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Pro Palestine demo at "Israel in the Gardens" event
Palestinians and allies rallied outside today's celebration of 60 years of the zionist apartheid state of Israel
Today the Yerba Buena Gardens in downtown San Francisco was the site for a "celebration" of 60 years since the founding of the state of Israel. This event is known as the Nakba (the Catastrophe) to Palestinians, thousands of whom were forced to leave their homes and flee for their lives and have still been refused right of return. (here's one of many informative websites about the Nakba 60: http://www.nakba60.org.uk/)
Palestinians and allies gathered to let the celebrants know that the resistance continues and 60 years of occupation, apartheid, ethnic cleansing and oppression is nothing to celebrate.
Palestinians and allies gathered to let the celebrants know that the resistance continues and 60 years of occupation, apartheid, ethnic cleansing and oppression is nothing to celebrate.
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Unfortunately, our crowd was largely ignored by what the mainstream media estimated as 20,000 pro occupation San Franciscans attending the fair. An unrelenting stream of harrassment from Zionist agents made the day even more difficult, and many of our plans were cancelled in light of spotty attendance in our ranks.
People- this is supposed to be a time for unity. If you can't even spend a few hours on a sunny Sunday working for peace and justice, what hope do we have?
People- this is supposed to be a time for unity. If you can't even spend a few hours on a sunny Sunday working for peace and justice, what hope do we have?
Casey, you seem to be suggesting that the problem is that few of the anti Israel folks bothered to show up. That there are in fact many of you, just lazy.
Are you sure? Sure that the problem isn't that there just aren't all that many of you. The "Zionists" make up a higher percentage of the "peace and justice" community that you might expect from their percentage of the general population but in THIS case they would mainly be on the other side.
Are you sure? Sure that the problem isn't that there just aren't all that many of you. The "Zionists" make up a higher percentage of the "peace and justice" community that you might expect from their percentage of the general population but in THIS case they would mainly be on the other side.
I reject Mikes suggestion that there aren't many of us.
I personally didn't go because I had gone in the past- and then went into the festival, only to find out what I had been protesting was summer camps , schools and synagogues.
Does anyone every think that when we protest their cultural fairs- it makes us look bad? It gives them fuel to use against us?
I personally didn't go because I had gone in the past- and then went into the festival, only to find out what I had been protesting was summer camps , schools and synagogues.
Does anyone every think that when we protest their cultural fairs- it makes us look bad? It gives them fuel to use against us?
it doesn't make sense to compare our numbers this sunday to theirs - a counter-demonstration is generally smaller than the main demo that it's countering, and let's not forget about the FUNDING they used to outreach and make this happen.
then again, we CAN at least begin to compare it to the nakba-60 concert on may 10th (http://www.araborganizing.org/concert.html) that WAS big and amazing and beautiful. and that was where the majority of our energy was.
...which is not to say people shouldn't feel obligated to show up to all the events...just to say that it's NOT that we're not out there, OR that people just don't care.
then again, we CAN at least begin to compare it to the nakba-60 concert on may 10th (http://www.araborganizing.org/concert.html) that WAS big and amazing and beautiful. and that was where the majority of our energy was.
...which is not to say people shouldn't feel obligated to show up to all the events...just to say that it's NOT that we're not out there, OR that people just don't care.
Thanks to all the Women in Black and other social justice advocates who took the time to show up to protest the 60 year anniversary of Zionist state of Israel. Were it not for the physical distance, i would have stood alongside you and protested Israeli apartheid..
This manifestation of the Zionist state of Israel is politically unhealthy for BOTH the Jews and the Palestinians, as colonialism shows adverse mental disturbances in the population of the occupiers also. It is far more difficult physically and emotionally for the Palestinians, though at least most of them will get through this with their ethical standards intact if they can physically survive. Not the same for the occupiers, especially the IDF and the Likud party rulers..
Remind ourselves of the recent statements of Christian Zionist preacher John Hagee which was offensive in context yet true in fact politically. The only difference form truth was Hagee claiming the Nazi Holocaust was "God's will", instead it was the will of certain influential Zionists who collaborated with the Nazis and acted as enablers to the Nazi Holocaust..
