Now is the time to insist on credible news coverage of Palestine and to hold policymakers accountable for enabling the occupation. The distorted narrative on Palestine has been allowed to exist for far too long. It's your turn to lend your voice for Palestinian human rights.
The United States plays a role in perpetuating the occupation. Contacting your representatives about the following bills and laws is one of the most effective ways to take action.
This legislation was introduced by Congresswoman Betty McCollum to prevent United States tax dollars from supporting the Israeli military’s ongoing detention and mistreatment of Palestinian children. You can read the bill here. So far, all supporters of the bill are Democrats, but the protection of children cannot be a partisan issue, so encourage your member of Congress on either side of the isle to support this bill.
The Leahy Law is named after its principal sponsor, Senator Patrick Leahy, and it prohibit the U.S. Department of State and Department of Defense from providing military assistance to foreign security force units that are engaged in human rights violations. Given the extensive abuse of Palestinian human rights by Israeli security forces, it’s time to hold Israel accountable.
The Media covers Palestine in a number of distorted ways. You must be there to challenge it. If your local paper is not covering the events in Palestine correctly, write a letter to the editor (200 words) explaining the central point they did not get right. If your local TV station is not providing fair coverage, call or send an email. If their coverage does highlight the injustice Palestinians are facing, take a moment to thank them.
Donate to ANERA, an organization that provides humanitarian and emergency relief, as well as health, education, and economic development programs for Palestinians and Palestinian refugees.
A bicameral bill was introduced in the House and Senate that seeks to restrict criticism of Israel at the expense of our First Amendment protected right to free speech. Entitled the Anti-Semitism Awareness Act of 2018, the bill does not actually counteract the real, disturbing rise in anti-Semitism but rather focuses on suppressing speech critical of Israel. Please call and e-mail your member of Congress and urge them to oppose the Anti-Semitism Awareness Act and support free speech.
On June 25, 2018, DCIP and AFSC will host a congressional briefing examining how persistent grave human rights violations, systemic impunity, discrimination, and recent U.S. policy decisions, like relocating the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, affect the lives of Palestinian children growing up under military occupation. Tell your lawmaker to attend this congressional briefing and take action to protect Palestinian rights.
The Senate will vote on the confirmation of Kenneth Marcus today at 12:30pm. Marcus has been nominated for the position of Assistant Secretary of the Office of Civil Rights at the Department of Education. His appointment would be a huge setback for civil rights protections in our academic environment. Marcus has been a longtime advocate for the adoption of an overly-broad, political definition of anti-Semitism, which includes criticism of the state of Israel. This is just one of the many ways his appointment would undermine civil rights protections in academia.
The Trump Administration is threatening to shut down the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) General Delegation office in Washington, DC, in the false premise that the Palestinians are making unilateral moves that undermine the possibility of peace. In reality, it’s Israel, through continued occupation and expansion of settlements, that is undermining the possibility of peace. Tell Congress that the attack on the Palestinian diplomatic mission in the US is misguided.
