On the 4th of October a fundraising event in favor of the JNF (KKL) took place in Berlin. The JNF is one of the oldest and most effective instruments of zionist apartheid and oppression in Palestine. Through the founding and funding of illegal settlements, the removal and displacement of non-jewish population and exploitative buying or taking away of land from its habitants, the JNF is implementing the zionistic ideals of discrimination and segregation “on the ground”. The JNF is not “just” an official israeli organization, it is one of the main executors of the racist policies of israel against non-jewish people living in its territory.
We would not stand quietly by, when such organizations are being praised and financed. We would not see such events happen without offering resistance, a resistance which is driven by our solidarity with the palestinian struggle for freedom, with the struggle of the people of the bedouin villages being demolished on a monthly basis by the JNF, and with all the activists risking their freedom and lives to fight for a free and just existence for themselves and for others, who cannot fight those fights alone.
Considering this, we have set with other activists to interrupt and resist an event which we see as taking an active part in war crimes and illegal apartheid. Our act of resistance was symbolic and non-violent. In turn, we were brutally charged by the spectators, a violent reaction which was uncalled for. The exaggerated response of the crowd and the Berlin police, which responded with our activists being followed by undercover police officers, detained and treated as criminals showed once again that the israeli state and its german partner-in-crime are not capable to deal with non-violent resistance. Once again, the cries of antisemitism rose to the air. Resisting apartheid is not antisemitism. Resisting war crimes is not antisemitism. Critic against Israel is not antisemitism.
We send this action as a greeting of solidarity with our brothers and sisters fighting for a better middle east, and as a sign of encouragement for other activists around the world to go on with their just and brave struggle. We will continue to resist the israeli apartheid, wherever it resides. Palestine will be free.
From 6.15pm, The Pillar Hotel, 19 Brent Street, London, NW4 2EU (nearest tube Hendon Central, Northern Line)
Protest at the appearance of the Israeli Foreign Minister at a Jewish National Fund event in NW London tomorrow night and at the decision of the UK government to allow him entry to the UK
Do you live in the London area or do you know anyone living in the London area?
THEN THIS IS FOR YOU WHEREVER YOU LIVE
Lieberman is a vicious thug who has to meet in secret to avoid protests against Israel’s disgusting crimes.
Lieberman is leader of the far-right Yisrael Beiteinu Party and is in the same mould as Serbian war-criminals Karadzic & Milosevic in advocating mass murder by “drowning Palestinians in the Dead Sea.” He is a former member of Kach, an illegal terrorist organisation in the US & Israel. The Israeli journalist Gideon Levy said of Lieberman that he “and his soldiers are borne on the tides of hatred for Arabs, hatred of democracy and the rule of law, and the stink of nationalism, racism and bloodthirstiness.”
Lieberman proposed the ‘loyalty oath’ legislation passed by the Knesset and branded ‘fascist’ by one of his own cabinet colleagues. When asked about Gaza he said,
“There is no humanitarian crisis in Gaza…Israel is conducting itself in the most humanitarian manner, and is allowing the entrance of thousands of tons of food and equipment to Gaza.”
The JNF’s hosting of Lieberman reveals their commitment to the Israeli government’s racist policies of ethnic cleansing & house demolitions. Since 1901 the JNF has been financially supporting the Zionist project of colonisation, apartheid & occupation in Palestine.
Despite the JNF’s activities within Israel’s state structures it enjoys charitable status in the UK and tax breaks on donations. Seventy MP’s recently signed an Early Day motion calling for this situation to end. Last week the Scottish TUC joined Friends of the Earth & the Green Party in condemning the actions of the JNF; it is now time for the Charity Commission to act. Until they act, it is up to supporters of Palestinian human rights to actively oppose the racist JNF.
Protests are expected this evening at a Jewish National Fund (JNF) event that has controversial Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman as guest speaker. The JNF failed in its efforts to keep the venue secret. Terry Gallogly, of the UK Stop the JNF Campaign, said that the secrecy “shows clearly they understand that support for Israel, and the continuing role of the JNF in the dispossession of Palestinians is making them a toxic brand, that the JNF has lost its cover of being an ‘environmental charity’, and is now increasingly associated with a racist apartheid Israel”.
The JNF is also facing criticism from organisations such as the Movement for Reform Judaism who are “surprised and dismayed” at the decision to host Lieberman. A Liberal Judaism spokesperson has already stated that “it cannot support the invitation”. Lieberman, a member of a far right political party, has publicly stated that “it would be better to drown these [Palestinian] prisoners in the Dead Sea” and added that he would willingly supply buses to take them there. Israeli journalist Neve Gordon, says that “Lieberman’s message and style are not only violent, but have clear proto-fascist elements; and, as Israeli commentators have already intimated, he is extremely dangerous”.
