Diverse group of protesters greets guests at AIPAC dinner

A wildly politically diverse group gave the annual AIPAC membership dinner guests a special unwelcome to the Bay Area. Some people participating in the protest of this banquet for military occupation were Jess Ghannam of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee in San Francisco; Michael Lerner of Tikkun, Mitchell Plitnick of Jewish Voice for Peace, Barbara Lubin of Middle East Children's Alliance and many others. These people had a common demand: Do not fund this occupation with our tax money.

Some politicians, to their credit, who have attended as guests of AIPAC in the past, chose, for whatever reason, not to attend this year. Local officials not attending this year included State Senator Don Perata, Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates, and Assemblymember Wilma Chan.

At this time, it is known California State Assemblymember Loni Hancock defied people advocating for human rights and did attend the dinner as a guest of AIPAC, the lobby for Israeli militarism. Her office has stated that "she continues to advocate for a two-state solution to the Palestinian – Israeli conflict and for a stable peace in the Middle East." These words about the future ring hallow as she supports taxpayer funding of a brutal military occupation today. We will not be dismissed so easily by such empty phrases.

Please call Assemblymember Loni Hancock Berkeley-El Cerrito at (510) 559-1406 (local office) or her Sacramento office at (916) 319-2014 Full contact information, along with mailing address here.

Demand that Loni Hancock go on record as opposing taxpayer funding for this military occupation, and instead advocate for human needs at home.