US Palestinian Community Network’s statement on the recent US Presidential Elections:
As millions of people across the country and the world celebrate the electoral defeat of the White Supremacist-in-Chief, the U.S. Palestinian Community Network (USPCN) recognizes that Trump lost in large part due to the grassroots outreach and historic turnout among Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian, and other immigrant and working class voters. We congratulate all of the progressive forces involved in Trump’s electoral defeat, in spite of the failures of the Democratic Party establishment.
But what does a Joe Biden presidential win mean for U.S. support for apartheid Israel?
As a Palestinian and Arab community-based, multi-generational organization in the United States fighting for the total liberation of Palestine, we know that no presidential election result will automatically end the U.S. government’s longstanding, unconditional, political and military support for Apartheid Israel.
Our analysis as Palestinians and Arabs who bear the brunt of Zionist repression and violence in the U.S., has always been that we recognize U.S. imperialist support for apartheid Israel is based on fundamental political and economic interests that U.S. monopoly corporations have in the Middle East. In the words of Biden himself, spoken in 2013 during a speech for pro-Israel lobbying organization J-Street: “if there were not an Israel, we [the U.S.] would have to invent one to make sure our interests were preserved.”
We do recognize the positive development of Biden’s open criticism of far-right Israeli leaders like Netanyahu, but although reversing the Trump administration’s cutoff of humanitarian aid to the West Bank and Gaza also seems like a step forward, aid dependency has always been a tool to stifle the Palestinian people’s liberation movement. Much of it will be used by the Palestinian Authority for “security coordination” with Israel, and all of it offered hand in hand with the billions of dollars that Biden has already promised unconditionally to Israel.
Ultimately, what does it mean to criticize Netanyahu, while arming the Israeli military with $38 billion worth of F-15 fighter planes, laser-guided bombs, and armored bulldozers? Without a complete end to all U.S. aid to Israel, these actions are performative at best.
And Vice President-elect Kamala Harris may be an even bigger supporter of Israel, having made numerous trips to the apartheid state, even hosted by Netanyahu himself in 2017. Pledging her support to Israel at an AIPAC policy conference in 2017, Harris made her line clear: "As long as I’m a United States senator, I will do everything in my power to ensure broad and bipartisan support for Israel’s security and right to self-defense.”
Our duty is to challenge this new administration from the word go, never compromising on the thawabet (constants in Arabic) of our national liberation movement, which guides USPCN’s work: Right of Return, right to self-determination, right to resist Zionist occupation and colonization of all Arab lands, and right to a free and independent state on all of historical Palestine with Jerusalem as its capital.
Let us continue to unite and organize our community together on this basis, and in alliance with the Black Liberation, Indigenous Liberation, Chicano Liberation, immigrant rights, and other working-class movements in the United States! Join us at uspcn.org/join-uspcn
Until Victory, Return, and Liberation,
US Palestinian Community Network
but the alternative is Trump... who is backed strongly by the Zionist evangelicals and ACTUALLY did a lot harm to palestinians by : 1) signing off Jerusalem to Netanyahu and for the first time moving the US embassy to Jerusalem and blackmailing other nations to follow suit, 2) giving the green light for the annexation of the West Bank and Golan Heights, 3) Cutting all humanitarian aid to palestinians and UNRWA and literally starving palestinians, 4) Twisting arms of Arab countries to sign peace deals with Netanyahu while completely dismissing Palestinians, 5) effectively killing any prospects of a future Palestinian state.
So yes we can dig up things Biden said in the past and talk about how they all are, or try to find common grounds and build ties with the progressive branch of the democratic party which has been gaining a lot of influence in recent years.
USPCN is sad to announce the passing of Mike Siviwe Elliott, lifelong organizer and fighter for justice. Mike was politicized on the streets of Detroit, living through the Black rebellion of the 60s, where he witnessed the organizing and intense repression against the Black Panther Party.
He went on to become an auto worker and union organizer in the Detroit auto plants, where he was introduced by Arab colleagues to the Palestinian liberation movement.
We will never forget Mike's unwavering commitment to the Rasmea defense campaign, traveling with us from Chicago to Detroit for each and every court date, and working tirelessly in Chicago to build true cross-community solidarity between Black and Arab communities in support of Rasmea.
Mike was a leader in the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression's camapaign for an all-elected Civilian Police Accountability Council, and a tireless fighter for justice for all oppressed people, with a deep commitment to international solidarity, which he practiced with every waking breath.
We will miss him dearly. Rest in Power, Mike Siviwe Elliott!
now
Violence will flourish in silence, so please don’t look away -- your attention and solidarity are needed now more than ever!
Use hashtags #48UnderAttack and #SolidaritywithPalestine and tag @uspcn
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Recap of Chicago's 5/21 Palestine victory rally & march, marking the ceasefire in Gaza and calling on US gov't to cut aid to Israel
