[Peace-discussion] Not Endorsing June 10-11 Mobilization

Mon, 02 Apr 2007 01:16:40 -0400

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Huron Valley Greens
548 S. Main St.
Ann Arbor, MI  48104

April 2, 2007

Omar Masri
US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation
PO Box 21539
Washington, DC 20009

Dear Mr. Masri:

I received your message concerning the promotional materials for the US 
Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation's June 10-11 Mobilization in 
Washington, DC and your request for an endorsement of the mobilization 
by the Huron Valley Greens. We did receive the materials, thank you.

Our Green Party local will not be endorsing the mobilization because we 
are concerned that cooperation with United for Peace and Justice is a 
strategic mistake that furthers the ongoing efforts by Zionists to 
further separate the issue of Palestine from the US occupation of Iraq 
in the anti-war movement and in the popular consciousness. A full-scale 
American attack on Iraq had long been a key goal of American and Israeli 
Zionists and they have been among the most vocal supporters of the 
continuing occupation of Iraq by U.S. forces.

The so-called Left Zionists in the U.S. who claim to oppose the Iraq 
war--including prominent figures like Leslie Cagan, Ruth Messinger, and 
rabbi Arthur Waskow--have long sought to marginalize Palestine as an 
issue within the anti-war movement.  This concerted effort is documented 
in Jewish periodicals like the /Forward/ ("Orderly Protest Lacks 
Anti-Israel Vitriol" 9/3/2004) and the /Jewish Telegraphic Agency/ 
("Anti-war but pro-Israel: What's a protester to do?" 2/11/2003). 
Recently, concerning the January march and rally in Washington, in an 
article entitled "A change in tone: Anti-Iraq War protest participants 
say Israel was off the agenda," the /Washington Jewish Week/ (1/31/07) 
reported that rabbi Michael Lerner "had pushed for and received 
assurances from the rally's organizers [identified elsewhere in the 
article as UFPJ] that the speakers would be exclusively about Iraq." He 
observed "There were very, very, very few signs that had anything to do 
with Israel" and the article also reports "Jews who participated in 
weekend protests against continued U.S. presence in Iraq agree that the 
demonstrations lacked the anti-Israel rhetoric ..."

In short, we believe that by working with UFPJ the US Campaign is 
helping, however inadvertently, to marginalize the Palestinian struggle. 
This is ultimately harmful not only to Palestinians but also to Iraqis, 
Lebanese, Iranians, and any other people who are perceived as a 
potential threat to Israel. Justice for Palestinians is essential to 
peace in the entire region and we believe it is vital to make this and 
the obfuscatory role of Cagan, Lerner, Messinger, Waskow et al. clear to 
the anti-war movement.

Sincerely,

Michelle J. Kinnucan
for the Huron Valley Greens

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Huron Valley Greens 
548 S. Main St. 
Ann Arbor, MI&nbsp; 48104 
 
April 2, 2007 
 
Omar Masri 
US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation 
PO Box 21539 
Washington, DC 20009 
 
Dear Mr. Masri: 
 
I received your message concerning the promotional materials for the US
Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation's June 10-11 Mobilization in
Washington, DC and your request for an endorsement of the mobilization
by the Huron Valley Greens. We did receive the materials, thank you. 
 
Our Green Party local will not be endorsing the mobilization because we
are
concerned that cooperation with United for Peace and Justice is a
strategic mistake that furthers the ongoing efforts by Zionists to
further separate the issue of
Palestine from the US occupation of Iraq in the anti-war movement and
in the popular consciousness. A full-scale American attack on Iraq had
long been a key goal of American and Israeli Zionists and they have
been among the most vocal supporters of the continuing occupation of
Iraq by U.S. forces. 
 
The so-called Left Zionists in the U.S. who claim to oppose the Iraq
war--including prominent figures like Leslie Cagan, Ruth Messinger, and
rabbi Arthur Waskow--have long sought to marginalize Palestine as an
issue within the anti-war movement.&nbsp; This concerted
effort is documented in Jewish periodicals like the Forward
("Orderly Protest Lacks Anti-Israel Vitriol" 9/3/2004) and
the Jewish Telegraphic Agency ("Anti-war but pro-Israel: What's
a protester to do?" 2/11/2003). Recently, concerning the
January march and rally in Washington, in an article entitled "A
change in tone: Anti-Iraq War protest participants say Israel was off
the agenda," the Washington Jewish Week (1/31/07) reported that
rabbi
Michael Lerner "had pushed for and received assurances from the rally's
organizers [identified elsewhere in the article as UFPJ] that the
speakers would be exclusively about Iraq." He observed "There were
very, very, very few signs that had anything to do with Israel" and the
article also reports "Jews who participated in weekend protests against
continued U.S. presence in Iraq agree that the demonstrations lacked
the anti-Israel rhetoric ..." 
 
In short, we believe that by working with UFPJ the US Campaign is
helping, however inadvertently, to marginalize the Palestinian
struggle. This is ultimately harmful not only to Palestinians but also
to Iraqis, Lebanese, Iranians, and any other people who are perceived
as a potential threat to Israel. Justice for Palestinians is
essential to peace in the entire region and we believe it is vital to
make this and the obfuscatory role of Cagan, Lerner, Messinger, Waskow
et al. clear to the anti-war movement. 
 
Sincerely, 
 
Michelle J. Kinnucan 
for the Huron Valley Greens 
 
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