The past year has seen an increase in uneasiness about the JNF and its role in Israeli government policy of discrimination against non-Jews, particularly in the destruction of Palestinian Bedouin villages in the Negev, the forced removal of the villagers to what campaigners refer to as a process of concentration and their replacement with Jewish-only settlements.
Michael Kalmanovitz of International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network said that “the JNF’s constitution is explicitly racist – it states that land and property will never be rented, leased or sold to people who are not Jewish”. Campaigners have called this process ‘ethnic cleansing’ and point to the effective subsidy of the JNF’s activities through its charitable, tax-exempt status here in the UK.
The Scottish Trades Union Congress is the latest organisation to support the campaign against the JNF and call for an investigation into its charity status. Organisations that have taken similar positions include the Green Party of England and Wales, the Scottish Green Party and Friends of the Earth Scotland.
Following David Cameron’s resignation last year as honorary patron of the JNF, the first time in the history of the JNF that a British Prime Minister has not held this position, sixty-eight MPs signed an Early Day Motion stating that “there is just cause to consider revocation of the JNF’s charitable status in the UK”.
END
NOTE TO EDITORS
1. The Stop the JNF Campaign is an international campaign aimed at ending the role of the Jewish National Fund (Keren Kayemet LeIsrael) (JNF-KKL) in:
– the on-going displacement of indigenous Palestinians from their land
– the theft of their property
– the funding of historic and present day colonies, and
– the destruction of the natural environment.
The Jewish National Fund was established in 1901 by the World Zionist Organisation and mandated to obtain land for the sole use of persons of ‘Jewish faith, race or ancestry’. It was first registered in the UK, and has retained a fundraising and propaganda function in Britain since the establishment of the Jewish state in 1948. Through its landholdings and its influence on the Israel Land Authority, the JNF controls 93% of the land in Israel on which it practices its ethnic exclusion policies.
The JNF continues to serve as a global fundraiser for Israeli ethnic cleansing, occupation and apartheid. Despite its role in a State institution of Israel (the Israel Land Authority) and in institutionalized racism and apartheid, the JNF and its affiliate organisations enjoy charitable status in over 50 countries.
10. Early day motion 1677, JEWISH NATIONAL FUND, Session: 2010-12
“That this House welcomes the Stop the Jewish National Fund (JNF) Campaign launched on 30 March 2011 by the Palestinian Boycott National Committee, the International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network, Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign and others to inform the public about the JNF – Karen Kayemet L’Yisrael, its ongoing illegal expropriation of Palestinian land, concealing of destroyed Palestinian villages beneath parks and forests, and prevention of refugees from returning to their homes; notes that the JNF’s constitution is explicitly discriminatory by stating that land and property will never be rented, leased or sold to non-Jews; further notes that the UN rejected the JNF USA’s application for consultative status with the Economic and Social Council on the ground that it violates the principles of the UN Charter on Human Rights; regrets that the Prime Ministeris a JNF honorary patron; and believes that there is just cause to consider revocation of the JNF’s charitable status in the UK.” http://www.parliament.uk/edm/2010-12/1677
Friday 11th May
Disarm the Zionists – Stop the JNF’s Scottish shoot (protest)
Venue: Cowan’s Law, nr Glasgow – email uk@stopthejnf.org for details
Every day brings news of more Israeli atrocities in Palestine: killings, house demolitions and Palestinian families thrown into the street. The racist JNF (Jewish National Fund) is at the heart of the grim action, either planting trees to cover up the ruins of ethnically cleansed villages or even taking part directly in evicting Palestinian families to make way for Jewish settlers.
Anger in the UK at the JNF’s crimes is rising. Their fund-raising activities now take place in secret in London, while scores of Members of Parliament are calling for an investigation into JNF activities.
Provocatively, the JNF is now organising a fund-raising charity shoot at a venue called Cowan’s Law near Glasgow on May 11th. This shooting event is intolerable considering that the JNF works with the murderous Israeli military and paramilitary forces to ethnically-cleanse unarmed Palestinians. Stop the JNF UK calls on supporters of Palestinian rights from across the UK and all those disturbed by the Israeli policy of shooting unarmed Palestinians to come to Cowan’s Law on Friday May 11th to ensure this provocation does not take place.
When peaceful Palestinian demonstrators march on Israeli guns to oppose Israeli dispossession and colonisation, we can do no less here in the UK when those who would finance the crimes have a disgusting “charity shoot.”
Friday 11th May, from 6pm Plant-a-Tree in Palestine Fundraiser
Augustine United Church Centre, George IV Bridge, Edinburgh
FEATURING: Rafeef Ziadah with Phil Monsour and Carlos Arredondo
Plant-a-Tree in Palestine is a new project established in 2011 with aim of raising awareness of the tree planting activities of the JNF, and providing an effective means of solidarity with Palestinians resisting the demolition of their homes and theft of their land. It is a joint project of the Middle East Children’s Alliance, the Palestinian Grassroots Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign (Stop the Wall), the Palestinian Farmers Union, and the International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network.
