actions you can do now!

Actions to take on Palestine:

Legislative Action:

To find your congressperson and senators go to: https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member

• Ask to SUPPORT/co-sponsor HR 2590: Defending the Human Rights of Palestinian Children and Families Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act. This house bill prohibits the use of any funds that are made available for assistance to Israel in support of (1) military detention, interrogation, abuse, or ill treatment of Palestinian children; (2) seizure, appropriation, or destruction of Palestinian property and forcible transfer of civilians in the West Bank; or (3) unilateral annexation by Israel of West Bank territory. The Department of State must report on the nature and extent of such activities carried out by Israel. It now has 32 supporters. (https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/2590/text).

  • AFSC’s form submission: https://www.afsc.org/action/stop-us-tax-dollars-funding-human-rights-abuses-against-palestinians
• Ask your rep to cosponsor House Resolution 751, “Condemning the repressive designation by the Government of Israel of six prominent Palestinian human rights and civil society groups as terrorist organizations, and for other purposes,” introduced by Rep. Betty McCollum. Sign a form here: https://nwttac.dci-palestine.org/reject_israeli_criminalization_of_palestinian_ngos#/10/

• Ask to SUPPORT/co-sponsor HR 1123: Recognizing the Nakba and Palestinian refugees’ rights, a resolution introduced by Rashida Tlaib, needs support and sharing.  If you have not read this House Resolution it is a powerful statement against Nakba denial.  We hear about Holocaust denial but this is the first resolution I have seen that calls out for the US government to reject denial of the Nakba. (https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-resolution/1123/text)

• Ask to OPPOSE HR 2748; S1061: The Israel Normalization of Relations Act. It encourages Arab countries establish economic and military deals with Israel without requiring Israel or Arab countries to honor human rights.  It claims: “to develop and implement a regional strategy to encourage economic cooperation among Israel, Arab states, and the Palestinians to enhance the prospects for regional peace, respect for human rights” yet there is no requirement for honoring human rights and in fact the Abrahamic Accords have been shown to subvert Arab countries standing for Palestinian rights.  It also states “support a negotiated solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict resulting in two states—a democratic Jewish state of Israel and a viable democratic Palestinian state,” a strategy that has become impossible with continued land annexation, settlements and displacement.  This becomes merely a tool for future Palestinian dispossession where the oppressed is forced to “negotiate” with its oppressor. (https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/2748/)
• Ask to OPPOSE HR 7223; S4389: The COI (United Nations Commission of Inquiry) Elimination Act. Both bills aim to abolish the UN inquiry which found that the ongoing Israeli occupation of Palestine is the root cause of the decades-long conflict in the region.  The bills would cut funding to the UN for its criticism of Israel.  Read more.
• Ask to CO-SPONSOR The Justice for Shireen Act announced by Representative André Carson.  This act demands a credible U.S. investigation into Shireen’s killing — including whether U.S. weapons were used.   Reach out to your rep at JVP Action’s site.

Other asks of your congresspeople:

• Call rep asking to demand Israel stop Masafer Yatta evictions: Follow instructions from JVP Action: https://act.jewishvoiceforpeace.org/a/stop-mass-expulsion-masafer-yatta

• Write your congressperson to urge the Biden Administration to oppose discriminatory Israeli regulations against Americans of Palestinian descent that are scheduled to go into effect Oct. 20, 2022.  Further ask your congressperson to demand that Israel not be granted Visa Waiver Program privileges while such discriminatory practices remain in effect: https://cmep.salsalabs.org/stopnewcogatrules/index.html

• Ask your member of Congress to ADD their signature to the letter from Jamaal Bowman to Secretaries Blinken, Mayorkas, and Cardona.  Oppose new COGAT regulations on foreigners including ones discriminating against American citizens based on their ethnicity. Oppose Israel as part of the visa waiver program as long as Israel does not treat all Americans equally.  (https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/22046371/bowman-letter-on-palestine-and-academic-freedom.pdf). and also send them a message to ask Israel to rescind its policy (Use Rebuilding Alliance’s form).

• Demand your rep and Secretary Blinken answer questions about 6 orgs on terrorism charges. Use the Massachusetts Peace Action form: https://click.everyaction.com/k/49006309/360438324/101556994
• Help Ahmad Manasra.  He was arrested at 13 years old and held until he was 14 to be tried under military law as an adult (Israelis are considered adults at 18).  Go to https://actionnetwork.org/letters/congress-urge-israel-to-free-ahmad-manasra to write your congresspeople.

Petitions to sign:

• AFSC: Tell Congress: Support an end to Israel’s demolition of Palestinian communities. https://www.afsc.org/action/tell-congress-support-end-to-israels-demolition-palestinian-homes-and-schools.

• Support for Stephen Sizer. This influential Church of England Vicar is again attacked by right-wing Jewish politicians in the UK. Positive statements are urged by FOSNA. Please sign and distribute a petition in support of Stephen Sizer. https://fosna.nationbuilder.com/standwithstephen?utm_campaign=anti_palestinian_bigotry&utm_medium=email&utm_source=QPIN. More info at: http://stephensizer.com/.

• #Justice4Halibi: Upon returning home after a meeting in Jerusalem in 2016, World Vision Gaza Director Muhammad El-Halabi was arrested on the false charges of diverting millions of dollars of Australian aid money to Hamas, importing heavy metal rods for Hamas’ underground tunnels, and aiding in their military expansion. At his trial, no physical evidence was presented to support any of these charges. Sign petition at: https://www.change.org/p/israel-justice-for-mohammed-halabi

Tweets:

• Thank Ben & Jerry’s for suing to keep its ice cream out of the occupied West Bank. , See JVP’s action to hold Unilever accountable: https://act.jewishvoiceforpeace.org/a/2022-07-bj-thank-you-lawsuit