Action and Words
JATO letters to political figures
Previous actions and events organized by JATO and allies
▪ JATO organizes in support of RNC protests 8/29/04
▪ From Jenin to Jerusalem - International Solidarity March 6/31/04
▪ JATO at rededication of the former Golda Meir Square 5/17/04
▪ JATO at Israeli consulate in support of worldwide refusenik solidarity 5/16/03
▪ JATO Passover Seder 4/20/03
▪ JATO Protests Speech by Dore Gold, Former Israeli Ambassador 4/3/03
▪ JATO Organizes in Support of March 22 Anti-War March 3/22/03
▪ Memorial service and press conference for murder of Rachel Corrie 3/17/03
▪ JATO Organizes in Support of the Feb 15 NYC Anti-War 'March' 2/15/03
▪ JATO Chanukah Celebration with Opposition to Israeli Occupation 11/29/02
▪ JATO demonstrates at UN in support of the Refusniks 10/23/02
▪ JATO protests at Jewish National Fund dinner 10/6/02
▪ New York Jews report back from Palestine 10/3/02
JATO members returning from Palestine spoke at a synagogue about their
experiences. Read the report backs
▪ JATO Sukkot Demonstration in Central Park 9/21/02
▪ JATO members join Black Laundry at NYC Pride Parade 6/2/02
▪ JATO joins Women in Black weekly vigils in Union Square Still Ongoing
▪ JATO presence at Anti-War March on Washington 4/20/02
▪ JATO helps organize March for Free Palestine across Brooklyn Bridge
Daily News Article 4/07/02
▪ Public Action for Passover 2002 Flyer 3/31/02
▪ Protest at the meeting of Ehud Olmert & Rudolph Giuliani Flyer 3/07/02
▪ Anti-Occupation Purimspiel Invite 2/28/02
▪ Public Action for Tu B'Shvat Invite 1/28/02
▪ Chanuka Action Flyer 12/17/01
▪ JATO protest at Israeli Consulate Press Release 12/4/01
▪ Statement Regarding September 11 9/16/01
▪ Demonstration at the Salute to Israel Parade Press Release 5/20/01
NY Times article on Salute to Israel Parade & Demonstration
▪ Right to Return Rally Flyer (distributed on Passover)
▪ Purim Action Flyer
▪ Civil Disobedience at Israel Discount Bank Indymedia Article 1/11/01
▪ Petition the Israeli government to cease and desist
Village Voice article: "Not in My Name" 5/16/01
______________________________________________________________________
PRESS RELEASE
JEWISH & PALESTINE ACTIVISTS DISRUPT
SPEECH BY FORMER ISRAELI AMBASSADOR
Groups protest Dore Gold, Israeli advisor & UN ambassador who urges
targeting Palestinian civilians
New York – A group of Jewish and Palestine-focused peace activists
tonight disrupted an appearance by Dore Gold, former Israeli
Ambassador to the UN, at a "Young Israel of the West Side" event.
Members of Jews Against the Occupation
(JATO) and other New York-based human rights activists disrupted
Gold’s speech, chanting "Israel’s ‘democracy’ kills Palestinian
civilians" and "Israel’s democracy murdered Rachel Corrie"
Four protesters chanted as they were escorted from the event, after
unfurling a banner with a picture of Rachel Corrie, the American
human rights activist murdered by an Israeli army bulldozer in Gaza
two weeks ago. A second group of about 60 protesters demonstrated
outside the event.
"Dore Gold is an architect of the spin that the killing of
Palestinian civilians and the destruction of Palestinian society
somehow constitute a battle between two equal sides," said Sam
Miller-Eisenstein of Jews Against the Occupation. "Palestinians
don’t have tanks – they have stones, a few militants, and what
remains of their dignity. This is not a war between Palestinians and
Israelis; it’s a brutal occupation."
"It’s time for people like Gold to stop crying self-defense,"
Miller-Eisenstein continued. "Not only are Israel’s actions illegal
acts of war on Palestinians – but they don’t keep Jews safe either.
As Jews and as human beings, we demand Israel stop committing
atrocities in our name."
