Woodstock Free Speech Resolution (history from 2016)

State-sanctioned backlash against the movement for Palestinian human rights has reached a new low: Gov. Cuomo just signed a McCarthyite executive order requiring state agencies to divest from organizations that support the Palestinian call to boycott companies profiting from, or cultural institutions complicit in, Israel's oppression of the Palestinian people. Furthermore, the order requires the creation of a publicly available blacklist of all companies and institutions that support the movement.


A local effort in Woodstock, NY includes a petition to the town board on First Amendment rights and the freedom to express support for BDS. Please read the proposed resolution and sign the petition. You don't have to be a resident of Woodstock to sign.

Sign Woodstock Petition

The Freedom to Boycott in NY campaign created an online petition calling Cuomo to rescind his order. The folks at the US Campaign to End the Occupation and Jewish Voice for Peace anchored this effort and the petition is live through the JVP website.

Sign JVP Petition

SJP at Vassar (History from 2016)

We had a great weekend with Existence is Resistance and M1! Huge thank you to all the student organizations and the VSA for helping to pull this off!!! Vassar College Students for Justice in Palestine https://www.facebook.com/SJPatVC

Sadly, most of this group has graduated, and the SJP disappeared from campus. Did the college administration and the David Project get rid of them? Let's say the right wing forces of the Zionist movement still wield considerable power.

Women in Black supporting Palestine (history from 2015)

Dear WIB and Friends,

We will once again stand this Saturday in solidarity with the Palestinian women of occupied East
Jerusalem and for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement. The Middle East Crisis Response will also be joining us. It is from 12:45 to 1:30 on the vigil corner on Main and N Front Streets in New Paltz.

From our flyer, "The guerrilla state style tactics used in occupied East Jerusalem, be it the attacks on Palestinians in the streets, the beating of the young and old, the attacks on children going to and from school, the invasion of violent settlers into our homes, the control of our life, water, cell phones, internet, mobility, health, economy, and access to other resources, have situated us in human cages--segregated, restrained by Israeli laws and security theology, unable to know what will come next."

We will photograph our vigil to send to the Jerusalemite Women's Coalition so they know the world has not forgotten them and that many are working for peace and justice in that part of the world.

In Solidarity,
Barbara

Ahed demonstration joins Black Lives in New Paltz

Photos by Ellen Davidson

Miko Peled in Saugerties

-Friday, February 9, 7-8:30 PM: Miko Peled Speaking and Book Signing Event at the Inquiring Mind Bookstore, 200 Main St, Saugerties. Peled is an Israeli American writer whose new book explores the miscarriage of justice that has devastated the lives of five innocent men and their families. “Injustice,” published by Just World Books, traces the labyrinthine course of this case, presenting a terrifying picture of governmental over-reach in post-9/11 America. Sponsored by: Middle East Crisis Response mideastcrisis.org, Hudson Valley BDS hudsonvalleybds.org, Veterans for Peace, and Jewish Voice for Peace - HV jvphudsonvalley.org. Contact: mecr@mideastcrisis.org or 845 876-7906

We had a full house for this event, one of the best book signings we have had in our twelve year run. I counted 40 people, including a few late comers. Tarak did a fine job introducing Miko, and the questions were informed and interesting. 

Our judicial system is just as distorted for Palestinians as it is for Black people. Justice is the last thing on the government's mind. Putting a few "terrorists" in jail satisfies some short term political goal. No matter that they are innocent, and some won't be with their families for the next sixty years. The shame of such a system, of such a country.