"By the time another banana skin of an evangelical pastor sent John McCain tumbling, fumbling for the right words to disown the association last week, many had abandoned all hope that another Republican presidency would mean change where it really counts for the rest of the world: Israel-Palestine.
Long before embarrassing footage was dug up of Pastor John Hagee preaching that Hitler did God's will by harrying Jews out of Europe to their promised land in Palestine, people of all religions and none were viewing his linking arms with Hagee as the surest sign that McCain would continue to favour Israel; to countenance the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and the blockade of Gaza.
Pastor of a megachurch in San Antonio and CEO of Global Evangelism Television, Pastor Hagee happens to be the US's leading Christian Zionist, a powerful proponent, via his Christians United for Israel lobbying organisation, of an ideology that is much better understood by Arabs than by Westerners because of the immediate bearing it has on the Israel-Palestine issue."
article cont's @;
http://www.christianzionism.org/
The WW2 Nazi Holocaust in Europe was the driving political motivation for the resettlement of Europe's Jewish population by U.S. and Britain to Israel/Palestine, were it not for this Nazi genocide against the Jews the appeal for a segregated Zionist state of Israel would never have gained popularity needed to justify the occupation of Palestine..
That is not to praise the existance of Israel as Hagee did, instead it shows how desperate the Zionist leadership was to enable the Nazis with their end goal being the permanant establishment of the Zionist Israeli state in Palestine..
This is the text letter from Rabbi Weissmandel that indicates Zionist leadership allowed the Nazi Holocaust to proceed without interference as their goal was for the establishment Zionist Israel;
"Pleas to rescue Jews in the Holocaust ignored by Zionist leaders"
"The following message about bombing concentration camps and railways, was an exhibit in the Kasztner libel case in Israel during the 1950's. It was sent by Rabbi Michael B. Weissmandel, an organizer for rescue activities operating in the quisling Nazi state of Slovakia. It provides shocking and disturbing evidence of how the Zionist leadership ignored the growing evidence of mass murder and crimes against humanity being perpetrated against Europe's Jews
Here is the orginal letter from Rabbi Weissmandl:
May 15th, 1944 - In a cave near Lublin, Poland.
"Peace and Greetings.
"We send you this special message to inform you that yesterday the Germans began the deportation of Jews from Hungary. It is the beginning of deportation of all the Hungarian Jews.
"Every day, twelve thousand souls are being taken off. Four deportations of forty-five such train-loads move daily out of Hungary. Within twenty six days all that area will have been deported.
"The deported ones go to Auschwitz to be put to death by cyanide gas. A great number are dead on arrival. The Germans allow a few of the strongest to stay alive. Those who are allowed to live are branded with a number burned into their arm and the Star of David burned into their chest.
"Most of these privileged ones die within a month. Others take their place.
"Those who go directly from the train to the gas chambers to be suffocated are not branded. They are completely consumed in the ovens and leave no evidence behind. These are 95% of each transport.
"The dead bodies are burned in specially made ovens. Each oven burns 12 bodies an hour. In February there were 36 ovens burning. We have learned that more have been built.
"Information supplied us by a few eyewitnesses reveals that in February there were four disposal buildings. We have learned that more have been built since then.
"Formerly, the Germans killed and burned the Jews in the Forest of Birkenwald, near Auschwitz. Now the killing and burning take place in the buildings shown on the enclosed map.
"In December, the Germans built special trains to transport the Jews of Hungary to their extermination. This is the schedule of Auschwitz, from yesterday to the end; twelve thousand Jews - men, women and children, old men, infants, healthy and sick ones - are to be suffocated daily and their bones and ashes are to be used to fertilize the German fields.
"And you - our brothers in Palestine, in all the countries of freedom, and you, ministers of all the kingdom - how do you keep silent in the face of this great murder ? Silent while thousand on thousands, reaching now to six million Jews, were murdered. And silent now while tens of thousands are still being murdered and waiting to be murdered? Their destroyed hearts cry to you for help as they bewail your cruelty. Brutal you are and murderers too you are, because of the cold-bloodedness of the silence in which you watch.