Dr. Gold, educated in New York City and Foreign Policy Advisor to
Prime Minister Netanyahu, brought his message of Israeli state
violence to the United Nations as Israel’s ambassador from 1997 to
1999. Dr. Gold's tour of the U.S. coincides with the preliminary
passage of a $10 billion loan guarantee to Israel, intended to
compensate for Israel’s uncapped military spending on the occupation
of the West Bank and Gaza.
Ambassador Gold’s appearance was sponsored by "Caravan for
Democracy", an American group which works to build unconditional
support for Israeli policies, regardless of their legality or
justness. "Caravan for Democracy" is also a partner of the Jewish
National Fund, which administers 14% of land in Israel and, as a
matter of policy, refuses to lease to Arab citizens of Israel.
"This program is cynically named ‘Caravan for Democracy,’ but its
purpose is fundamentally undemocratic. Unconditional support for any
government is a terrifying notion, and more so when that government
is engaged in systemic violence," said protester Jen Silver of Jews
Against the Occupation.
"We’re here to show these lobbyists what democracy really looks
like: Palestinians, Jews and other supporters of human rights,
standing together for justice." said Silver, "How can democracy
coexist with mass murder and brutal repression? The two are
antithetical."
______________________________________________________________________
Jews Against the Occupation Action for
Passover
Sunday March. 31, 2002
In front of Zabar's, Broadway and
81st Street
Flyer:
"Do not oppress the stranger - for you know the soul of the stranger,
for you were strangers in the land of Egypt"
(Exodus 23:9)
As we remember the persecution our people suffered, let us speak out this Passover against the Israeli persecution of the Palestinians in the Occupied Territories.
Why is this night different
from all other nights?
1) Why on this night do we eat only unleavened bread?
Our ancestors couldn't wait for their bread to rise as they rushed out of Egypt, towards freedom. When the Palestinians were driven from their homes, they went not towards freedom, but into refugee camps. Jewish tradition teaches us to work for freedom for not just ourselves, but for all people.
2) Why on this night do we eat bitter herbs?
The bitter herbs remind us of our own suffering and the suffering of others. Let us think this Passover about the suffering of the Palestinians and how to bring peace and justice.
3) Why on this night do we eat in a reclining position?
We recline to act like kings and queens, eating not only in freedom, but in luxury. The Israeli government is acting much like Pharaoh now: not reclining, but exercising military control over the Palestinian civilians, violating their human and civil rights, and restricting their movement.
4) Why on this night do we dip our food twice?
As we dip our vegetable in salt water, we think about the Palestinian villages that have no water because the Israeli government has diverted this scarce resource to Israeli settlements and cities.
Join Jews Against the Occupation this Passover in celebrating our freedom and committing ourselves to freedom for all people, starting with the Palestinians.
Join us in Washington, D.C. on April 22nd
to protest the visit of Ariel Sharon.
For more information and to get involved:
www.jewsagainsttheoccupation.org
(212) 539-6683 ▪ jatonyc@yahoo.com
Protest the meeting of Ehud Olmert & Rudolph Giuliani
Tonight Rudolph Giuliani and Ehud Olmert are discussing the United States’ and Israel’s “shared democratic values and hope for the future.”
Is this what they’re talking about:
While Giuliani was mayor of New York:
• Police brutality complaints to the NYC Civilian Review Board jumped by 62%
• 80 people, mostly people of color, were killed by the NYPD
• The city paid approximately $100 million in taxpayers’ revenue to settle police misconduct complaints
And this was just during his first term!
As “mayor” of Jerusalem, Ehud Olmert has overseen:
• The ongoing occupation of East Jerusalem through preferential and racist development practices that encourage Jewish people to move to the occupied territory
• The “silent transfer” of Palestinians out of Jerusalem through the destruction of Palestinian homes and revocation of Palestinian residency.
• The establishment of military checkpoints that prevents movement between East Jerusalem and the West Bank
Do these actions demonstrate democratic values?
If this is the present we can only imagine their hopes for the future.
The only viable hope for the future of Israelis and Palestinians is in Israel ending its illegal occupation of East Jerusalem and the rest of the occupied territories. We call on Israel to do what is just, moral, and democratic.
Join Jews Against the Occupation as we work for justice in Palestine.
