On May 2nd, The Olympian published a troubling op-ed entitled “Local actions target Israel – but land squarely on area Jews” by Allyson Brooks. The op-ed is full of misinformation about the struggle for Palestinian human rights. The author claims, with no evidence to substantiate, that the BDS (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions) movement has threatened the Jewish community in Olympia, that BDS in an ineffective tactic, that Americans can’t contribute to ending violence in the region, and that we should ignore issues that make others somewhat “uncomfortable.”

While a response op-ed has already been written by Gar Lipow, a member of the Jewish community in Olympia, this op-ed also needs to be quickly countered by letters to the editor of the paper. These may be submitted to The Olympian at http://www.theolympian.com/letters/. Scroll down to see suggestions for points of the editorial to address. Even though these letters may not be published, they still play an important role by informing the paper about the public’s feelings on this issue.

• There has been no “intimidation against a local Jewish business” for hosting Israeli LGBT speakers by the BDS movement in Olympia.  Just listen to what Hava Aviv, the owner of the business in question, Kitzel’s Delicatessen, said in an interview: “Over the course of several days, many conversations came to my table.  No organization or group approached me… People came and said, ‘Hava, we are very concerned that you are hosting StandWithUs events, and we are very concerned that if you continue to host StandWithUs events, that groups will begin to organize to boycott Kitzel’s.’… Nobody came to me and said that they will boycott.”

The Rachel Corrie Foundation supports the Unified Palestinian call for Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions launched in July 2005 and the global BDS movement for Palestine.

» Read the Rachel Corrie Foundation Statement on Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions…

In support of the Olympia Food Co-op at the recent court hearing.

In our work, we have been witness to the lack of intention or will on the part of the Israeli and U.S. Governments to secure freedom, equality, self-determination and security for all in Palestine/Israel, and the inability of the international community to do so. We are keenly aware of Palestinians who have lived under oppression for over sixty years and of their Israeli counterparts who have felt the consequences of their government’s unjust policies — many of whom have struggled in solidarity with their neighbors for decades to change these policies. Step by step, action by action, we must build support for justice and equality for all in Palestine/Israel — support that government leaders will not be able to dismiss. Rachel Corrie took a stand in March 2003 for a Palestinian family whose home was threatened with demolition.  We believe the Olympia Food Co-op, of which she was a member, now stands with millions throughout the world who say, “Enough.”

On April 24th, you will join the 988 delegates from around the world who will gather in Tampa, Florida, for this year’s meeting of the General Conference of the United Methodist Church. At the Rachel Corrie Foundation for Peace and Justice, we want to be sure you are aware that among the resolutions being voted on by the Conference is an historic one to implement divestment from Caterpillar Inc., Hewlett-Packard, and Motorola – three corporations complicit in the nearly 45-year Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories. We want you to know that after our own careful consideration, the Rachel Corrie Foundation for Peace and Justice (RCF) strongly supports this divestment resolution.

The United Methodist Church has long called for an end to the Israeli occupation and for a just peace for Palestinians and Israelis. In 1996, the General Conference passed two resolutions opposing the occupation. One was in opposition to illegal activities undertaken by the State of Israel in occupied East Jerusalem. The other opposed the continued construction of settlements in the Occupied Territories in contravention of the Fourth Geneva Convention, declaring that “continuing efforts by the State of Israel to build settlements in the occupied territories violates both international law and the spirit of the Declaration of Principles [of the Oslo peace accords].”

A similar resolution was approved by the General Conference in 2004. It stated the church’s opposition to “continued military occupation of the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem, the confiscation of Palestinian land and water resources, the destruction of Palestinian homes, the continued building of illegal Jewish settlements, and any vision of a ‘Greater Israel’ that includes the occupied territories and the whole of Jerusalem and its surroundings.”

From April 24-May 4, the United Methodist Church’s top legislative body, the General Conference, will meet in Tampa, Florida and address the proposed resolution “Aligning United Methodist Church Investments with Resolutions on Israel/Palestine.”  The resolution supports prompt divestment from Caterpillar, Hewlett-Packard, and Motorola (cited as companies that perpetuate the Israeli occupation  - which Methodists are on record opposing). The resolution further proposes engagement with similarly implicated companies, followed by divestment should they refuse to change their policies.  Nine hundred and eighty-eight Methodists (lay and clergy delegates) will attend the conference to set policy and direction for the church.   Every four years, the General Conference, with delegates from around the world, revises The Book of Resolutions, “a volume declaring the church’s stance on a variety of social justice issues.” The book contains more than 300 such resolutions.

This event is only ten days away.

Time to act is now!

Help in these ways:

1) As an individual, read and endorse the resolution here.
2) Act to have your organization read and endorse the resolution here.
3) If you participate in services provided by the UMC General Board of Pension & Health Benefits, read and sign the petition here.
4) If you are Palestinian and support church divestment, click here to sign this letter written by Palestinian Christians but open for signature by all Palestinians.
5) Lend help reaching out to voting delegates and commissioners by emailing to us at info@rachelcorriefoundation.org.