and crew of the Irene.

Boycott Law

13.07.11

JfJfP wishes to express its abhorrence at the passing of the Boycott Law on July 12 in the Knesset. We fully support the petitions to the Supreme Court from Gush Shalom and ACRI (the Association for Civil Rights in Israel). Below are respectively their press release and letter to supporters, together with a press release from four Israeli human rights groups – Adalah (the legal centre for Palestinian citizens of Israel), PHR-I (Physicians for Human Rights – Israel), CWP (Coalition of Women for Peace) and PCATI (Public Committee Against Torture in Israel) – who had written an urgent letter of protest to the Israeli Ministers of Justice and Finance and to the Knesset Chair just before the Knesset vote. These four groups are also intending to challenge the law in the courts.

As Uri Avnery of Gush Shalom has said: “this law makes everyone who calls for boycotting the settlements liable for paying millions of shekels in compensation to the settlers…..This law makes it unequivocally clear that it isn’t Israel that controls the settlements, but the settlers who control Israel”.

The passing of the Boycott Law signals the victory of the extreme right and the defeat of the Israeli democratic left, who – with the exception of small, brave and beleaguered groups such as these human rights organisations – have, by their silence in the face of previous attacks on democratic rights, and their lack of an alternative vision, contributed to the political climate in which this undemocratic law can be passed.

We strongly support the legal challenge, as an initial step in reversing the downward slide of Israel towards totalitarianism.

See more on this topic here.

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European Jews for a Just Peace condemn the actions of Israel and her collaborators against peace activists

10.07.11

European Jews for a Just Peace congratulates the humanitarian activists of the Free Gaza flotilla for bravely withstanding the acts of sabotage, the illegal boarding and capture of their boats, and personal vilification. Their efforts to throw a public lifeline to the imprisoned people of Gaza may in some instances have failed. However the activists have succeeded in exposing the fact that Israel continues its illegal blockade of the people of Gaza, whose human rights are forfeit, while too many governments scramble to collude with Israel’s continued depredations, and in so doing operate a policy of appeasement.

EJJP further congratulates all those activists who flew in to Ben Gurion airport to visit the occupied territories of Palestine. The full might of the Israeli police, government, media and public was mobilised against people whose only ‘crime’ was to state honestly the purpose of their mission. We note too the craven complicity of commercial airline operators in preventing people from flying to their destinations. In its denial of the right of Palestinians to invite guests openly into their homes, and in demonising those guests, Israel exposes itself as callous and racist in its attitude to those over whom it holds dominion. The effect of criminalising tourists in this way shows how distant Israel is from any idea of democratic behaviour and how occupation has eroded any moral compass it may once have professed.

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European Jews for a Just Peace – www.ejjp.org – is a federation of Jewish Peace groups working and campaigning in 10 European countries.

See more on this topic here.

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JfJfP letter to the Home Secretary regarding the arrest of Sheikh Raed Salah

29.06.11

Jews for Justice for Palestinians wish to make the strongest possible objection to the arrest and possible deportation of Sheikh Raed Salah. Over the last three days, Sheikh Salah has been addressing public meetings and has even appeared in the Houses of Parliament. It is difficult to understand how the Government could suddenly have become so agitated by his presence.

We note the reason for his arrest is that ‘his presence is not conducive to the public good’. We say on the contrary, his arrest and deportation would certainly not be conducive to the public good. We note that the press has been making scurrilous accusations against him, which are subject to a libel action. This would be difficult to pursue, were he to be deported, thus undermining the judicial process. We have been unable to find any substance to the allegations of antisemitism made against him. He appeared recently on a platform in Tel Aviv University which upheld his right to speak there. One does not have to agree with someone to allow them the right to speak.

We believe the decision of the Home Secretary sends exactly the wrong message to the people of this country, namely that Free Speech is a moveable feast, once those with certain interests make a decision as to entitlement. Furthermore, we believe this decision will have most unfortunate consequences for community cohesion in this country, targeting as it does someone with a strong following in the Muslim community.