For more information or to get involved
www.jewsagainsttheoccupation.org
(212) 539-6683
Anti-Occupation Purimspiel
Thurs 2/28 5:30-6:30pm 14th and Broadway
Women in Black will be having an anti-occupation Purimspiel at our regular Thursday vigil next week (2/28). There will be puppets, groggers (noisemakers), and signs saying "End the Occupation" in English, Hebrew and Arabic. A Purimspiel is a performance to celebrate Jewish escape from destruction by an historical/mythic overlord named Haman, usually accompanied by much noise and drunkenness on the part of the spectators. We will have the noise, the fun, and (thank you Daniel Lang) a set of puppets re-casting the major players of Purim in modern dress: Sharon=Haman, and Israeli leftist peace groups as the 'good guys'. the drunkenness, unfortunately, should probably wait until after the vigil over. Men are welcome. Please wear black. Come and join the fun.
THURS. 2/28 5:30-6:30pm 14TH ST AND BROADWAY
(across from the Virgin MegaStore).
Public Action for Tu b'Shevet
Sunday, January 27, 2002
at 72nd Street and Broadway
(in front of the 1/2/3 subway station)
- look for the olive tree -
"When you lay siege to a city and wage war against it a long time to capture it, you must not destroy its trees." Deuteronomy 20:19
Jewish Tradition teaches us that even in
a time of conflict we must not engage in collective punishment of
innocent civilians.
Over 30,000 Palestinian olive trees have been uprooted during the current intifada by Israeli security forces and settlers. These actions are in direct violation of Israeli law, international law, and Jewish tradition. These trees, some of them hundreds of years old, were the economic and ecological basis of Palestinian towns, having produced oil and olives for the villagers. Each one of them paid the cost of year after year of schooling for a child, or the cost of a room built for a growing child.
The Struggle for a Just Peace in Israel/Palestine needs strong voices here in the U.S. Help break the silence around Jewish opposition to the Israeli government's attacks on Palestinians - home demolitions, assassinations, detentions, curfews, collective punishment, and the occupation itself.
What does Chanukah
teach us about the current situation in the Middle East? Chanukah means
“rededication”. Let us be inspired by
the lights to rededicate ourselves to the cause
of justice. Let us work for the
“miracle” of peace by calling for an end to the
occupation. During this
holiday of light in a dark time, we continue to work for peace and
justice for all Israelis and Palestinians. We mourn all lives lost
over the past 14 months. We oppose the violence perpetrated by both
sides. We seek a peaceful and just solution. The Chanukah
story teaches us about the Jews’ struggle for freedom and
self-governance. Similarly, we believe that the Palestinians in the
Occupied Territories—the West Bank and the Gaza Strip—have the right
to freedom and self-governance. For
Palestinians, the effects of the Occupation are devastating. They
live every day with a fear of Israeli Defense Forces attacks,
constant threats of home demolitions and water shortages,
checkpoints, and curfews. For
Palestinians and Israelis, the Occupation continues the cycle of
violence and brings more pain and suffering. Join Jews Against the
Occupation in our work for peace and
justice as we light candles in this time
of darkness.
American Jews Protest
Israel's Latest Attacks on Palestinians 4 December 2001, 5:00
p.m., Israeli Consulate Members of
Jews Against the Occupation (JATO) will gather at 5:00pm today at
the Israeli Consulate in New York City, along with Palestinians,
Arab-Americans and other supporters of peace and justice in the
Middle East, to protest the Israeli government's most recent attacks
on Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. As the
Israeli government once more escalates the cycle of violence,
members of JATO (a New York City based group of American Jews
working for a just peace in Palestine and Israel) raise our voices
to say that the security of all Israelis and Palestinians depends on
a just resolution of the questions underlying the conflict. "There
is no hope to end the killing of Jews and Arabs until the occupation
is ended," says Bert Lessuck, a JATO member and longtime peace and
justice activist. Jews Against
the Occupation condemns the Israeli army's attacks on Gaza, Rafah,
and Khan Yunis in the Gaza Strip and Jenin, Nablus, and Ramallah in
the West Bank yesterday, which have killed at least five
Palestinians and injured over 150 so far. This escalation of
military action is one more sign of the Sharon government's
preference for continued hostilities -- affecting civilians most
deeply -- over any motion towards peace or justice. Likewise, we
condemn the past week's suicide attacks on civilians in Israel. In
doing so, we reaffirm our refusal to allow our grief to be used as
justification for further violence. We mourn all those who have been
killed, but our grief is not a cry for war. Security for
Palestinians and Israelis alike will remain a dream until there is a
just peace, beginning with an end to the Israeli occupation of the
West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem. We are
especially concerned by the rhetoric which has accompanied the
renewed Israeli assaults on Palestinians, in statements by Israeli
Prime Minister Sharon and by U.S. President Bush. The Israeli
government's description of the Palestinian Authority as a supporter
of terrorism and of two of its elements as terrorist groups is a
blatant attempt to take advantage of the deaths of thousands of New
Yorkers in order to enlist the U.S. in its war on Palestinians. The
targeting of Palestinian Authority buildings in yesterday's attacks
is the flip side of this attempt to undermine the main
internationally recognized body representing Palestinians.
