Deir Yassin Commemoration at U.C. Berkeley

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Students for Justice in Palestine to Commemorate '48 Massacre
-Berkeley

U.C. Berkeley's Students for Justice in Palestine and the Arab Student Union will be holding a rally on Monday, April 10th, to commemorate the 1948 massacre of Palestinians in the village of Deir Yassin. The rally will be held from 12 to 1 PM at Sproul Plaza, although SJP has various demonstrations and street theater performances planned there all day.

At least 110 Palestinian civilians were murdered at Deir Yassin by members of the Irgun, a right-wing militia which had fought alongside the prestate Israeli military, or Haganah. This was the most notorious of several attacks against Palestinian villages and cities by the Haganah, the Irgun, and other militias, which prompted the exodus of 750,000 Palestinians from what became Israel. This ethnic cleansing campaign, carried out in the fog of war, was cemented after the 1949 cease fire when Israel demolished several hundred Palestinian villages and several thousand homes. To this day, Israel denies responsibility for creating the Palestinian refugees. Students for Justice in Palestine, the Arab Student Union, and numerous co-sponsors will host a diverse array of speakers, including Palestinians and Israelis, who will raise awareness about the injustices faced by Palestinians, injustices which continue to this day. 2 million Palestinians in the West Bank live under occupation by the Israeli military with no political rights. 1.2 million Palestinians in the Gaza strip have autonomy, but are imprisoned there. 1 million Palestinians in Israel face institutional discrimination at every level. Millions more suffer in refugee camps across the Middle East.

Students for Justice in Palestine demands that the University of California divest from companies that do substantial business in Israel. This would send a strong signal to the Israeli government that it must change its policies and act in good faith to address these injustices. The rally organizers hope their efforts will motivate more students to support divestment. "Divestment is a non-violent form of protest," said SJP member Randeep Singh. "Governments don't just voluntarily do the right thing; they change only when there is enough pressure."

Students for Justice in Palestine is a diverse and anti-racist organization. Racists who attend will not be considered a part of our protest.