The first planting action took place on January 2nd 2012, with all the partners joining forces alongside local residents and youth activists in Tulkarem, Occupied West Bank. One hundred and eleven trees were planted, representing the 111 years of the JNF’s existence, with each tree being named after a different Palestinian village destroyed in 1948.
The action was a success, receiving positive news coverage within Palestine and abroad, and raising awareness of the JNF’s activities within the local communities. It was therefore decided to build the project in 2012, culminating in 3 or 4 similar planting actions in late 2012 and early 2013.
We invite you to join us for a night of food and entertainment at the Augustine Church Sanctuary, Edinburgh, 6-10pm on Friday May 11th 2012 (the evening of the Stop the JNF protest). Tickets cost £20. Full details to be announced soon. To find out more or to buy a ticket please contact Dave at daveblack85@gmail.com
Saturday 12 May Stop the JNF Conference: No British funds for apartheid, colonisation and ethnic cleansing
Venue: Augustine United Church Centre, George IV Bridge, Edinburgh – £10 / £5 to register email uk@stopthejnf.org
Speakers on the role of the JNF in ethnic cleansing in Israel/Palestine, the struggle against the JNF in the UK, JNF greenwashing, the “Plant a Tree in Palestine” project, and more. Full details will be announced on the website www.stopthejnf.org
The Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) today added to the increasing number of organisations denouncing what has been labelled the discriminatory nature of the Jewish National Fund (JNF) and its practices in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories[i]. The STUC resolution follows a similar motion passed overwhelmingly by the Green Party of England and Wales in February this year, and last year by the Scottish Green Party, Scottish Friends of the Earth and others[ii]. Last year also saw David Cameron resign as Honorary Patron of the JNF, the first time in its 111 year history that the serving British Prime Minister does not hold this position[iii].
Delegates at the STUC’s annual congress unanimously endorsed the international call for action against the JNF. The call highlights the crucial role the JNF played in the “ethnic cleansing of Palestine in the 1948 Nakba [Catastrophe], and continues to play…in maintaining Israel’s regime of apartheid.”[iv]
The 450 delegates in Inverness also called for the removal of the JNF’s charitable status in the UK, problematic given the JNF’s role in fundraising for establishing and maintaining British Park in Israel, built in the 1950s over two Palestinian villages, Ajur and Zakariyya. Salah Ajarma, whose family was driven from Ajjur in 1948 during the mass forced displacement of Palestinians of that year spoke from Aida Refugee Camp in Bethlehem of the STUC’s decision to expose and campaign against the JNF:
“The JNF’s ‘British Park’ is built on the ruins of my ethnically cleansed village, Ajur.’British Park’ is an example not only of the ethnic cleansing process that has being ongoing for more than 60 years now, it is also an example of the role that a registered British Charity play in that process. Whilst the JNF has many influential supporters in the UK and internationally, we, as Palestinian refugees are proud of the ‘real’ human solidarity that is demonstrated by the STUC’s commitment to our case and of our many friends around the world who truly support the human and national rights of the Palestinian people. We hope that the STUC’s principled lead is an example that is followed by all trade unions of the world. The Scottish people stood prominently against South African Apartheid, and we are proud to have them standing defiantly alongside us in our struggle against Israel’s 21st century apartheid regime.”
The call for the revocation of the JNF’s charitable status has also been backed by 70 MPs who have signed up to Early Day Motion 1677 or a parallel[v].
Rab Paterson, delegate from Midlothian Trades Union Council, raised the motion and concluded by calling delegates to action: “Congress, the JNF control of land in Israel and in the occupied territories actively discriminates against Palestinians. Let’s expose this role and let’s campaign to get the JNF’s charity status removed”. The STUC General Council spoke to the motion, stating that they had already agreed at their March meeting that “the activities of the JNF in respect of expropriated and illegally occupied Palestinian land and its stated position of not having a duty to practice equality towards all citizens of the state” had led them to take forward all the recommendations of the motion.
Stop the JNF spokesperson, Dave Black, who attended Congress, said: “The STUC delegates’ unanimous endorsement of the call means the broadest trade union support for the Stop the JNF Campaign. This will bring forward the day when the charitable status of such an openly racist organisation is revoked”.
Congress delegates also agreed three other resolutions relating to Palestine. Delegates voted to back Palestinian political prisoners currently on hunger strike in protest at conditions for Palestinians in Israeli jails, recently denounced by Amnesty International, and further added STUC support to the national demonstration that has been called in support of Palestinian prisoners on Saturday, April 28th in Edinburgh [vi]. Another Congress resolution on Palestine calls for support for the recent Welcome to Palestine initiative which saw activists from around the world be prevented from reaching the West Bank to engage in political discussion and educational projects. Those taking part were either prevented from entering by Israeli authorities and detained in jail before being deported, while others were prevented from boarding flights in the UK[vii].
