Jewish Voice for Peace denounces Israeli blacklist

Letter from Jewish Voice for Peace Executive Director Rebecca Vilkomerson:

I’m equal parts furious and sad: The Israeli Strategic Affairs Ministry put Jewish Voice for Peace on the list of organizations now officially banned from entering the state of Israel. We’re racing to figure out what this means and it will take some time to play out. We will be reaching out with more information as we get it.

So I’m writing to ask you to help us grow JVP – right now. We need to prove that these repressive tactics are not only morally wrong, but that they actually have the opposite of their intended effect. They will grow the movement for justice in Palestine.

Will you give someone you care about the gift of JVP membership today?

Gift JVP Membership

Many JVP members, including me, have family and friends in Israel/Palestine. And now, contrary to any democratic norm, there’s to be a political litmus test for entering the country. Yet as we at JVP are now feeling the pain of exclusion, we are very aware that Palestinians have always faced profiling and bans on entry to Israel. From the right of return for refugees to the simple ability to travel from one town to another, travel restrictions are a core feature of the Israeli apartheid state.

The Israeli government sees the same thing you and I do: increasing numbers of Jews and all people worldwide supporting the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement, and supporting Palestinian human rights. And it terrifies them.

This ban is a desperate attempt to hold onto a repressive status quo. But it will not work. Give the gift of JVP membership today to tell Israel: Blacklists won’t intimidate us into silence.

I have to believe that the public naming of JVP on this list signals the fundamental weakness of the repressive, right-wing movement in Israel. They see the global BDS movement gaining momentumand they’re pulling out all the stops.

JVP members will continue fighting for justice, equality, and freedom for all people in Israel/Palestine, and we are confident about the legitimacy and efficacy of the BDS movement. We won’t back down.

This is going to be one of those “ah-ha!” moments for people – and we have to be there, inviting them to take strategic action with us.

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Op-Ed writer, author, radio host, podcaster at The Arab Daily News

Ray Hanania is an award-winning columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.

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