On March 30, the Israeli state responded to peaceful protestors by deploying 100 snipers. Israeli armed forces killed at least 17 Palestinians and injured upwards of 1400.
The protest was a peaceful protest. 30,000 Palestinians were organized for the “Great March of Return” demonstration, which was promoted as an event for families. Palestinian families would camp, and partake in cultural events, including traditional dabke dancing.
It is always wrong to respond to peaceful protests with violence. Always. As anti-war and anti-militarism activists, and as activists committed to protest as a necessary tool for mass movements, we will condemn all States who respond to protest with deadly force.
Mainstream news outlets’ use of the word “clashes” and “confrontations” to describe the killings are incorrect. We’ve seen this same tactic used to describe violence against Black Lives Matter protesters. Gazans are in no way responsible for this violence. These murders were not anomalous tragedies; they were predetermined and in line with a long history of Israeli violence against the occupied Palestinian people.
Massachusetts Peace Action unequivocally condemns Israeli violence on Palestinian protestors on March 30. We further condemn Israel’s occupation of Palestine and echo the Gazan protestors’ invocation of their right to return to their ancestral and family lands.
This occupation is almost completely dependent on US aid, which has remained a constant throughout both Democratic and Republican administrations. So far, most US legislators have been silent on US-funded Israeli violence, even as there is a bill in the House today against the Israeli detention of Palestinian children.
We call on Senators Schumer and Gillibrand, as well as New York House representatives, to publicly condemn Israel’s violence against peaceful protesters on March 30.
Let it be clear that MAPA firmly denounces Israel’s actions. We support the Palestinian liberation struggle. We endorse BDS and have focused advocacy on defending this Constitutionally protected and Supreme Court defined form of free speech.
We would also like to make ourselves available to Palestinian-American organizations and organizers in whatever capacity we can, and can be reached via facebook message.