Jews Speak Out Against the Racist Double Standards of the 'Law of Return'
There is nothing more illustrative of the racism of Israel and Zionism than the Law of Return. As a Jew I can 'return' to a place I've no interest in living in. But Palestinian friends have no such luxury. They cannot return. It is therefore excellent that there is growing Jewish opposition to Zionism despite the tants of 'self hater' (no we hate you!). Like the anti-Nazi Germans who died under Hitler, Jews who oppose Zionism
Despite an overemphasis on Neturei Kara, the Orthodox anti-Zionists, this is a good film that features among other things the young Israelis opposed to the occupation who refuse to serve in the Israel Occupation Forces, the Shministim, and also Gerald Kaufmann MP's excellent speech when he said that his grandmother hadn't been murdered in the ghetto she lived in by the Nazis in order that Israel could kill Palestinian grandmothers.
I am therefore very proud to be one of the founding signatories of this statement and urge all Jewish people to support it.
Tony Greenstein
Dr. Ghada Karmi, M.D.: “An excellent statement which gets at the heart of the Palestinian cause. All people of conscience must sign it.”
To support the Jews for Palestinian Right of Return statement below, please:
**Sign as an individual or organization
**Join, invite friends to, and repost the Facebook event page
**Repost widely on websites and blogs:
Praise for JFPROR
Ali Abunimah (Electronic Intifada): “Beautiful!”
Mezna Qato (US Palestinian Community Network): “Absolutely beautiful.”
Fatin Jarara (Al Awda-NY: The Palestine Right to Return Coalition): “Thank you, JFPROR, for your support of the right of return for Palestinian refugees to all of Historic Palestine and for the call for a single democratic state, a point that must never be compromised by Palestinians, first and foremost, or their allies.”
Max Blumenthal: ”I was proud to join so many outstanding people in signing.”
Stuart Bramhall (Daily Censored): “Profoundly moving.”
Kevin Ovenden (Palestine solidarity activist, London): “Well done – forwards to peace and justice, without which there can be no peace.”
Jews For Palestinian Right of Return
January 1, 2013
“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.”
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 U.S. 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 antiwar 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, U.S. 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, U.S. Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel
Dennis Kortheuer, Organizing Committee, U.S. 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, U.S. 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 of 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, 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 granddaughter of Nazi Holocaust survivors
Dr. Abraham Weizfeld, Jewish People’s Liberation Organization (Montréal)
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.
Additional Signers
(Complete list at: Affiliations listed for identification only.)
Stephen Aberle, Vancouver, BC, Independent Jewish Voices
Deborah Agre, Berkeley, CA, Middle East Children’s Alliance
Seymour Alexander, Slough, Jews for Justice for Palestinians UK
Ruth Bader, Australia, German-Jewish/Australian, daughter of Holocaust survivors
Adam Balsam, Independent Jewish Voices Canada
Moran Barir, Human rights activist, Jerusalem
Ronnie Barkan, Tel-Aviv, Boycott from Within
Nora Barrows-Friedman, Journalist
Dalit Baum, Israeli feminist teacher and activist
Medea Benjamin, Codirector, Codepink
Mark Berman, Playwright
Rima Berns-McGown, Toronto, Writer and Adjunct Faculty, University of Toronto at Mississauga
Elizabeth Block, Toronto, Independent Jewish Voices
Audrey Bomse, National Lawyers Guild, Free Gaza
Dennis Brasky, Professor – Political Science – Rutgers University
Estee Chandler, Founding Member, Jewish Voice for Peace, L.A. Chapter
David Comedi, Tucumán, Argentina
Prof. Roger Dittmann, CSU Fullerton
Mark Elf, Jews sans frontieres
Prof. Sam Farber, NYC
Deborah Fink, UK, Jews for Boycotting Israeli Goods
Alexei Folger, Jewish Voice for Peace, Bay Area
Maxine Fookson, Portland, Oregon, Jewish Voice for Peace
Racheli Gai, Tucson Women in Black, Jewish Voice for Peace
Kamran Ghasri, Israel Divestment Campaign
Dr. Terri Ginsberg, NYC; film scholar; Committee for Open Discussion of Zionism
Neta Golan, Palestinian Territories, ISM
Nathan Goldbaum, ISO, Caucus of Rank-and-File Educators, Chicago Teachers Union
Steve Goldfield, Ph.D., Oakland, CA, Former chair, Palestine Solidarity Committee, former editor, Palestine Focus
Jean R. Goldman, Miami Beach, Women in Black
Sue Goldstein, Toronto, Women in Solidarity with Palestine
Marty Goodman, NYC, Former Executive Board member, Transport Workers Union Local 100
Heidi Grunebaum, Cape Town
Cathy Gulkin, Toronto, Independent Jewish Voices, Queers Against Israeli Apartheid
Georges Gumpel, Union Juive Française pour la Paix
Freda Guttman, Montreal, Tadamon!