Unfortunately, President Bush's apparent assent to Israel's new
offensive seems to show a willingness to accept this wholesale
conflation of the struggle for Palestinian human rights with
terrorism. Continued rhetorical escalation, whether it comes from
Sharon or Bush, is an evasion of the root cause of the cycle of
violence in Israel and Palestine – Israel's continued occupation of
the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem.
Community Statement Opposing War, Repression &
Collective Punishment in the Aftermath of
Sep. 11 As communities engaged in the struggle for justice,
we are shocked and distressed at [yesterday's] horrific attack on
workers and visitors at the World Trade Center, and at the multiple
violent hijackings which preceded it. We condemn this violence
against random individuals and the obvious intention to kill and
destroy lives. Many of us have lost or nearly lost people we love,
and without exception we are horrified at the pain, fear and death
inflicted on millions of people, in New York and elsewhere, by these
acts. Along with the rest of the city, we will long be grappling
with and recovering from this event. We are concerned for everyone
who has lost a friend or family member, for the missing, for the
emergency workers and volunteers participating in rescue efforts,
and also for the thousands of people whose mode of employment was
destroyed in the wreckage. We will be seeking meaningful ways to
assist in the aftermath. Regardless of who orchestrated this violence, we are
deeply concerned about the social and political aftermath of this
event. We call on the people and the government of the
United States to resist the temptation now to label as "terrorists"
all Arab groups who object to American policy. American oil and
geopolitical interests have visited war on the Middle East region,
and American support for Israeli presence in the Occupied
Territories has visited over 50 years of violence and repression
specifically on the Palestinian people. We must reconsider these
policies not because we fear extremist violence, but because these
policies are antidemocratic and unjust. We are concerned that the many governments worldwide
will seize on this opportunity to heighten violence and repression
against Arabs and Muslims. We call on the international community to
object to any such form of collective punishment. As in the turmoil of the Gulf War, we fear an
upsurge of anti-Arab racism, and we have already seen the signs in
the media and in conversations on the street. But a crisis calls for
strict adherence to the principles of democracy, and we condemn the
"guilt by racial association" imposed on Arabs in the Middle East
and around the world. Let each individual be judged on the basis of
their actions and words we reject harassment, looting of
businesses or other forms of witch-hunting against Arabs in our
communities. We reject any attempts now to curtail freedom of
movement, access to resources, the right to organize or other civil
liberties. Similarly, we reject any attempts to silence
community activists who challenge anti-Arab racism or other
injustices. Instead, we call urgently on the U.S. government to
increase the level of open dialogue about American involvement and
policy in the Middle East. Most importantly, we call on individual human beings
worldwide to act thoughtfully in these coming days; to carefully
evaluate their sources of information for bias, and to behave and
speak in a way that creates a world in which we would want to live.
At this moment of crisis, we stand together with our
sisters and brothers of all races, cultures, religions and
nationalities to call not for war, but for justice.
