Dear Milena,
 Click above to tell Stevie: Occupation is nothing to sing for! |
Tomorrow, November 29th, the United Nations and people around the world will observe the annual International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, marking 65 years since the U.N. voted to partition Palestine, leading to Israel's exile and dispossession of Palestinians.
The US Campaign was shocked to discover that one week later, on Thursday, December 6th,legendary musician Stevie Wonder -- himself designated as a "Messenger of Peace" by the United Nations -- is scheduled toperform at the annual gala fundraiser of the "Friends of the Israeli Defense Forces" (IDF). In a letter to Stevie, Palestinian writer Bassem Nasir wrote:
The US Campaign was shocked to discover that one week later, on Thursday, December 6th,legendary musician Stevie Wonder -- himself designated as a "Messenger of Peace" by the United Nations -- is scheduled toperform at the annual gala fundraiser of the "Friends of the Israeli Defense Forces" (IDF). In a letter to Stevie, Palestinian writer Bassem Nasir wrote:
"This army, [the one you are supporting] Stevie, is a tool of oppression and subjugation that has kept me, my family, and my people occupied for over forty-five years. Every day, this army is protecting the seizure of more Palestinian land to build illegal Israeli settlements and further denying me my rights as a human being... I am urging you to cancel this performance and stand with the values of justice and peace for all."
Click below to join Bassem and the chorus of voices saying:
Stevie, We Are the World... Asking You Not to Glorify or Fundraise for the Israeli Army!
The US Campaign is compiling letters, resources, and updates on thisnew web section dedicated to the growing worldwide call for Stevie Wonder to cancel the performance. Check out this greatTwitter alert, created in partnership with US Campaign coalition member group the US Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (USACBI). Here are some sample tweets:
Stevie, We Are the World... Asking You Not to Glorify or Fundraise for the Israeli Army!
The US Campaign is compiling letters, resources, and updates on thisnew web section dedicated to the growing worldwide call for Stevie Wonder to cancel the performance. Check out this greatTwitter alert, created in partnership with US Campaign coalition member group the US Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (USACBI). Here are some sample tweets:
Be the Sunshine of My Life, don't play for apartheid. Ask @motown's Stevie Wonder to cancel! http://bit.ly/Wuc1ZU #BDS
Click here to tweet the above instantly!
Instead of a 'Ribbon in the Sky', Palestinians get bombs. Don't play for the IDF Stevie. http://bit.ly/Wuc1ZU cc @motown
Click here to tweet the above instantly!
Click here to tweet the above instantly!
Instead of a 'Ribbon in the Sky', Palestinians get bombs. Don't play for the IDF Stevie. http://bit.ly/Wuc1ZU cc @motown
Click here to tweet the above instantly!
There are many more ready-made, easy-to-use tweets as well.
Stevie's concert comes on the heels of more than a week of brutal attacks by the Israeli army on the Gaza Strip that killed more than 170 Palestinians dead, the majority of whom were civilians.
These horrifying attacks were only the latest example of the Israeli military regularly violating human rights and international law with impunity, with widespread attacks on civilians going unpunished. For example this past summer, the parents of American peace activist Rachel Corrie were denied justice when an Israeli court absolved the Israeli military of any responsibility for killing Rachel with a Caterpillar bulldozer almost ten years ago as she tried to protect a Palestinian family's home from being demolished. The Israeli military commander in southern Gaza at the time of Rachel's death was Colonel Pinhas "Pinky" Zuaretz -- who went on to become deputy national director and director of development of none other than the Friends of the IDF.
Stevie Wonder has been hailed as a champion of freedom and equality. He is an award-winning civil rights and anti-apartheid advocate. In 1985, he was arrested while protesting apartheid in South Africa, and he wrote the song: "It's Wrong (Apartheid)." Now, 27 years later, let's remind Stevie that apartheid was wrong for South Africa, and it is wrong for Palestinians!
Click here to tell Stevie, Don't be only a Part-Time Lover of Justice -- Cancel Your Date with the Israeli Army!
On the eve of the UN's International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, let's urge Stevie to be true to his UN title of "Messenger of Peace" by standing on the right side of historyand canceling his performance for the Friends of the IDF.
Yours,
Anna Baltzer
National Organizer
PS: For tomorrow's International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, we'll be joining with our friends at Kairos USA to deliver more than 30,000 signatures of support to the 15 courageous church leaders who called on Congress to investigate Israel's misuse of U.S. weapons. If you're in DC, please join us for a press conference tomorrow, Thursday, Nov. 29 at 10:00AM at the United Methodist Building, 100 Maryland Ave. NE. If you can't make it in person, watch it anywhere in the world as we live-stream the event here.
Stevie's concert comes on the heels of more than a week of brutal attacks by the Israeli army on the Gaza Strip that killed more than 170 Palestinians dead, the majority of whom were civilians.
These horrifying attacks were only the latest example of the Israeli military regularly violating human rights and international law with impunity, with widespread attacks on civilians going unpunished. For example this past summer, the parents of American peace activist Rachel Corrie were denied justice when an Israeli court absolved the Israeli military of any responsibility for killing Rachel with a Caterpillar bulldozer almost ten years ago as she tried to protect a Palestinian family's home from being demolished. The Israeli military commander in southern Gaza at the time of Rachel's death was Colonel Pinhas "Pinky" Zuaretz -- who went on to become deputy national director and director of development of none other than the Friends of the IDF.
Stevie Wonder has been hailed as a champion of freedom and equality. He is an award-winning civil rights and anti-apartheid advocate. In 1985, he was arrested while protesting apartheid in South Africa, and he wrote the song: "It's Wrong (Apartheid)." Now, 27 years later, let's remind Stevie that apartheid was wrong for South Africa, and it is wrong for Palestinians!
Click here to tell Stevie, Don't be only a Part-Time Lover of Justice -- Cancel Your Date with the Israeli Army!
On the eve of the UN's International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, let's urge Stevie to be true to his UN title of "Messenger of Peace" by standing on the right side of historyand canceling his performance for the Friends of the IDF.
Yours,
Anna Baltzer
National Organizer
PS: For tomorrow's International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, we'll be joining with our friends at Kairos USA to deliver more than 30,000 signatures of support to the 15 courageous church leaders who called on Congress to investigate Israel's misuse of U.S. weapons. If you're in DC, please join us for a press conference tomorrow, Thursday, Nov. 29 at 10:00AM at the United Methodist Building, 100 Maryland Ave. NE. If you can't make it in person, watch it anywhere in the world as we live-stream the event here.
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