CHAPTERS & SECTORS

Protest Israel’s Escalation of Violence

The International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network (IJAN) condemns Israel’s escalation of violence, as well as the revenge threats by the Israeli government and citizens and Zionist organizations and public figures. We denounce Western states and media claiming this brutality is somehow justified retribution for the deaths of three Jewish settlers from the racist, Jewish-only colony of Gush Etzion in the West Bank of Palestine. In the space of just a few days, the Gaza Strip has been indiscriminately bombarded by warplanes; upwards of 600 Palestinians have been rounded up and imprisoned, and at least ten Palestinians have been killed—including several children, a pregnant mother, and a seventeen-year old boy whose burnt, mutilated body was found dumped in a forest outside East Jerusalem. These actions expose the terrorism of a racist settler-colonial state. IJAN stands in solidarity with the Palestinian people and defends their right to resist the violence of colonialism and apartheid. It is urgent that we act: Over the next week, please organize rallies, protests, actions, demonstrations and vigils to protest this latest escalation of Israeli violence.

Anarchists Against the Wall Event

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An Open Letter From Anti-Zionist Jewish Youth in Canada

**If you would like to sign on to this letter, send an email to antizionistjews@gmail.com with your name and city**

Like much of the world, we have spent the last week watching in shockand disgust as Israel continues its assault on the Gaza Strip. With thebody count rising and a new tragedy in full bloom, we feel that it isimportant to speak out as Jewish youth in Canada and to denounce whatIsrael is doing in our name. The Jewish diaspora is diverse and dividedon its positions on the state of Israel's policies. At this juncture inhistory, as Israel has committed its worst massacre in Gaza since itbegan its illegal occupation in 1967, we feel that it is crucial thatJews speak out and denounce Israel's actions that amount to no lessthan war crimes committed by an apartheid state.

As Jewish youth, we are diverse, but we are unified in our solidarity with our Palestinian brothers and sisters in Gaza.

Some of us are students. We are outraged by the bombing of the IslamicUniversity in Gaza city, as well as other civilian infrastructure suchas hospitals and mosques.

Some of us are Arab-Jews and people of colour. We stand againstIsrael's racism, which has been enshrined in Israeli law, andprivileges its Jewish citizens over its non-Jewish ones.This apartheidstate views Palestinians as an expendable people, no more thancollateral damage.

Some of us are queer. We reject Israel's branding of itself as the onlysafe place for queer people in the Middle-East while it targets gay andlesbian Palestinians and renders life unsafe for millions of others.

Some of us are Israelis living in Canada. We are calling for asolidarity that stretches beyond borders and nationalities. Israel'sviolent actions will only serve to further isolate the state and itscitizens from the rest of the world. By calling itself a Jewish stateand committing war crimes in the name of Jews everywhere, Israel makesthe world even less safe for Jews, leading to an increase in animustowards Jewish people around the world.

Even though there have been approximately 100 Palestinian deaths forevery Israeli killed by rocket fire, we recognize that IsraeliApartheid also leads to Israeli casualties. The blame for these deathslies with Israel - if there were no occupation and no apartheidpolicies, there would be no rocket fire. If Israel, the world's fourthlargest military power, is concerned about its citizens, it wouldabandon its apartheid policies and seek out justice for the Palestinianpeople.

In 2005, Palestinian civil society put out a clear call forinternational support through a non-violent campaign of Boycott,Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) similar to that carried out against theapartheid regime of South Africa. Now, with the people of Gaza beingcrushed by Israeli bombs, manufactured in the USA and launched withCanada's blessing, it is more important than ever for Jewishcommunities throughout the world to take up this BDS campaign in orderto end Israel's apartheid system, which makes life unsafe for millionsof Jews and Palestinians alike.

Let us not be silent bystanders while humanity suffers. Let us raiseour voices, as Jewish youth, and demand a single, democratic state,with equal rights for everyone in Israel/Palestine.

Ours is a generation that is committed to ending Middle-East violenceby opposing all forms of discrimination, calling for a just peacewithin the entire region, and condemning Zionism to the dustbin ofhistory.

Free Gaza, Free Palestine.