by Cole Harrison
Update Nov. 14: Sen. Warren has committed to vote for the JRD’s! Let’s keep up the pressure on Sen. Markey!
95 Massachusetts organizations called on Senators Warren and Markey today to cut off weapons that are fueling Israel’s genocide in Gaza. Carried out with US-provided planes, bombs, tanks, and shells, the atrocities are continuing to escalate, with now the entirety of north Gaza, including the former location of Gaza City, turned into a free fire zone where anyone that moves is bombed and shot and where no foot or resources are allowed in.
We met in front of Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Sen. Ed Markey’ offices at the JFK Federal Building in downtown Boston, and at their offices at 1550 Main St., Springfield, on Wednesday, Nov. 13, 12:30 pm, to deliver letters signed by some 95 Massachusetts organizations and 1,000 individuals, calling on the Senators to support the JRD’s.
In Boston, we met with Sen. Markey’s staffers Innocent Wozufia and Faarooq Sahabdeen, and Sen. Warren’s district director, Janice Rottenberg. Springfield activists met with Sen. Markey’s regional director, Jesse Lederman. We read out the organizational letter and the individual letter, and a representatives of several signing organizations made statements.
U.S. arms deliveries violate both the Arms Export Control Act and the Lahey Law, but Secretary of State Blinken’s lies to Congress have allowed the U.S. to continue to supply weapons and political cover for the genocide. Secretary Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on October 13 sent a letter to the Israeli government demanding concrete improvements in the humanitarian situation in Gaza within 30 days. That time period expires on Wednesday, and the situation in Gaza is substantially worse, not better, with hundreds of thousands of civilians in north Gaza now isolated by Israeli forces and under constant bombardment with no food or water allowed in.
Senator Bernie Sanders has introduced six Joint Resolutions of Disapproval (JRD’s) in the Senate (S.J.Res.111 to S.J.Res.116) to block delivery of U.S. arms that Israel has used to carry out war crimes. Massachusetts Senators Warren and Markey have not made their positions clear. We call on our Senators to sign on to these resolutions immediately so that other Senators will know that they, too, must step forward or be held accountable by history. Read more about the Joint Resolutions of Disapproval.
The list of organizations who signed the letter follows.
Massachusetts Peace Action
Alliance for Water Justice in Palestine
Allston Brighton for Palestine
Amherst Books
Amrheins
Anti-racist Collective of Avid Birders (Feminist Bird Club – Western MA chapter)
Arlington for Palestine
Arlington United for Justice with Peace
Ban Killer Drones/ Weaponized Drone Ban Treaty Campaign
Bershires Democratic Socialists of America
Boston Democratic Socialists of America
Boston Workers Circle
Campaign for Peace, Disarmament, and Common Security
Cape Cod for Palestine
Cape Codders for Peace and Justice
Center for Nonviolent Solutions (Worcester)
Committee for Peace and Human Rights
Community Alliance for Peace and Justice
Community Church of Boston
Council on American Islamic Relations – Massachusetts (CAIR-MA)
Demilitarize Western Massachusetts
Diana’s List at Theodore Parker Church (UU, West Roxbury)
Doctors Against Genocide
Dorchester People for Peace
First Church Unitarian, Littleton – Racial Justice Action Committee
First Parish Hingham, Old Ship Church Board of Trustees
First Parish in Malden, Unitarian-Universalist
Franklin County Continuing the Political Revolution
Friends Meeting at Cambridge (Quakers) Peace and Social Justice Committee
Hampshire College Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine
Hampshire College Students for Justice in Palestine
Hampshire Mosque
House of Peace (Ipswich)
HRA:PI/CD3 (Human Rights Awareness: Palestine Israel/MA 3rd Congressional District)
If Not Now Boston
Interlink Publishing
Irish-Americans for Palestine, Boston
Islamic Society of Western Massachusetts
Jamaica Plain for Palestine
Jewish Voice for Peace Boston
Jewish Voice for Peace Western Mass.
Just Us
Leahy Fast for Palestine
Lexington for Palestine
Massachusetts Action for Justice
Massachusetts Green-Rainbow Party
Maynard for Palestine
Medway Marches, Inc.
Merrimack Valley People for Peace
Middle East Peace and Justice Coalition of Western Massachusetts
MTA Rank-and-File for Palestine
National Iranian American Council (NIAC) – Massachusetts Chapter
Needham Muslim Neighbors: Political Engagement Committee
Neurological Associates of Western Massachusetts, LLP
New England Korea Peace Campaign
New England Peace Pagoda
Newton Dialogues on Peace and War
North Shore Friends Meeting (Quakers)
NPP Books
NuclearBan.us
Olive Branch Fair Trade, Inc.
Our Revolution Massachusetts
Palestine Advocacy Project
Party for Socialism and Liberation
Pax Christi Massachusetts
Pax Christi Western Massachusetts
Peace of Mind Personalized Pet Care Solutions LLC
Plymouth for Palestine
Progressive Democrats of America (MA chapter)
Quincy for a Free Palestine
Raising Luminaries
Saint Francis and Therese Catholic Worker (Worcester)
Samantha Smith, Veterans for Peace Chapter 45 (North Shore)
Sawa: Newton-Area Alliance for Peace and Justice
Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ) Boston
Sisters of St. Joseph of Springfield
Smedley D. Butler Brigade, Veterans for Peace Chapter 9, Boston, MA
Society for Biblical Studies
Somerville for Palestine
Southeast Massachusetts Coalition for a Free Palestine
Springfield No One Leaves
The Peacemakers Network
Traprock Center for Peace and Justice
UFCW Local 1459
Unitarian Universalist Mass Action
Unitarian Universalist Society of Rockport – Social Justice Committee
Unitarian Universalists for Justice in the Middle East, MA chapter
United American Indians of New England (UAINE)
Valley Families for Palestine
Watertown Citizens for Peace, Justice and the Environment
Wellfleet for Palestine
Western Massachusetts CODEPINK
Western Massachusetts Standing Up for Racial Justice
Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, Boston Branch
Worcester Roots