Support Peace & Justice in Palestine!

Support Peace & Justice in Palestine!

Started
September 25, 2018
Signatures: 128,833Next Goal: 150,000
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Why this petition matters

Started by Texans for Palestine

Dear Beto,

The letter from Team Beto boasting that you're a proud advocate for Israel is disconcerting to your progressive supporters who also want justice and peace for the Palestinian people.

Israel is not an "exemplary democracy": It recently passed the Nation-State law that codifies discrimination against the 20% of Israeli citizens who are non-Jews; maintains a 51 year military occupation in violation of international law; has kept the entire Gaza Strip under a cruel siege for the past 11 years; and continues to kill unarmed civilian protesters, build illegal Jewish-only settlements on confiscated Palestinian lands, demolish homes, arrest without charge or access to legal counsel, detain children, uproot trees and impede Palestinian agriculture, restrict freedom of movement, and more.

You voted in favor of $38 billion in aid to Israel over the next 10 years. Much of this is military aid that enables Israel's collective punishment and oppression of the Palestinian people and violates the US Arms Export Control Act of 1976. You supported the Taylor Force Act, which restricts aid to the West Bank and Gaza unless the State Department certifies that the Palestinian Authority is taking steps to end acts of violence. Wouldn't it be more appropriate and more conducive to peace to prohibit military aid to Israel until it ends its occupation of the West Bank and Gaza?

You state that you oppose the boycott of Israel; we call on you to remember that boycott is an ethical, effective, time-honored way for people to demand change. Just as you support athletes' right to take the knee, we expect you to honor our constitutional right to follow the call of Palestinian civil society to boycott companies and entities that enable and perpetuate the occupation and to oppose legislation that obstructs free speech by penalizing those who choose to boycott.

Beto, your progressive supporters expect better of you; your positions on Palestine/Israel need to be consistent with the values you profess. You have met with AIPAC and J Street, organizations that are unabashedly pro-Israel; in the interest of fairness, you should also meet with groups that advocate for justice for the Palestinians. If you want our continued support, your positions should support justice, peace, and equal rights for all, including the Palestinian people. 

Sincerely,

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Signatures: 128,833Next Goal: 150,000
Support now
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