Press Contacts: Date of Event: Sunday, May 20, 2001 Several hundred Jews, Muslims, Christians,
Palestinians, Israelis, Arabs and people from the U.S.will stand
together and refuse to be enemies. In response to the "Salute to Israel Day Parade," a
protest will be held at 11AM at 59th St. and 5th Ave., in front of
the Plaza Hotel along the parade route. By saluting Israel, the Israel Day Parade is
saluting human rights abuses and an illegal occupation. This year,
people of conscience will come together to DEMAND JUSTICE FOR
PALESTINE! Why there is nothing to salute: * Israel Defense Force (IDF) soldiers have killed
over 400 Palestinians in the past seven months, and have seriously
wounded or injured thousands of others, many of them children. * Israel government curfews and closures keep the
Palestinian populations of the West Bank and Gaza Strip virtual
captives living in outdoor prisons. This makes it impossible for
most Palestinians living in the Occupied Territories to go to work
or to attend school. * The Israeli government has continued its policy of
collective punishments by the continuous demolition of Palestinian
homes, leaving the families literally on the street without shelter.
This policy has been ongoing since 1967. * Israel persistently denies the Right of Return of
the Palestinian refugees. It does this in spite of the fact that UN
resolution 194 demands this as a condition for admission to the UN.
* US taxpayer dollars, in the amount of FIVE BILLION
DOLLARS per year are supporting these injustices. Standing together, JEWS, CHRISTIANS, MUSLIMS, ARABS,
PEOPLE FROM THE U.S., PALESTINIANS, AND ISRAELIS, people of many
faiths and philosophies, nationalities and political beliefs will
cry STOP!!! THERE IS A SOLUTION. It begins with these basic
steps. (1) End the illegal occupation of ALL captured
territories (2) Support the Right of Return of the Palestinians (3)
End U.S. Aid to Israel (4) Stop the killing, torture, and home
demolitions of Palestinians When all people in the region have the right to live
in a true democratic atmosphere, free of occupation and repression,
THEN THERE WILL BE SOMETHING TO SALUTE! Sponsoring organizations:
Tonight, as the holiday of Passover begins, Jews all
over the world will retell the biblical story of the exodus from
slavery. On this night we remember the bitterness of oppression and
the sweetness of freedom. As we recall our own history of struggles
against injustice, we think of the Palestinians, who today are
struggling for freedom from oppression. WHY IS TODAY DIFFERENT FROM ALL OTHER DAYS? At the Passover service, we ask "why is this night
different from all other nights?" Today we assert, "today is
different from all other days because we have come together as Jews
to demand the right to return for Palestinian refugees. Today is
different because we will no longer allow injustice to be committed
in our name." NEXT YEAR AT THIS TIME... At the conclusion of the Passover service, we hope
that next year will bring the promise of peace. Today we add: Next year at this time, the refugees must be allowed
to return to their homeland. Next year at this time, the Occupation
must be ended. Next year at this time, there must be justice for all
the people of the region. NO COLONIZATION OF PALESTINE! SAY YES TO THE RIGHT
TO RETURN! Jews Against the Occupation (212) 539-6683
www.jewsagainsttheoccuption.org
Date: January 11, 2001 New York City - a group of Jewish activists this
morning occupied the Israel Discount Bank, chanting and carrying
signs denouncing the Israeli occupation of Palestine. Protesters
scattered blood-stained money around the bank in an act of peaceful
civil disobedience. Protesters cited the Israel Discount Bank, one of
Israel's three largest banks reporting assets of $23.7 billion, as
an example of the enormous capital power amassed by Israel at the
expense of Palestinian freedom. According to its own literature, the
Israel Discount Bank has been active in building the Israeli economy
for over 50 years; 'a frontrunner in the structural economic changes
currently taking place in the Middle East and ? a major player in
the accelerated economic growth experienced in Israel.' The demonstrators, organized by the New York-based
Jews Against the Occupation, highlighted economic subjugation of
Palestinians by the Israeli government, in addition to the Israeli
army's use of excessive and lethal force against unarmed Palestinian
civilians. "The Israeli government is systematically destroying
Palestinian houses and demolishing crops in an effort to starve
Palestinians into submission," said protester Chloe Tribich. "Not
only is this a bad- faith environment in which to negotiate a peace
settlement; it is a violation of basic human rights." In November 2000, the Israeli government destroyed
over 300 Palestinian olive trees, decimating this essential local
crop at a time when food supplies to the area were cut off by
Israeli forces. Since 1967, six thousand homes have been demolished,
according to Israeli peace group Bat Shalom. Jewish protesters also insisted that Palestinian
refugees must be allowed to return to the region, a Palestinian
demand which has been a stumbling point for the recent
Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. "For the last fifty years, I could arrive for the
first time in Israel and automatically be a citizen. There is no
justification for denying that right to Palestinians who actually
lived there and who were ejected by war. There is no justification
for denying Palestinians the right of return," said Mark Landau of
Jews Against the Occupation. "We as Jews refuse to allow the Israeli government
to violate the rights of Palestinians in our name," said protester
Emmaia Gelman. "A negotiated military standoff is not peace, there
can be no security for Jews in Israel or anywhere else if we
continue, as a people, to be oppressors. The Israeli and American
governments manipulate our deepest fears about anti-Semitism for the
sake of consolidating Israeli power over stolen land and protecting
U.S. oil interests. We refuse to be stage-managed in this way." Jews Against the Occupation articulated a series of
additional demands, including an end to U.S. funding for the Israeli
military, an end to blockades of Palestinian towns, immediate
provision of food and medical supplies, an international commission
of inquiry into the actions of the Israeli security forces since
September 29, 2000, the immediate release of all Israeli
conscientious objectors, and an immediate withdrawal of all Israeli
military personnel from the Occupied Territories.
