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68 years of dispossession Honor the victims today by working for Palestine

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This year on May 15, we mark 68 years of Palestinian dispossession, called the Nakba, or Catastrophe. Between the United Nations' partition of Palestine in 1947 until Jan. 1, 1949, Zionist militant forces destroyed or depopulated 531 Palestinian villages, driving two-thirds of the indigenous population into exile.

Though May 15, 1948 is the official recognition of this tragic episode, the American Muslims for Palestine recognizes the Nakba is still ongoing. Israeli occupation policies are choking Palestinians. Today, more than 400 Palestinian children sit in Israeli prisons. The Apartheid Wall continues to snake its way through Palestinian territory, annexing ever more land and prohibiting Palestinians’ freedom of movement. The siege on Gaza will soon render that area uninhabitable and more than 50 discriminatory laws in Israel deprive Palestinian citizens of Israel of their rights.

In the past 20 years, biased negotiations have resulted in the de-development of Palestinian society on all levels. Yes, things are bad. But, yet, we still have reason to hope.

The global movement for Palestinian justice and self-determination is robust and almost every country has condemned Israeli policies that violate international law and Palestinian human rights. In the United States, the movement is growing like never before. A new Pew Research poll show that since 2006 support for Palestinians has tripled among those born after 1980, and even the general American population’s support has increased 5 percent – a modest increase to be sure but one that represents millions of people.

Support is growing in Congress as well, albeit at a much smaller pace. This week, U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN) has issued a Dear Colleague letter asking President Obama to appoint a special envoy for Palestinian children. We are realistically hoping to get nearly 30 legislators to sign on. Last year, she wrote to Secretary of State John Kerry asking that Palestinian children be elevated to priority status in our relationship with Israel. That letter was signed by 19 legislators. Jan Schakowsky, a Chicago-area congresswoman, also wrote a similar letter, signed by four more.  

In April, Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and 10 members of the House wrote a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry asking whether Israel and Egypt were violating human rights and should be penalized under the Leahy Law, which prohibits US foreign aid to military units committing such abuses. The State Department has indicated it is investigating the allegations. 

These are small numbers, but a few years ago no member of Congress would take a stand on Palestine. These numbers represent a sea change in attitudes among our policymakers.

Still there is much work to be done.  There are several ways in which you can honor the victims of the Nakba by taking action for Palestine.

TAKE ACTION

check markParticipate in AMP’s 5th annual Ramadan Date Boycott. Get a video, Power Point and other educational materials to educate your community on what brands to boycott.

check markAsk your representative to sign on to Rep. McCollum’s letter.  

check markAsk your Member of Congress to contact Secretary Kerry and ask that the State Department uphold the law and suspend US aid to Israeli military units complicit in human rights abuses.

check markSign the petition asking the IRS to investigate the tax-exempt status of the Jewish National Fund, which help facilitate the Nakba by buying up Palestinian land for Zionist immigrants and transferring Palestinians out.

check markHold a screening of Enduring Roots or an educational program about the Jewish National Fund.

check markDonate to AMP to help us continue changing America’s hearts and minds toward Palestine.