We would strongly urge you to reconsider your decision.

See more on this topic here.

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Letter sent re academic freedom at Liverpool University

Dear Professor Greer

We have been made aware of a rather disturbing development at your University. We understand that the Healthy Inclusion course arranged a talk on living conditions in the occupied Palestinian territories. An Israeli student complained, with the result that the Healthy inclusion course, which has been running satisfactorily for over three years, was suspended.

It is not clear whether the course was suspended because it promulgated untruths, or whether the course was suspended because it promulgated truths which certain people wish to hide. In our view, there is no doubt that the appalling living conditions in the occupied Palestinian territories demand exposure, a view that we understand was reinforced by Pat Revans, facilitator of Friends of the Holy Land.

We can therefore only surmise that the student had problems dealing with the reality of the situation and hoped by making a complaint to censor material that created discomfort. It is our considered view that Israeli interests, while profiting from an egregious occupation, try to smother discussion of it, rather like having one’s cake and eating it. If the student concerned had evidence to challenge the speaker, by all means that is what should have been done and what the university should have encouraged.

By its action of suspending the course, the University seems to be taking the position of support for censoring material. This is a fundamental attack on academic freedom. We would strongly urge the university to uphold the traditions of openness and unfettered debate and not allow itself to be intimidated by the enemies of free discourse

With best wishes,

Diana Neslen
Jews for Justice for Palestinians
www.jfjfp.org
P O Box 46081, London W9 2ZF

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JfJfP statement on the Nakba

21.05.11

The Israeli killing machine

The Nakba demonstrations on Sunday, 15 may 2011, show us once again that Israel is the equal of Syria, Bahrain and Libya in suppressing demonstrations. Not content with firing tear gas, the IDF fired rubber bullets and in some cases live rounds to disperse the demonstrators and force them back from Israel’s borders. In Gaza, Palestinian refugees marched to the border with Israel, while in Syria and Lebanon the refugees marching to the border were joined by Syrians and Lebanese. Palestinians also demonstrated in Ramallah. The demonstrators were armed only with rocks and sticks. Accounts of numbers casualties vary, but it is clear that more than 10 demonstrators were killed and more than 400 injured.

Israeli Prime Minster Netanyahu’s comment was chilling, “We hope calm and quiet will quickly return. But let nobody be misled: we are determined to defend our borders and sovereignty.”  He uttered not a word about the refugees’ legitimate grievances because the Israeli government has never acknowledged any.

We are reminded of the IDF’s violent suppression of the peaceful protests against the separation wall in Bi’lin and other West Bank villages. Most of all we are reminded of the Israeli security forces’ suppression of the protests by Israeli Palestinians in late September –early October 2000. The Israeli security forces killed seven in riots around the Al Aqsa Mosque, one child in Gaza, and 15 in demonstrations in Umm Al Fahm. There was not one word from the Israeli government about the failure of the Camp David negotiations, which were supposed to lead to the creation of a Palestinian state, or of Ariel Sharon’s provocative walk on the Haram al Sharif protected by a phalanx of Israeli security personnel, which precipitated the rioting.  In the eight years of the second intifada that followed those demonstrations, nearly 5,000 Palestinians and more than 1,000 Israelis were killed.

We fervently hope that these latest killings will not lead to another violent intifada, but Israel’s propensity to meet legitimate grievance with suppression does not give confidence that it will be avoided.

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JfJfP welcomes the unity agreement between Fatah and Hamas.

30.04.11

JfJfP welcomes the unity agreement between Fatah and Hamas. We believe that it is only through unity and common purpose that the Palestinians will be able to work effectively towards the establishment of a Palestinian state, thus realising their inalienable right to self determination. Both Israelis and Palestinians need this unity to advance towards a true peace with justice.

Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Premier, has so comprehensively rejected this opportunity to show statesmanship, that his words expose instead the bankruptcy of the Israeli government’s position, and their unwillingness to contemplate peace, a peace that will have to be made between enemies, not between friends.