We thank Jonathan Rochkind, a fellow member of Jewish Voice for Peace in Baltimore, for inspiring this statement about why the struggle for Palestinian freedom is inextricably linked to freedom and justice in the United States. JVP is a nationwide grassroots Jewish organization working for Palestinian freedom — and a world where all people everywhere live in freedom, equality, and dignity.

“When crimes against human rights and dignity are normalized, it doesn’t stay localized to one place. Instead, it enables it against anyone and everywhere.”

— Tina Bernstein and Arthur Camins

The reported death toll in Gaza is now over 75,000, including approximately 17,000 children. The health care system has been decimated. Indiscriminate attacks on civilians, violence, and forced civilian mass evacuations continue in the West Bank, and now in Lebanon. There is complete destruction of human habitation in Gaza. People are starving. These are war crimes and crimes against humanity.

This continues despite the declaration of a ceasefire.

And all of this has been done with the support, cover, complicity, and encouragement of the United States.

There is a direct line from normalizing war crimes in Palestine to Trump’s extrajudicial execution of people on boats in the Caribbean. From getting used to dehumanization of Palestinians — to the kidnapping and detention in camps of immigrants here.

When crimes against human rights and dignity are normalized, it doesn’t stay localized to one place. Instead, it enables it against anyone and everywhere.

Within the anti-authoritarian organizing eUorts, there is the claim that including Palestinian freedom in our movements was too divisive, too dangerous. Nothing could be further from the truth. Excluding opposition to U.S.-enabled genocide and violence and land theft in the West Bank has been used as a wedge to defeat, confuse, and divide us.

Now the same narrow exceptionalism is being used to undermine the struggle for the rights of our queer and trans neighbors and loved ones.

The only way we can defeat authoritarianism is to build movements that benefit everybody.

That includes our queer and trans siblings. That includes all our immigrant neighbors. That includes solidarity with the Iranian people’s movements against repression at home and bombs from abroad. That includes Jews and Palestinians in solidarity. When they come for one of us, they’re going to have to face ALL of us. This is the only way we keep each other safe. This is how we win.

The onslaught we face has given rise to massive opposition, but it is divided. Solidarity will not always be welcome. However, we must not be put off. While supporting one another, we must continue to assert our solidarity. Solidarity is survival! Solidarity is a verb. It requires action.

No Kings, No War, No Camps!

Abolish ICE! Free Palestine!

Tina Bernstein
Arthur Camins