Palestine lobby in the United States

The Palestine lobby in the United States is organized by a number of groups seeking to influence the United States government to actively oppose Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories, many of them members of the U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights. These organizations include peace and anti-war, human rights and Arab- and Muslim-American groups.[1] Their tactics include education, protest, civil disobedience and lobbying.[2][3][4][5]

"The World Says No to Israeli Occupation" rally, June 10, 2007, at U.S. Capitol, sponsored by the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation (now the US Campaign for Palestinian Rights) and United for Peace and Justice.

History

Political activism against occupation first emerged in the wake of the Six-Day War when Israel conquered the West Bank, Gaza and the Golan Heights from Jordan, Egypt, and Syria.[6]

Critics

Michael Lewis, director of Policy Analysis for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee criticizes a number of anti-occupation groups, contending that their goals are "to drive a wedge between the U.S. government and Israel; to undermine public and government support for Israel in the United States, and (especially since the 1973 war) to bring about a halt in American governmental aid to Israel."[7]

In his book In the Trenches: Selected Speeches and Writings of an American Jewish Activist, David A. Harris, executive director of the American Jewish Committee says Israel must explain "how the occupation came about" and dismisses as "buzzwords" Palestinians attempts to gain sympathy as an occupied people.[8]

See also

References
  1. Member Organizations Archived 2016-08-23 at the Wayback Machine US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation (now the US Campaign for Palestinian Rights).
  2. 40 National Orgs. Tell Congress, "Freeze Military Aid to Israel Until Israel Freezes Settlements", by the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation in Monthly Review, June 16, 2009.
  3. Ida Wahlstrom, Rights Groups Condemn US Role in Gaza Conflict, Common Dreams, January 10, 2009.
  4. H. L. Krieger, US rally against Israeli 'occupation' attracts smaller numbers than expected, Jerusalem Post, June 11, 2007.
  5. Melissa Apter, 'Coming Out' for the Palestine Solidarity Movement, The Nation, June 4, 2007.
  6. George Friedman The Israel Lobby in U.S. Strategy, September 4, 2007.
  7. Israel's American Detractors - Back Again, by Michael Lewis, Middle East Quarterly, November 1997
  8. David A. Harris, In the Trenches: Selected Speeches and Writings of an American Jewish Activist, KTAV Publishing House, Inc., 2008, pp. 58, 282, 311.
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