Colorado support for Right of Return of Palestinians

[Bob Kinsey]

I propose that the Green Party of Colorado express support for  the petition posted recently by Aaron Ney with regard to the Right of Return of Palestinians who were removed from their land at the onset of the State of Israel as set forth below and that we immediately issue a press release of our support.Standing for the right of returnJewish activists, authors, scholars and supporters of Palestinian liberation expressed their support for this essential right in a statement issued New Year's Day.January 8, 2013Palestinian children in the Shatila refugee camp in Lebanon"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."--Prof. Saree MakdisiFOR 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" in Arabic): 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, 70 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.What you can doTo sign on to the statement as an individual or organization, go to this Google Doc. You can also share, invite friends and repost the Facebook event page.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 UN 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 100 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 depend, requires no less.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Initial signersMax Ajl, Writer and activist; Cornell Students for Justice in PalestineGabriel Ash, International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network SwitzerlandMax Blumenthal, Journalist and authorProf. Haim Bresheeth, Filmmaker, photographer and film studies scholarLenni Brenner, Author and antiwar activistMike Cushman, Convenor, Jews for Boycotting Israeli Goods (UK)Sonia Fayman, French Jewish Union for Peace; International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network FranceSherna Berger Gluck, Founding member, U.S. Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel; Israel Divestment CampaignRabbi Lynn Gottlieb, Coordinator, Fellowship of Reconciliation Peacewalks, Mural Arts in Palestine and Shomer Shalom Network for Jewish NonviolenceHector Grad, International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network SpainAbraham Greenhouse, Blogger, Electronic IntifadaTony Greenstein, Jews for Boycotting Israeli Goods (UK)Jeff Halper, Director, Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD)Stanley Heller, Host of "The Struggle" TV NewsTikva Honig-Parnass, Former member of the Zionist armed forces (1948); author of False Prophets of Peace: Liberal Zionism and the Struggle for PalestineAdam Horowitz, Co-Editor, Mondoweiss.netSelma James, Global Women's Strike; International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network UKDavid Klein, Organizing Committee, U.S. Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of IsraelDennis Kortheuer, Organizing Committee, U.S. Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel; Israel Divestment Campaign; Dump Veolia LADavid Letwin, Activist and writer; Gaza Freedom MarchMichael 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 CoalitionAntony Loewenstein, Australian journalist and authorBarbara Lubin, Executive Director, Middle East Children's AllianceMike Marqusee, Author of If I Am Not for Myself: Journey of an Anti-Zionist JewHajo Meyer, Auschwitz survivor; International Jewish Anti-Zionist NetworkLinda Milazzo, Participatory journalist and educatorProf. Ilan Pappé, Israeli historian and socialist activistMiko Peled, Author of The General's SonKaren Pomer, Granddaughter of Henri B. van Leeuwen, Dutch anti-Zionist leader and Bergen-Belsen survivorDiana Ralph, Assistant Coordinator, Independent Jewish Voices-CanadaDorothy Reik, Progressive Democrats of the Santa Monica MountainsProf. Dr. Fanny-Michaela Reisin, President, International League for Human Rights (German Section FIDH); Founding member, Jewish Voice for a Just Peace – EJJP GermanyRachel Roberts, Civil rights attorney and writerIlana Rossoff, International Jewish Anti-Zionist NetworkCarol K. Smith, Activist and civil rights attorneyLia Tarachansky, Director, Seven Deadly MythsHadas Thier, Contributing author of The Struggle for Palestine; Israeli-born daughter and granddaughter of Nazi Holocaust survivorsDr. Abraham Weizfeld, Jewish People's Liberation Organization (Montréal)Sherry Wolf, Author and public speaker; International Socialist Organization; Adalah-NYMarcy Winograd, Former Congressional peace candidate; public school teacherDr. Roger van Zwanenberg, Non-Executive Director, Pluto Books Ltd._______________________________________________

[Michael Haughey]

I don't know a lot about this specific proposal, however I agree that the Palestinians should not have been removed from their ancestral land.  If the Greens support this, then perhaps a similar statement can be made regarding the occupation of Tibet.  It seems right that a person has inherent right to the land of birth, and the people of an area have an inherent right of self-governance.Michael Haughey

[Bill Bartlett]

Below is a link to the original post, along with some links to the Facebook event and other information.  At first glance I agree with the statement and the principles behind it.  I will co-sponsor the bill and draft a statement in support to be voted on. http://jfpror.wordpress.com/

[Bob Kinsey]

The Tibet issue is a valid one.  It helps to illustrate the Palestinian one by taking the issur of “anti-semitism” and the Jewish holocaust off center stage and putting the matter clearly in a more neutral–human rights/Universal Declaration of Human Rights arena.  When the UN legitimized the State of Israel in 1948 it did so with the understanding that the right of return would be recognized, or so I understand and that Palestinians  would have self determination rights as well.  Israel has always insisted that any resolutions passed by the UN General Assembly to resolve these issues are inspired by anti-Semitic attempts to endanger Israel's existence.  The US has supported Israel in its position against the votes of almost every other civilized nation on the planet.    It has also contributed heavily to arming Israel to the teeth, something it has not done in Tibet.  It would, of course, or would have been better to pressure China with economic means when that was possible but that didn't happen either.  Too bad the US has always failed to strengthen the rule of law at an international level in preference to keeping its imperial options and its Cold War options open.

[Bill Bartlett]

Here is a rough draft of the proposal.  Bob, if you could look it over let me know if this will suffice.  If anyone sees any errors or would like to suggest additions please let me know. [hr]This is proposal 13-001 to support the Palestinian Right of Return. Please read the proposal, and confine any comments to the proposal only.  Designate your wishes by using "agree", “block”,  or "stand aside".  Any blocks will require a vote of the Council.  . There are currently nine (9) active voting chapters in the Green Party of Colorado.  A quorum of 60% requires at least one response from six (6) chapters.  Active Chapters:  Adams/JeffersonArapahoe CountyDenverDouglasGreater BoulderPikes PeakPoudre ValleySan MiguelSouthwest Thank you,Bill Bartlett, Co-chair and Interim Current Council Facilitator1.  Date Proposed:  January 23, 2013.  Proposed by Bob Kinsey, Co-sponsor Bill Bartlett2.  Title:  Support the Jews for Palestinian Right of Return. 3.  Text:  The Palestinian people are still struggling to retain the little land they have left.  Passage of this proposal would permit the Green Party of Colorado to support the Jews for Palestinian Right of Return.  We would also encourage our individual Greens in Colorado to sign the petition and spread word of this movement to guarantee the Palestinian people their right to return to their lands.  4.  Background:  This background to this conflict is public knowledge.  The Jews for Palestinian Right of Return is a recent movement in response to recent talk about conceding Palestinian lands that have been taken over by Jewish settlers.  More information can be found at the website: http://jfpror.wordpress.com/5.  Goals/Justification:  As outlined above, the people of Palestine have been suffering continued encroachment.  Endorsing this movement could help shine some light on this complex and controversial issue that effects all of us.  The United States is an ardent supporter of Israel and donates billions of dollars to their security.  As US citizens and as Colorado Greens it is our place to vocalize where we stand on this issue. Alternatives:  We could refrain from an official endorsement at the state level, and instead encourage local chapters to support the measure.  We could also encourage individuals to sign the petition and support the movement. 

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