Gaza Stirs the Grassroots
Israel’s assault on Gaza sparked a wave of protests. Now, Jewish, Muslim and Arab-American activists are taking aim at the U.S. government’s support of its favorite client state.
Linda Sarsour, a Palestinian born and raised in Brooklyn, tirelessly helped put together several rallies in New York City after Israel launched its 22-day offensive on Gaza. As a Bay Ridge community organizer and head of the Arab American Association of New York, she spoke to imams at local mosques, translated and distributed fliers at high schools and used Facebook to attract as many spectators as possible.
“We [the Arab-American and Muslim communities] have been the underdog for so long,” said Sarsour, 28, “so we organized these protests around our emotions. We saw anger, rage and sadness. It was almost like those were our families back there.” To continue reading this article, click here.
Jewish Rebels Rally Against Zionism by Alex Kane
Judy Rebick has received death threats, been screamed at, and been labeled a “self-hating Jew” for her outspokenness on the Arab-Israeli conflict.
But that hasn’t stopped her participation in any of the many Jewish-led and supported actions during Israel’s latest incursion into the impoverished Gaza Strip in Palestine.
“For people who embrace a progressive Jewish vision, Israel is against everything we believe in,” Rebick said. “They’re violating the Jewish tradition of progressive struggle, and their claim of being a victim is wrong.” To continue reading this article, click here.
Gaza’s Facts on the Ground by Jaisal Noor
Amnesty International released a report Nov. 5 stating that a five-and-a-half-month ceasefire between Israel and Hamas “has brought enormous improvements in the quality of life in Sderot and other Israeli villages near Gaza.” However, it warned that a spate of Israeli and Palestinian attacks and counter-attacks in the previous 24 hours could “once again put the civilian populations of Gaza and southern Israel in the line of fire.”
Seven weeks later, Israel launched a massive military offensive into Gaza that shocked much of the world while gaining widespread support inside the Jewish state. To continue reading this article click here.