Notes for editor
[i] Full text of the motion passed by the STUC resolution, 23.04.12: ‘That this Congress notes; that the Jewish National Fund acquisition and control of land in Israel and the occupied territories actively discriminates against Palestinians. Congress calls on the General Council to: endorse the international call for action against the Jewish National Fund; campaign to expose the role of the Jewish National Fund in the oppression of Palestinian; campaign to have the charitable status of the Jewish National Fund revoked’.
[iv] The Stop the JNF Campaign is an international campaign aimed at ending the role of the Jewish National Fund (Keren Kayemet LeIsrael) (JNF-KKL) in:
– the on-going displacement of indigenous Palestinians from their land
– the theft of their property
– the funding of historic and present day colonies, and
– the destruction of the natural environment.
The Jewish National Fund was established in 1901 by the World Zionist Organisation and mandated to obtain land for the sole use of persons of ‘Jewish faith, race or ancestry’. It was first registered in the UK, and has retained a fundraising and propaganda function in Britain since the establishment of the Jewish state in 1948. Through its landholdings and its influence on the Israel Land Authority, the JNF controls 93% of the land in Israel on which it practices its ethnic exclusion policies.
The JNF continues to serve as a global fundraiser for Israeli ethnic cleansing, occupation and apartheid. Despite its role in a State institution of Israel (the Israel Land Authority) and in institutionalized racism and apartheid, the JNF and its affiliate organisations enjoy charitable status in over 50 countries.
For further information, contact uk@stopthejnf.org, 07931200361
Website: www.stopthejnf.org.uk
[v] Early day motion 1677, JEWISH NATIONAL FUND, Session: 2010-12
“That this House welcomes the Stop the Jewish National Fund (JNF) Campaign launched on 30 March 2011 by the Palestinian Boycott National Committee, the International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network, Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign and others to inform the public about the JNF – Karen Kayemet L’Yisrael, its ongoing illegal expropriation of Palestinian land, concealing of destroyed Palestinian villages beneath parks and forests, and prevention of refugees from returning to their homes; notes that the JNF’s constitution is explicitly discriminatory by stating that land and property will never be rented, leased or sold to non-Jews; further notes that the UN rejected the JNF USA’s application for consultative status with the Economic and Social Council on the ground that it violates the principles of the UN Charter on Human Rights; regrets that the Prime Minister is a JNF honorary patron; and believes that there is just cause to consider revocation of the JNF’s charitable status in the UK.” http://www.parliament.uk/edm/2010-12/1677
On March 30th, 1976 Palestinians went on general strike and held non-violent marches and protests in response to an Israeli announcement that the state would be stealing more land from Palestinian citizens of Israel. Israel reacted to these non-violent actions with deadly force. Six Palestinians were killed, hundreds wounded, and many more jailed.
March 30, now known as Land Day, has become an annual commemoration of that day. It is a day to not only remember those killed in 1976 but to mourn the loss of land and those who died defending the land from the time of the earliest Zionist colonizers.
March 30 is also the anniversary of the launch of the Stop the Jewish National Fund (JNF) Campaign in 2011 (www.stopthejnf.org). Stop the JNF is an international campaign aimed at ending the role of the JNF (or in Hebrew KKL – for Keren Kayemet LeIsrael) in its on-going displacement of Palestinians from their land, the theft of their property, its cover-up of both, its funding of historic and present-day colonies, and the destruction of the natural environment.
In one year the StJNF Campaign has made enormous strides:
– We released “Greenwashing Apartheid: the Jewish National Fund’s Environmental Cover-up” [wpdm_file id=4 title=”true” ].
– We launched a campaign petitioning the IRS to end the tax exempt status of the JNF.
– David Cameron, the British Prime Minister, ended his status as “Honorary Patron” of the JNF.
– We launched “Plant a Tree” in Palestine to replant indigenous, life-sustaining trees.
– We sent a fact-finding delegation to Palestine and met with families impacted by the JNF.
– Environmental justice, indigenous rights, and labor groups world-wide endorsed the campaign.
And we can do so much more if you join us! Get involved today:
– Sign onto the Stop the JNF campaign call-to-action – Sign the IRS petition – Plant a tree in Palestine
– Sign onto a petition to demand Palestinian access to water, including putting a stop to the JNF’s role in stealing Palestinian water
– Bring the campaign to your location, email us at us@stopthejnf.org – Watch, share and post the following videos that expose the role of the JNF across Palestine:
– al-araqib: the role of the JNF in today’s forced displacement of the 100 plus year Bedouin community living in the Negev
– silwan: a documentary about today’s displacement of Palestinians in Silwan, a place where the JNF is playing a significant role