"Because you sit with folded arms and you do nothing, though you could stop or delay the murder of Jews at this very hour.
"In the name of the blood of the thousands on thousands who have been murdered we beg, we plead, we cry out and demand that you take action, that you do deeds now - at once!
"That the Ministers of Kingdoms and all the Lands raise a loud and piercing outcry that must enter the ears of the world, the ears of the German people, the ears of the Hungarian people. Let them cry out a warning to the German murderers. Let them proclaim that they know all that has been done in the past, and that which is still being done. And the Pope, himself, should join in this cry of outrage against the German murderers.
"Let this outcry be heard over all the radios and read in all the newspapers of the world, that unless they stop at once the deportations of Hungary's Jews - then will Germany be forever exiled from civilization.
"We ask that the crematoria in Auschwitz be bombed from the air. They are sharply visible, as shown on the enclosed map.
"Such bombing will delay the work of the German murderers.
"What is more important - to bomb persistently all the roads leading from Eastern Hungary to Poland and to bomb persistently the bridges in the neighborhood of Karpatarus. Drop all other business to get this done. Remember that one day of your idleness kills twelve thousand souls.
"You, our brothers, sons of Israel, are you insane? Don't you know the Hell around us? For whom are you saving your money?
"How is it that all our pleadings affect you less than the whimpering of a beggar standing in your doorway? Murderers! Madmen! Who is it that gives charity? You who toss a few pennies from your safe homes? Or we who give our blood in the depths of Hell?
"There is only one thing that may be said in your exoneration - that you do not know the truth. This is possible. The villain does his job so shrewdly that only a few guess the truth. We have told you the truth several times. Is it possible that you believe our murderers more than you believe us? May God open your eyes and give you heart to rescue in these last hours the remainder.
"Most important is that which I write about the bombing of the Auschwitz Crematoria and the bridges leading to them.
"Such bombing can vitally delay the evil work of our slaughterers. And G-d who keeps alive the last remnant of Israel will show His mercy for which I pray. I pray as I write out of the sea of tears of the people of Israel. We await G-d's help.
"One from the Market who witnesses the woes of his people"
this letter found @;
http://www.jewsnotzionists.org/pleasignored.html
This manifestation of the Zionist state of Israel is politically unhealthy for BOTH the Jews and the Palestinians, as colonialism shows adverse mental disturbances in the population of the occupiers also. It is far more difficult physically and emotionally for the Palestinians, though at least most of them will get through this with their ethical standards intact if they can physically survive. Not the same for the occupiers, especially the IDF and the Likud party rulers..
Remind ourselves of the recent statements of Christian Zionist preacher John Hagee which was offensive in context yet true in fact politically. The only difference form truth was Hagee claiming the Nazi Holocaust was "God's will", instead it was the will of certain influential Zionists who collaborated with the Nazis and acted as enablers to the Nazi Holocaust..
"By the time another banana skin of an evangelical pastor sent John McCain tumbling, fumbling for the right words to disown the association last week, many had abandoned all hope that another Republican presidency would mean change where it really counts for the rest of the world: Israel-Palestine.
Long before embarrassing footage was dug up of Pastor John Hagee preaching that Hitler did God's will by harrying Jews out of Europe to their promised land in Palestine, people of all religions and none were viewing his linking arms with Hagee as the surest sign that McCain would continue to favour Israel; to countenance the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and the blockade of Gaza.
Pastor of a megachurch in San Antonio and CEO of Global Evangelism Television, Pastor Hagee happens to be the US's leading Christian Zionist, a powerful proponent, via his Christians United for Israel lobbying organisation, of an ideology that is much better understood by Arabs than by Westerners because of the immediate bearing it has on the Israel-Palestine issue."
article cont's @;
http://www.christianzionism.org/
The WW2 Nazi Holocaust in Europe was the driving political motivation for the resettlement of Europe's Jewish population by U.S. and Britain to Israel/Palestine, were it not for this Nazi genocide against the Jews the appeal for a segregated Zionist state of Israel would never have gained popularity needed to justify the occupation of Palestine..
