by Rowan Sporte Ehn
MAPA organized rallies across Massachusetts on Tuesday January 30. In light of the International Court of Justice rulings on January 26, we demanded that the U.S. end its complicity in Israel’s genocide, stop sending arms to Israel, and ensure delivery of urgently needed humanitarian aid.
The rallies were cosponsored by Jewish Voice for Peace Boston, Alliance for Water Justice in Palestine, Community Church of Boston, Unitarian Universalists for Justice in the Middle East, Community Alliance for Peace and Justice, Green-Rainbow Party, Northshore for Palestine, 1 for 3.org, Wakefield for Peace and Justice, New England Peace Pagoda, and Human Rights Awareness:Palestine Israel/CD3. Despite freezing weather, the rallies throughout the state were successful with approximately 300 people attending.
At each location we turned in letters to Massachusetts Senators and House representatives signed by their constituents. All had the same wording as the letter to Sen. Warren.
Boston – Offices of Sen. Warren & Markey
In front of the JFK Federal Building in Boston, about 40 people showed up in support. MAPA’s executive director Cole Harrison summarized our message. Nancy Murray of the Alliance for Water Justice in Palestine, who is also president of the Gaza Mental Health Foundation and past education director of the ACLU of Massachusetts, spoke, as did Northeastern undergraduate and MAPA intern, Rowan Sporte Ehn. Chris Hoeh and Jon Ball (whose father escaped from Nazi Germany in a kinder transport) read MAPA’s letter to Markey’s staffers, Jim Cantwell and Innocent Wozufia, and Warren’s aide, Elizabeth Rosario; Cantwell made remarks in response. View vdeo of the JFK rally
A group then went on to Boston City Hall after the rally to implore the City Council to pass a resolution for ceasefire, respect ICJ ruling, stop funding Israel, and restore support for UNRWA. – Rowan Sporte Ehn
Salem – Office of Rep. Moulton
There were several dozen participants at Salem with speakers Bob Mason and Rob Fox. Two of Moulton’s staffers came out to speak with the ralliers and even a few people were able to go inside to speak with Moulton’s aides. The enthusiasm was high at this rally, which was covered by The Salem News.
“As our U.S. representative, Seth Moulton has a responsibility here to comply with the declarations by the International Court of Justice,” said Bob Mason of JVP, according to the Salem News. “We as U.S. citizens and our government are responsible for doing all we can to call for an end to this genocide.”
Fawaz Abusharkh of Northshore for Palestine added, “We expect our congressman to have a spine.” – Jill El-Ashkar
Malden – Office of Rep. Clark
In Malden, about 40 people came to rally for Palestine.
During their speech, Eli Gerzon mentioned that a group had met with Rep. Clark in December, and told her about the racist/fascist language circulating in Israel. Clark’s reply was: “Hamas does the same thing.”
While a lot could be said in rebuttal to that statement, Eli’s point was that she had conceded their assertion.
Dr. Julie Jolin spoke about the medical dimension of the ongoing catastrophe/atrocity while Susan Nye spoke about the Unitary Universalists and the Palestine issue.
The group discussed the Cambridge ceasefire resolution that had been passed the previous evening.
Clark’s aide, Wade Blackman, came out to accept MAPA’s letter, but wouldn’t make a statement.- Noble Larson
New Bedford – Office of Rep. Keating
Members of Southeastern Massachusetts Coalition for a Free Palestine rallying outside of Bill Keating’s New Bedford office received many honking horns and cheers from passersby. They presented Keating’s aides with the letter and shared concerns to which the aides listened politely. They took ralliers’ names and contact information and said they’d be in touch with the Washington DC crew to set up a meeting with Senator Bill Keating. – Beth Verani
Quincy – Office of Rep. Lynch
35 people rallied at Rep. Lynch’s office in Quincy Center, organized by the CD8 Palestine Action Group. Gheed Itani of Westwood related the experience of her family displaced by the 1948 Nakba, when Israel forcibly expelled 750,000 Palestinians from their homeland.
