Palestine/Hebron

[outsider]

For decades, Shuhada Street was a bustling commercial center. Lined with small shops whose owners typically lived upstairs, it was one of the busiest marketplaces in the Old City of Hebron.

Then, in 1994, a Jewish extremist named Baruch Goldstein massacred 29 Palestinians at the Ibrahimi Mosque, and the Israeli military began shutting down the street. You read that right -- in response to a massacre of Palestinians, by an Israeli, the IDF punished Palestinians.

Today, Shuhada Street is a ghost town. The doors of the shops that used to line the street are welded shut and defaced with racist graffiti. The few Palestinians who haven’t been forced out have to scramble over rooftops to reach their homes.

But Israeli Jewish settlers walk freely through Hebron, using Jewish-only streets.

One set of rules for Jews. Another set of rules for Palestinians. That’s the reality of Shuhada Street today.

And here’s the thing about the roughly 850 settlers who live in Hebron, protected by the IDF: they’re getting a massive handout from U.S. taxpayers. Political extremists here in the U.S. are funneling money to settlers in Palestine -- and they’re pretending to be charities while they do it. Let me put it another way: I pay taxes in the U.S., so I’m subsidizing organizations that are forcing Palestinians from their homes.

Click here to tell President Obama to direct the IRS to investigate the non-profit status of settlement funders:
https://org.salsalabs.com/o/301/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KE Y=19227

The Internal Revenue Service can -- and must -- investigate organizations here in the U.S. that are funding settlements in occupied Palestine. It seems a bit wonky, I know. But this really matters -- organizations masquerading as charities here in America are propping up far-right Jewish extremists who are colonizing Palestinian land.


Haaretz reported a few months ago that there are over 50 organizations here in the U.S. that transfer the bulk of their money to settlements in occupied Palestine. Let me give you just one example: an organization called the Hebron Fund. The Hebron Fund isn't like most other charities you've heard of.

The Hebron Fund is using tax-exempt donations to support political violence against civilians.

Here are some people linked to the Hebron Fund:


Noam Aron, who called Baruch Goldstein “an extraordinary person.” The Hebron Fund honored him at a dinner in 2009.


Baruch Marzel, the former spokesperson for the violent extremist Kach Party. He lives in a settlement supported by the Hebron Fund.

Menachem Livni, who was convicted of masterminding a massacre at a University. The Hebron Fund paid his salary.

Supporting massacres. Paying the salary of a mass murderer. Giving money to drive Palestinians from their land. And doing it all while paying no tax here in America.


The White House must act -- tell President Obama to direct the IRS to investigate the non-profit status of the Hebron Fund.


This week is the international week of action for Shuhada Street, and there are protests and rallies taking place across the world. Our allies at Youth Against Settlements have been protesting in Hebron all week, and tomorrow they’ll be staging a demonstration at Shuhada Street itself. Here in the U.S., young JVP activists will be staging a powerful action tomorrow to show that we will not stand for US support of the settler takeover of Hebron, and other Palestinian lands -- look out for updates on our social media tomorrow!


But no matter where you are, you can stand with Shuhada Street -- and every Palestinian family facing expulsion and persecution -- by emailing President Obama today.

Send a message, loud and clear: groups that fund occupation and dispossession shouldn’t be subsidized by taxpayers.


Thank you for all that you do,

Ilana







Ilana Rossoff
Midwest Organizer


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