Thursday 17 May 2018

Nakba Day I felt heartsick all day.


I felt heartsick all day. While Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, and Benjamin Netanyahu cheered the new US embassy in Jerusalem yesterday, just 40 miles away over a thousand protesters demanding their freedom were shot by Israeli snipers. 
60 Palestinians were killed, including eight children. It’s hard to imagine a more willful and total disregard for human life.

THIS. HAS. TO. STOP. 
I’m furious and heartbroken to see so many politicians and generals are speaking in the name of all Jews to justify the massacre of innocent people. 
The Trump administration has a lot to answer for. Opening the embassy in Jerusalem is an unmistakable green-light for cruel and craven Israeli politicians - and the warmongers in Trump’s own cabinet. 

A massive emergency petition can show the opposition to this outrage is enormous and at a key moment indicate to the US and Israeli governments -- and maybe even more importantly Palestinian allies -- that the world demands these killings must stop. 
JVP is working non-stop right now to set up demonstrations and vigils, visit Members of Congress (and protests outside their offices), and get the word out in the media -- and at every opportunity we’ll deliver this emergency petition to show that US and Israeli attacks on Palestinians don’t represent American Jews or our allies.

Last night I saw a news clip of Noura Erakat, the brilliant Palestinian-American leader. The news anchor asked her what she’d recommend. 
And Erakat quite simply said “I’d recommend freedom.”
Let’s never forget that. The work we’re doing at JVP is about standing up for the incredibly simple idea that Palestinians should be free. Today, on the 70th commemoration of Nakba Day, and every day. 
Onward,
Rebecca
Rebecca Vilkomerson
Executive Director
Jewish Voice for Peace is a national membership organization inspired by Jewish tradition to work for the justice, equality, and dignity of all the people of Israel/Palestine. Become a JVP Member today.

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