American Jews Protest AIPAC Confab: “Jews Reject AIPAC. Ceasefire Now.”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 12, 2024
Contact:
press@ifnotnowmovement.org
Jews and allies rallied outside of AIPAC’s leadership conference in the DC area. They called on political leaders to reject AIPAC’s backing, given AIPAC’s support for far-right politicians and Israel’s massacre of Palestinians in Gaza.
Tweet linked here.
High quality photos and videos available upon request.
National Harbor, MD, March 12, 2024 — A group of 50+ American Jews and allies affiliated with IfNotNow protested AIPAC’s Conference today in the Washington, DC area to call out AIPAC’s lobbying for Israel’s slaughtering of Palestinians in Gaza alongside its support for pro-insurrection, anti-abortion politicians. The protesters demanded political and communal leaders “Reject AIPAC” and work towards a lasting ceasefire, hostage exchange, and a pathway to equality, justice, and a thriving future for all Palestinians and Israelis. The protest occurred the day after a group of 20+ progressive organizations including IfNotNow, Justice Democrats, and Working Families Party launched the “Reject AIPAC” Coalition. Learn more about the coalition at rejectaipac.org.
“Growing up in the Jewish community, I was taught the importance of caring for everyone, especially the most marginalized members of our society. I reject AIPAC because I see them as giving cover to political factions that are a threat to all marginalized members of our society, including Jews,” said IfNotNow DC Member Josh Burg. “AIPAC’s support of insurrectionist and anti-abortion Members of Congress in exchange for unconditional support for Israel all while spending millions of dollars in right-wing dark money to crush any dissent poses a grave threat to American democracy and the critical effort to build a society that cares for all of us.”
“I want my Jewish community to reject AIPAC because we can no longer afford to buy into the lie we have been told that the oppression and subjugation of Palestinians is necessary for Jewish safety. AIPAC actively enables that lie by allying with white nationalists, insurrectionists, and far-right evangelicals,” said Lily Greenberg Call, IfNotNow DC Member. “A multiracial democracy is the only real option for Jewish safety, here in America and in Israel/Palestine. AIPAC not only undermines the possibility of that in America, harming American Jewish communities, but actively supports and enables Israeli leadership that has proven to not care about keeping Israelis or Palestinians safe.”
IfNotNow national spokesperson Eva Borgwardt said, “AIPAC is a far-right lobby in the same mold as the NRA. From their support for unconditional weapons funding for the Israeli government, to their endorsements of Members of Congress who supported the January 6 insurrection, to their lobbying against a ceasefire even at the expense of the hostages, they have made clear that their open hostility toward Palestinian lives comes at the expense of Jewish safety. It’s time for U.S. politicians and the American Jewish community to Reject AIPAC, once and for all.”
AIPAC’s agenda is unpopular among American Jews and the broader public. While AIPAC continues to lobby against a ceasefire, 50% of American Jewsand a majority of all Americans support a lasting ceasefire and hostage exchange in Gaza. In 2022, AIPAC endorsed 109 candidates who voted to decertify and overturn the 2020 presidential election. AIPAC also endorsed 200+ candidates in 2022 who supported overturning Roe v. Wade, while 88% of American Jews support the right to abortion.
A report last week from the Washington Post revealed that the United States has quietly approved and delivered more than 100 separate foreign military sales to Israel since the Gaza war began Oct. 7, amounting to thousands of precision-guided munitions, small-diameter bombs, bunker busters, small arms and other lethal aid. Meanwhile, AIPAC and their allied PACs like Democratic Majority for Israel are spending over $100 million to defeat the leaders who have been willing to call for a ceasefire and condemn Israel’s massacre of Palestinians in Gaza.
We demand our leaders to reject AIPAC and instead acknowledge that the violence carried out by the Israeli government toward Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, funded by the U.S., does not make anyone safe. Rejecting AIPAC’s direct support of the Israeli government’s violence is an important step in working toward a lasting equality, justice, and safety for all Palestinians and Israelis.
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IfNotNow is a movement of American Jews organizing our community to end U.S. support for Israel's apartheid system and demand equality, justice, and a thriving future for all Palestinians and Israelis.