Jeff Klein of Dorchester explained the connection between the recent ruling of the International Court of Justice, and the passage of the Genocide Convention Implementation Act by the US Congress in 1987, making support of genocide a crime under US law. Ironically, this Act was cosponsored by then Senator, Joe Biden. Jeff warned the Court’s recent ruling imposes obligations on the US government not to further support Israel if it fails to adhere to the Court’s provisional measures.
Sue Doherty of Braintree read to the crowd the contents of the Group’s letter to Congressman Lynch in which they thank him for advocating for a ceasefire and urged him to condition aid to Israel on the ICJ’s ruling.
Joe Herosy, an activist with the Massachusetts Teachers Union, outlined the content and significance of the recent ruling and provisional measures imposed by the International Court of Justice in the Hague.- Gheed Itani and Phil Dunkelbarger
Newton – Office of Rep. Auchincloss
Newton had roughly 30 in attendance. Dana Hanson of Rep. Auchincloss’s office accepted MAPA’s letter before the rally began. They heard speeches from Susan Mirsky, Susan Etscovitz, and Brian Garvey. – Brian Garvey
Attleboro – Office of Rep. Auchincloss
About 30 people rallied in Attleboro on Monday, Jan. 29, and received local press coverage in the Sun Chronicle. They were able to get MAPA’s letter with signatures of constituents – about 66 people – to Auchincloss’s office. – Vila McHenry
Worcester – Office of Rep. McGovern
25 people attended. We had five speakers, and thanks to Nellie Medina’s sound system, they were well heard by the diners at nearby Via’s Restaurant.
The speeches were fiery and on point. Nellie opened for us. Other speakers were Brian Mulhearn of the International Socialist Group, Nana Abdelkhader of the Worcester Islamic Society, local poet and spoken word artist Daoud Ali and Claire Schaeffer-Duffy.
We focused our denunciations/appeal to Rep McGovern on adhering to the ICJ ruling, funding UNWRA, not funding arms for Israel, and ceasefire (For the love of God, ceasefire!). Abdelkhader and Schaeffer-Duffy delivered the letter to McGovern’s aide Kelly Brissette. – Nelly Medina and Claire Schaeffer-Duffy
Springfield – Office of Rep. Neal
Springfield had approximately 30 people gathered from around the congressional district, some from as far away as the Berkshires.
Doug Hostetter from Pax Christi, Dr. Henry Rose from JVP-Western MA, and Dr. Nosheen Sarwar from the Healthcare Workers Coalition for Palestine-New England, were among the speakers.
During these challenging times, it was wonderful to be in community with people bound by their commitment to Palestinian liberation. At the conclusion of the rally, we delivered MAPA’s letter to Neal’s office—almost everyone at the rally signed off on it. – Mehlaqa Samdani
Lowell – Office of Rep. Trahan
15 people rallied at Lowell’s Boarding House Park, then walked to Rep. Trahan’s office and met with her staffer, Jake Mastrandrea. We read parts of the letter, then expressed our concerns about the situation in Gaza and the ICJ ruling and asked Rep. Trahan to call for a cease fire and speak out and work to stop sending US weapons to Israel.
A woman walked into the office lobby after we started and said her parents are Holocaust survivors and she wanted to make sure we weren’t maligning Jews. We welcomed her and at the end of our meeting, she signed the letter and met with a few of us in a small restaurant after we left Trahan’s office. We posted the flyer and our CD3 letter to Trahan there and a person who attended the event asked to take the rest of the flyers to the youth event she was going to later that afternoon.
Another woman, Kimberly, shared a website she has developed that lists upcoming local and online events in solidarity with Palestine: https://abac.neocities.org/. – Pat Westwater-Jong
A group of 17 met with Rep. Trahan by Zoom on Jan. 30 asking her to support a ceasefire in Gaza. She appeared conflicted as she recited Administration talking points. – Glen Cote