That is not to praise the existance of Israel as Hagee did, instead it shows how desperate the Zionist leadership was to enable the Nazis with their end goal being the permanant establishment of the Zionist Israeli state in Palestine..
This is the text letter from Rabbi Weissmandel that indicates Zionist leadership allowed the Nazi Holocaust to proceed without interference as their goal was for the establishment Zionist Israel;
"Pleas to rescue Jews in the Holocaust ignored by Zionist leaders"
"The following message about bombing concentration camps and railways, was an exhibit in the Kasztner libel case in Israel during the 1950's. It was sent by Rabbi Michael B. Weissmandel, an organizer for rescue activities operating in the quisling Nazi state of Slovakia. It provides shocking and disturbing evidence of how the Zionist leadership ignored the growing evidence of mass murder and crimes against humanity being perpetrated against Europe's Jews
Here is the orginal letter from Rabbi Weissmandl:
May 15th, 1944 - In a cave near Lublin, Poland.
"Peace and Greetings.
"We send you this special message to inform you that yesterday the Germans began the deportation of Jews from Hungary. It is the beginning of deportation of all the Hungarian Jews.
"Every day, twelve thousand souls are being taken off. Four deportations of forty-five such train-loads move daily out of Hungary. Within twenty six days all that area will have been deported.
"The deported ones go to Auschwitz to be put to death by cyanide gas. A great number are dead on arrival. The Germans allow a few of the strongest to stay alive. Those who are allowed to live are branded with a number burned into their arm and the Star of David burned into their chest.
"Most of these privileged ones die within a month. Others take their place.
"Those who go directly from the train to the gas chambers to be suffocated are not branded. They are completely consumed in the ovens and leave no evidence behind. These are 95% of each transport.
"The dead bodies are burned in specially made ovens. Each oven burns 12 bodies an hour. In February there were 36 ovens burning. We have learned that more have been built.
"Information supplied us by a few eyewitnesses reveals that in February there were four disposal buildings. We have learned that more have been built since then.
"Formerly, the Germans killed and burned the Jews in the Forest of Birkenwald, near Auschwitz. Now the killing and burning take place in the buildings shown on the enclosed map.
"In December, the Germans built special trains to transport the Jews of Hungary to their extermination. This is the schedule of Auschwitz, from yesterday to the end; twelve thousand Jews - men, women and children, old men, infants, healthy and sick ones - are to be suffocated daily and their bones and ashes are to be used to fertilize the German fields.
"And you - our brothers in Palestine, in all the countries of freedom, and you, ministers of all the kingdom - how do you keep silent in the face of this great murder ? Silent while thousand on thousands, reaching now to six million Jews, were murdered. And silent now while tens of thousands are still being murdered and waiting to be murdered? Their destroyed hearts cry to you for help as they bewail your cruelty. Brutal you are and murderers too you are, because of the cold-bloodedness of the silence in which you watch.
"Because you sit with folded arms and you do nothing, though you could stop or delay the murder of Jews at this very hour.
"In the name of the blood of the thousands on thousands who have been murdered we beg, we plead, we cry out and demand that you take action, that you do deeds now - at once!
"That the Ministers of Kingdoms and all the Lands raise a loud and piercing outcry that must enter the ears of the world, the ears of the German people, the ears of the Hungarian people. Let them cry out a warning to the German murderers. Let them proclaim that they know all that has been done in the past, and that which is still being done. And the Pope, himself, should join in this cry of outrage against the German murderers.
"Let this outcry be heard over all the radios and read in all the newspapers of the world, that unless they stop at once the deportations of Hungary's Jews - then will Germany be forever exiled from civilization.
"We ask that the crematoria in Auschwitz be bombed from the air. They are sharply visible, as shown on the enclosed map.
"Such bombing will delay the work of the German murderers.
"What is more important - to bomb persistently all the roads leading from Eastern Hungary to Poland and to bomb persistently the bridges in the neighborhood of Karpatarus. Drop all other business to get this done. Remember that one day of your idleness kills twelve thousand souls.
"You, our brothers, sons of Israel, are you insane? Don't you know the Hell around us? For whom are you saving your money?
