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Dear Jan --
Notorious far-right Israeli National
Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has landed in the United States for
a week-long series of talks and meetings to spread his ideological
extremism. Once convicted on terrorism charges, Ben Gvir now heading
the ultranationalist "Jewish Power" political party is being welcomed
by the U.S. authorities to raise money for his political plans and
meet with government officials.
Meanwhile, our own Executive Director
Issa Amro just returned for a ten day educational tour of the U.S.
where he gave lectures and talks on our human rights work, the power
of nonviolence, and the humanitarian and political situation in
Hebron. Amro has encountered and confronted Ben Gvir and disrupted
settler land-taking actions in Hebron.
This issue is a battle of peace and
nonviolence against oppression, apartheid, and annexation. As such,
we'd like to bring an update about who Ben Gvir is and the nature of
Israel's settlement project, as well as Issa's tour in the U.S., and
what we can do to oppose these plans of land taking and violence.
Who is Ben Gvir?
Itamar
Ben Gvir lives in the illegal settlement of Kiryat Arba on the
outskirts of Hebron where he has partaken in many ideologically
extreme actions and events against the local Palestinian community.
Ben Gvir celebrates the Ibrahimi Mosque Massacre of 1994 where an
American-born Israeli settler named Baruch Goldstein entered the
Mosque and shot dead 29 Palestinian worshippers and wounded more than
100 others, including children. Ben Gvir not only joins the Hebron settlers to pray at
Goldstein's grave, he also had this mass murderer's portrait hanging
in his living room for years. Ben Gvir was convicted by Israeli courts
of support for the outlawed Israeli terrorist organization Kach of
whom Goldstein was a member.
Ben Gvir
has stated his racist and extremist ideology explicitly, calling for
numerous measures that treat Palestinians as inferior and undeserving
of the basic dignities of life. Ben Gvir is known to distribute weapons to Israeli settlers, a
step toward the creation of settler paramilitaries and death
squads. Ben Gvir has called for
the expulsion of Palestinians with Israeli citizenship, and he has
called on Israeli police to shoot Palestinian protesters. He also
adcovates for the right of Jewish Israelis to move around in occupied
territories at the expense of Palestinian freedom of
movement.
When an
Israeli soldier unprompted assaulted human rights defender Issa Amro
in Hebron in front of Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Lawrence
Wright, Ben Gvir supported the soldier and condemned the latter's
prosecution. When the Gaza ceasefire was first implemented, Ben
Gvir resigned from his position as National Security Minister. While
Palestinian children are starving, Ben Gvir called for not "a gram of
food or aid" to enter Gaza.
Please consider donating to supporting our team on the ground in
Palestine and our human rights education in the U.S. and beyond!
Issa Amro's U.S. tour
We must combat violent extremism with a campaign of nonviolence.
Our Executive Director, human rights defender Issa Amro, visited the
United States and gave a series of talks promoting human rights
education and calling for action in the U.S. for Palestinian rights
and the joint struggles for freedom, equality and justice in the
Middle East as well as the U.S.
He spoke to students at Harvard Law School and at MIT, gave talks
in Washington, D.C., in Hartford Connecticut, and Fort Wayne, Indiana.
In Boston, Issa spoke jointly with Jewish American journalist Peter
Beinart. Listen to a podcast of Issa's talk in Hartford, Connecticut!
Listen here on Apple or Spotify!
Issa discussed the political situation and the empowerment of the
ultranationalist settler extremist, Issa's own torture on October 7th,
and his own journey to nonviolent activism.
We must combat violent ideology with nonviolent action and
education! Continue to support our work that has been made possible by
your generous support
and donations!
Friends of Hebron has a
U.S.-registered IRS 501(c)3 charity status. Donations
are tax-deductible.
During these tense times, please consider supporting our work on
the ground in Hebron by donating.
With peace,
Friends of
Hebron
Working for Peace and
Justice
www.hebronfriends.org/
Friends
of Hebron has a U.S.-registered IRS 501(c)3 charity status. Donations
are tax-deductible.
Friends of Hebron
https://www.hebronfriends.org/
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