Evelyn Hecht-Galinski, Author and journalist, Germany
Annette Herskovits, Berkeley, Holocaust survivor, writer, and activist
Rebecca Hom, International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network-U.S.
Bec Hynek, Sydney, Australia, Socialist Alternative
Jews Opposing Zionism, Not In Our Name – NION (Canada)
Riva Joffe, London, Jews Against Zionism
Ramsey Judah, Los Angeles activist and Immigration Rights Attorney
Alex Kane, Assistant Editor, Mondoweiss.net and World editor, AlterNet
Dan Kaplan, Executive Secretary, AFT Local 1493, San Mateo, CA Community College Federation of Teachers
Asaf Kedar, Zochrot
Alice Diane Kisch, Emerryville, CA, Jewish Voice for Peace
Bud Korotzer, Brooklyn
Yael Korin, Campaign to End Israeli Apartheid, Southern California
Steve Kowit, American poet, Professor emeritus, Southwestern College
L.A. Jews for Peace
Sylvia Laale, Ottawa
Stephen Landau, Translator and publisher, White Plains, NY
David Landy, Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign
Melanie Lazarow, University of Melbourne
Howard Lenow, Sudbury, MA, Union Attorney, Founder American Jews For A Just Peace
Leah Levane, London, Jews for Justice for Palestinians
Daniel Levyne, France, UJFP
Brenda Lewis, Guelph, Ontario, child of Holocaust survivor
Abby Lippman, Montreal, Professor Emerita, McGill University
Jennifer Loewenstein, Madison
Henry Lowi, IDF veteran
Alex Lubin, Professor, American University of Beirut
Helga Mankovitz, Kingston, ON, Independent Jewish Voices
Eli Marcus, Occupied Palestine
Richard Marcuse, West Vancouver, BC, Independent Jewish Voices
Peter Melvyn, Critical Jewish Voice, Vienna
Waldo Mermelstein, Sao Paulo
Gail Miller, NY, Passenger, U. S. Boat to Gaza–The Audacity of Hope
Prof. Hilton Obenzinger
Akiva Orr, Matzpen
Peter Rachleff, Saint Paul, Professor of History, Macalester College
Zohar Chamberlain Regev, Dúrcal, Granada, Spain
Fanny-Michaela Reisin, Jewish Voice for a Just Peace – EJJP Germany
Ernest Rodker, Jews for Justice for Palestinians, UK
Professor Jonathan Rosenhead, Chair, British Committee for the Universities of Palestine
Martha Roth, Vancouver BC, Independent Jewish Voices
Cheyl A. Rubenberg, Boca Raton, Professor (retired)
Leslie Safran, London
Margot Salom, Brisbane Australia, Just Peace for Palestine
Christiane Schomblond, Brussels, Belgium, professor retired from University of Brussels
Ralph Schoenman, Vallejo, CA., Author: Hidden History of Zionism
Yossi Schwartz, Haifa, Internationalist Socialist League
Amanda Sebestyen, International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network UK, JfJfP, JBIG, IJV
Sid Shniad, Vancouver, BC, National Steering Committee, Independent Jewish Voices
Mya Shone, Author, The Hidden History of Zionism and other works
Abba A. Solomon, Author of The Speech, and Its Context
Peter Sporn, Oak Park, Illinois, Arab Jewish Partnership for Peace and Justice in the Middle East
Marsha Steinberg, BDS LA for Justice in Palestine
Cy & Lois Swartz, Philadelphia, Grandparents for Peace in the Middle East
Prof. Barry Trachtenberg
Matthew Taylor, Berkeley, founding member, Young Jewish and Proud group within Jewish Voice for Peace
Steve Terry, Criminal defense attorney, Brooklyn
Lily van den Bergh, Documentary filmmaker & organiser, Women in Black The Netherlands
Dominique Ventre, French Jewish Union for Peace; International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network France
Judith Weisman, Toronto, Independent Jewish Voices, Not in Our Name
Suzanne Weiss, Toronto
Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi, Founder member, Jews for Boycotting Israeli Goods
Tamar Yaron, Kibbutz Hazorea, Israel, founder & moderator: Encounter-EMEM for international Israel-Palestine peace activities