"How is it that all our pleadings affect you less than the whimpering of a beggar standing in your doorway? Murderers! Madmen! Who is it that gives charity? You who toss a few pennies from your safe homes? Or we who give our blood in the depths of Hell?
"There is only one thing that may be said in your exoneration - that you do not know the truth. This is possible. The villain does his job so shrewdly that only a few guess the truth. We have told you the truth several times. Is it possible that you believe our murderers more than you believe us? May God open your eyes and give you heart to rescue in these last hours the remainder.
"Most important is that which I write about the bombing of the Auschwitz Crematoria and the bridges leading to them.
"Such bombing can vitally delay the evil work of our slaughterers. And G-d who keeps alive the last remnant of Israel will show His mercy for which I pray. I pray as I write out of the sea of tears of the people of Israel. We await G-d's help.
"One from the Market who witnesses the woes of his people"
this letter found @;
http://www.jewsnotzionists.org/pleasignored.html
Don't give up, folks - some very positive changes have happened this year, among them:
* That there was a public Nakba event on the 10th.
* Jewish Voice for Peace had a fairly large demo at the Israel in the Gardens event AND were joined by a good sized Women in Black presence for the first time, this year.
* Jewish Voice for Peace had a Nakba commemoration this year, for the first time, which was
pitched to Jews, held at Kehilla Synagogue, & also cosponsored by American Friends Service Committee, with support from the Israeli-Palestinian dialogue groups of the East Bay & Marin, attended by 150 mostly Jews - an unexpectedly large turnout.
* In Israel, the Jewish National Fund, after pressure, has been placing markers where some
destroyed Palestinian villages stood.
By the way, we don't have to characterize ourselves as "pro-Palestinian"; this feeds into the criticism that we are "anti-Israel", when in reality the occupation itself is very destructive to Israel, Jewish morality/spirituality ("a light unto the nations"), & threatens Jewish safety everywhere. To be anti-occupation is actually both pro-Israel *and* pro-Palestinian, & pro-Jewish as well.
I'm saying that consciousness of the Nakba is growing, even if not reflected in the size of the demonstrations.
I think we are about to see a larger body of consciousness about the Israeli occupation, an essential step for opposing US support of the Israeli govenment's support for Israel's occupation of Palestine.
* That there was a public Nakba event on the 10th.
* Jewish Voice for Peace had a fairly large demo at the Israel in the Gardens event AND were joined by a good sized Women in Black presence for the first time, this year.
* Jewish Voice for Peace had a Nakba commemoration this year, for the first time, which was
pitched to Jews, held at Kehilla Synagogue, & also cosponsored by American Friends Service Committee, with support from the Israeli-Palestinian dialogue groups of the East Bay & Marin, attended by 150 mostly Jews - an unexpectedly large turnout.
* In Israel, the Jewish National Fund, after pressure, has been placing markers where some
destroyed Palestinian villages stood.
By the way, we don't have to characterize ourselves as "pro-Palestinian"; this feeds into the criticism that we are "anti-Israel", when in reality the occupation itself is very destructive to Israel, Jewish morality/spirituality ("a light unto the nations"), & threatens Jewish safety everywhere. To be anti-occupation is actually both pro-Israel *and* pro-Palestinian, & pro-Jewish as well.
I'm saying that consciousness of the Nakba is growing, even if not reflected in the size of the demonstrations.
I think we are about to see a larger body of consciousness about the Israeli occupation, an essential step for opposing US support of the Israeli govenment's support for Israel's occupation of Palestine.
Only 1000 people at the "Nakba concert"? Considering all the Bush-Saudi oil money that gets recycled into this kind of political propaganda against Israel, that is a pathetic turnout indeed. Never looked like 1000 to me from the photos either...
"To be anti-occupation is actually both pro-Israel *and* pro-Palestinian, & pro-Jewish as well."
I don't know if anyone noticed, but the contingent outside the fair had signs "two states for two people" - thats sounds rather anti-occupation to me.
Could it be that we aren't that far moved from them?
Maybe dialog (formal? informal?) is in order?
Maybe a study session?
Open hearts, open minds- maybe we can find allies and really work together for peace.
