May 10, 2021
Dear T’nua,
We are heartbroken and infuriated by the immense human rights violations happening in Sheikh Jarrah, a neighborhood in Jerusalem. Four Palestinian families are facing forced expulsions from their homes by the Israeli government. Palestinian protestors who are fighting for their right to remain in their homes are facing immense violence and brutalization from Israeli settlers, the IDF, and the Israeli police.
We wanted to share the attached statement with you, written by the HDNA Zionism Va’ad and the Mazkirut Artzit, which includes a list of ways you can take action.
Aleh v’Hagshem,
HDNA Zionism Va’ad & Mazkirut Artzit
Statement:
As many of you have heard at this point, the Israeli government will likely be moving forward
with the eviction of four Palestinian families from their homes in Sheikh Jarrah, a neighborhood
in Jerusalem. As if that was not enough, Palestinian protesters who are speaking out against
these forced expulsions have been met with brutality and violence from Israeli settlers, the IDF,
and the Israeli police. We are heartbroken and infuriated by these immense human rights
violations, and strongly believe in the rights of these families to keep their homes in Sheikh
Jarrah.
Sheikh Jarrah is a neighborhood in East Jerusalem where 28 Palestinian families originally
resettled in 1956, following the expulsion from their homes. These families had reached an
agreement with the Jordanian Ministry of Construction and Development and the UN refugee
agency UNRWA to provide safe housing for them, as the West Bank was under Jordanian rule
at that time. With the Israeli occupation of the West Bank in 1967, the homes were never able to
be registered under the names of the families. Israeli settler organizations have been seeking
the expulsion of these families, of which there are now 38, in the years since then. Earlier this
year, the Israeli Center Court ruled that four of these families must either leave their homes, or
reach an agreement with these settler organizations and recognize them as landlords. While the
final verdict from the Israeli Supreme Court has been delayed until May 10, the urgency has not
faltered, and more families are expected to be expelled in the coming months.
We are absolutely disgusted by this blatant veiling of these violent expulsions as private land
ownership disputes. As a socialist organization, we strongly believe that there should never be a
situation in which the government is evicting people from their homes. Furthermore, we
condemn the acts of the Israeli government and these settler organizations as they propel us
farther and farther from an Israel that sees Jewish liberation as inherently tied to Palestinian
liberation. We additionally condemn those who are using the guise of Zionism to defend these
actions. We believe that Jewish self-determination is inherently tied with Palestinian liberation
and justice. We call upon other Jewish organizations to speak out against this grave injustice,
and in America, we refuse to be claimed by a government that gives unconditional militaristic
support to Israel on “our behalf.” We stand in solidarity with all Palestinians who have been met
with extreme violence and hatred as they fight for their right to live in their homes. Our hearts
ache and burn for the lives that have been lost to this violence, such as the life of 16-year-old
Saeed Odeh, and may their memories be both a blessing and a revolution.
It is monumentally important that now and always, we as members of HDNA are taking action
against the inhumane and violent actions of the Israeli government. The Zionism Va’ad is
working on compiling a list of resources but for now, here is an incomprehensive list of ways that
you can get involved:
-
SOCIAL MEDIA → Amplify the voices of Palestinian residents of Sheikh Jarrah. Use #SaveSheikhJarrah in your social media posts, and share images and videos from activists in Sheikh Jarrah who are combatting censorship.
-
EDUCATE → Educate yourself about the horrors of the occupation and its impact on Palestinian lives and liberation.
-
Jewish Currents Webinar: On Tuesday, May 11th, 9AM PST/12PM EST, Jewish Currents Editor at Large Peter Beinart will be joined by Mahmoud Muna, Yudith Oppenheimer, and Diala Shamas to discuss the rapidly unfolding present crisis in Jerusalem and its long and fraught history. Register for this event here.
-
Progressive Israel Network Webinar: On Wednesday, May 12, 11AM PST/2PM EST, join us for an urgent conversation about this volatile and highly dynamic situation, with leading Palestinian and Israeli experts from Jerusalem to update us about what is happening on the ground, what Israelis and Palestinians are doing, and what we can do from afar. Register for this event here.
-
-
CALL YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS & SIGN PETITIONS→ Get in touch with your representatives and encourage them to support anti-occupation legislation, and sign petitions calling for the U.S. to cease providing unconditional military aid to the IDF.
DONATE → If you have the means, donate to an organization or find ways to redistribute your wealth. People in Sheikh Jarrah are not asking for donations at this time, but there are many Palestinian and coexistence organizations that could use support.
Aleh v’Hagshem,
HDNA Zionism Va’ad & Mazkirut Artzit 5781