JEWS AGAINST THE OCCUPATION NO OCCUPATION IN OUR NAME RESTORE HUMAN & CIVIL RIGHTS STOP ECONOMIC ATTACKS ON PALESTINE LET PALESTINIANS RETURN HOME NO COLONIZATION OF PALESTINE Jews Against the Occupation (212) 539-6683 or
www.jewsagainsttheoccupation.org
Demonstration at the Salute to Israel ParadePRESS RELEASE
The AdHoc Coalition for Justice in Palestine
For Immediate Release:
Lorne Lieb: 646-246-1121 (on-site)
Afaf Sulieman: 718-721-7242
Al-Awda
Jews Against The Occupation
NYCISPES
SALGA (Southeast Asian Lesbian and Gay Alliance)
Columbia Action Committee
Resistance In Brooklyn (RnB)
Freedom Socialist Party
The Center For Economic and Social Rights
Irish Queers
Solidarty
Turath
MADRE
American Muslim Alliance
International Socialist Organization
NYU Students for Justice in Palestine
Palestine Education Committee
CHRI (Coalition for Human Rights of Immigrants)
Palestinian National Alliance
General Union of Palestinian Women
Casa Las Americas
Socialist Action
JATO Passover Protest Flyer (distributed
at Right to Return Rally)JEWS AGAINST THE OCCUPATION DEMANDS THE RIGHT TO RETURN FOR
PALESTINIAN REFUGEES!
JATO Purim Protest Flyer(click
here
for PDF version)
NYC JEWISH ACTIVISTS PROTEST
ISRAELI
OCCUPATION OF PALESTINE
Activists occupy bank offices, demand Israel stop dismantling
Palestinian economic structure(click
here to see video on the Indymedia website)
Contact: (917) 887-0803 or (917) 968-2408
JATO Protest Flyer(click
here for PDF version)
A Voice of Jewish Opposition to the War on Palestinians
We as American Jews reject the Israeli government assertion that it
is "necessary" to subjegate Palestinians for the sake of keeping
Jews safe. We assert that security can only come from mutual
respect, and that the occupation of Palestine is only worsening the
position of Jews in the Middle East and around the world.
The Israeli military fires bone-crushing rubber bullets and live
ammunition at unarmed Palestinian civilians engaged in peaceful
protest, failing to distinguish between peaceful and violent
resistance. The Israeli government has been demolishing Palestinian
houses and crops in the Occupied Territories, while allowing Jewish
settlers -- many of them American -- to illegally occupy the same
land.
The Israeli government has attacked the Palestinian economy by:
closing Palestinian banks; imposing extreme taxes on business;
withdrawing operatinglicences; destroying industrial equipment;
bulldozing farmland and banning fishing; restricting workers'
movement; controlling the export of Palestinian goods; closing the
borders of the Occupied Territories; and refusing to fund
infrastucture like water and electricity -- even in Arab villages
within Israel.
Thousands of Palestinians were driven out of their houses and off of
their farms during and after the creation of Israel. They must be
allowed to return to their homeland.
SAY YES TO THE RIGHT OF RETURN
Sign the international petition titled
"Jews Against the Occupation",
but not affiliated with NYC JATO.
Click
here to read the petition and sign.