I have to say- the money spent for the balloons and stuff was a total waste-just posturing and conspicuous consumption- I would have rather sent a couple of cases of soccer balls and art supplies to Gaza.
I don't know if anyone noticed, but the contingent outside the fair had signs "two states for two people" - thats sounds rather anti-occupation to me.
Could it be that we aren't that far moved from them?
Maybe dialog (formal? informal?) is in order?
Maybe a study session?
Open hearts, open minds- maybe we can find allies and really work together for peace.
I have to say- the money spent for the balloons and stuff was a total waste-just posturing and conspicuous consumption- I would have rather sent a couple of cases of soccer balls and art supplies to Gaza.
I think that its alienating and offensive to protest a cultural event.
It detracts from our Peace message and it opens the door for our cultural events to be politically protested.
It detracts from our Peace message and it opens the door for our cultural events to be politically protested.
Martin Luther King, Jr:
“When people criticize Zionists, they mean Jews. ..."
“When people criticize Zionists, they mean Jews. ..."
How is a celebration of the creation of a state that came out of colonization a "cultural" event?
Culture is not tied to the state of Israel in any way shape or form, unless your talking about a culture of violence and oppression.
Culture is not tied to the state of Israel in any way shape or form, unless your talking about a culture of violence and oppression.
OK, I was on the other side on Sunday. And yes, the guy holding the inflated blue-and-white bat was indeed weird. [I was next to him for over half and hour, oy.] But to me, the most puzzling aspect of your protest was QUIT. I can't understand how gays and lesbians can fervently support a homophobic and misogynistic society.
"I can't understand how gays and lesbians can fervently support a homophobic and misogynistic society."
Nor can I.
I attended the Al Awda conference a few years back, and went to a talk on "Palestinian feminism". Frankly, I found it deeply disturbing the way issues like honor killings were rationalized away as "cultural misunderstandings". The facilitator claimed the very term "honor killing" was meant to 'demonize" Islam and that they were simply "crimes of passion".
Kate Raphael of QUIT tells a story from a few years ago. She came to a anti-Israel rally with a sign "Lesbians against Occupation" and was asked to leave by the Muslim organizers. No one came to her defense.
Clearly, times have changed and coalition building has become more of a priority
Nor can I.
I attended the Al Awda conference a few years back, and went to a talk on "Palestinian feminism". Frankly, I found it deeply disturbing the way issues like honor killings were rationalized away as "cultural misunderstandings". The facilitator claimed the very term "honor killing" was meant to 'demonize" Islam and that they were simply "crimes of passion".
Kate Raphael of QUIT tells a story from a few years ago. She came to a anti-Israel rally with a sign "Lesbians against Occupation" and was asked to leave by the Muslim organizers. No one came to her defense.
Clearly, times have changed and coalition building has become more of a priority
http://www.sfvoiceforisrael.org/gallery/v/Israel+in+the+gardens+June+1+2008/
Both sides are represented in photos, though the commnetary is a bit judgemental.
Both sides are represented in photos, though the commnetary is a bit judgemental.
I don't care about your politics- the only politics that count are EARTH FIRST. That said- it was socially and ecologically irresponsible to release balloons- they do land sometime and invariably they find their way into our precious waterways, where they slowly strangle our marine life.
It was a selfish and irresponsible act with no thought whatsoever of the long term consequences.
If I knew who was responsible for this decision I would address them directly, but this is the closest I've come to figuring it out.
Balloons are not eco-friendly- latex is tapped in rainforests by exploited workers- and releasing balloons into the Bay eco-system was unconscienable.
Shame on you all.
It was a selfish and irresponsible act with no thought whatsoever of the long term consequences.
If I knew who was responsible for this decision I would address them directly, but this is the closest I've come to figuring it out.
Balloons are not eco-friendly- latex is tapped in rainforests by exploited workers- and releasing balloons into the Bay eco-system was unconscienable.
Shame on you all.
This is not the way I tell the story. I always say very clearly that many people came to our defense, including many Muslims who told us to ignore the organizers and stay anyway. What I do say is that some groups who should have supported us did not, but others did.
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