Priscilla Read, 1 February 2024: With the grim images linked to the devastation of Gaza appears a glimmer of light: the remarkable mobilization of diverse forces across the globe and within the U.S. in support of Palestinian human rights. The general public is finally learning of the realities that Palestinians have faced for decades.
A notable feature of the Rainbow PUSH Emergency Summit on Gaza of January 12-13 was the collaboration and participation of many communities. Listed co-sponsors were the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, the Arab American Institute, Churches for Middle East Peace, Faith for Black Lives, Fellowship of Reconciliation, IfNotNow, Jewish Voice for Peace, Muslim Civic Coalition, Red Letter Christians, and Sojourners. The presence of leaders such as the Rev. Jesse Jackson and James Zogby at the Summit highlighted and reinforced the historic link between the Civil Rights movement and mobilization by Palestinians and Palestinian Americans. (See https://wordandway.org/2024/01/18/mlk-summit-for-gaza-highlighted-historic-ties-between-civil-rights-and-palestinian-liberation/; https://politicalemails.org/messages/1296830). Any number of African-American faith leaders spoke eloquently, which inspired hope that other religious leaders might soon be emboldened to stand up. To date most have been discouragingly timid. A session on Saturday afternoon focused on local, Chicago-area campaigns and highlighted crucial collaboration. It is through such connections that groups like EPF-PIN contribute to expanding reach and effectiveness.
One example is the campaign to persuade the Chicago City Council to approve a resolution that calls for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, facilitation of humanitarian assistance, and communication of the resolution to President Biden, VP Kamala Harris, and the Illinois Congressional delegation. Chicago would be the largest U.S. city to approve such a resolution; Detroit and Atlanta have already done so. On January 24 Mayor of Chicago Brandon Johnson joined the call. Among those involved in pressing for this resolution are Palestinian community networks; African-American and Hispanic organizations; Jewish, immigrant rights, and church groups; unions including the influential Chicago Teachers Union, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the United Auto Workers, and the American Postal Workers Unions, and recently formed cultural and health care workers alliances. These have coalesced informally under a de-centralized leadership provided, in part, by some City Council staff.
A primary mission of the Peace & Justice Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago, a chapter of EPF, is defending Palestinian human rights. P&J has shepherded three major resolutions to approval by the Diocese since 2019: one defending the right to boycott, another opposing Christian Zionism, and a third recognizing that Israel practices apartheid in its treatment of Palestinians. All three were forwarded to General Convention. Several members of Peace & Justice are also members of EPF-PIN. Three represent the committee on the Chicago Faith Coalition for Middle East Policy (CFCMEP), an organization formed in 2005 that advocates for justice, equality, and peace in the Middle East, with particular focus on United States policies. CFCMEP members include a wide array of Protestant and Roman Catholic activists as well as leaders of Jewish Voice for Peace and American Muslims for Palestine in Chicago. All have been involved in contacting alderpersons of the Chicago City Council, attending Council meetings, and urging approval of the ceasefire resolution.
One of the salient themes of the Summit for Gaza was the current, radically intensifying repression of Palestine advocacy. Calls for a ceasefire and increased humanitarian aid are stifled even in faith communities in which fundamental moral teachings would lead one to expect at least a humane response. As the debate raging at Harvard continues to grab media attention, campus activism is widely targeted by pro-Israel forces, right-wing politicians, and billionaire donors. Hostility in our polarized environment is yet another reason why alliances and collaboration are so crucial right now.
Another major effort in the Chicago area that is mobilizing a broad spectrum of groups is the legislative campaign launched by the Illinois Coalition for Human Rights. ICHR champions justice and peace in the Middle East in accordance with international law, in particular with regard to U.S. policies and actions on Palestine/Israel. The goal of this campaign is to rescind Illinois state bills that have supported the Israeli occupation and impeded a just resolution of egregious human rights violations. One of ICHR’s first targets is the repeal of Public Act 099-0128, which penalizes citizens and businesses that speak out about the systemic injustice and daily violation of human rights in Palestine and Israel. Volunteers visit legislators in their Springfield offices to raise awareness about what is happening in Gaza, the on-going repression and apartheid in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, how US taxpayer dollars are funding the Israeli military, and the ways the Anti-Boycott Divestment Sanctions Bill stifles our First Amendment right to nonviolent protest.
The members of ICHR are Jewish Voice for Peace, the Committee for a Just Peace in Palestine/Israel, American Muslims for Palestine, Seraj, the American Friends Service Committee, and the Chicago Faith Coalition on Middle East Policy. Again, through our EPF-PIN members in the Faith Coalition, Episcopalians are supporting this critical outreach. In meetings with Illinois state legislators, we point out that in 2019 the Diocesan Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago unanimously approved the resolution Freedom of Speech and the Right to Boycott. In February 2020 the Diocese accordingly notified all members of the State Assembly and Senate. The resolution modified for federal application was then resoundingly approved at Diocesan Convention in 2020 and forwarded to General Convention 2021, where it was also concurred. The Episcopal Church thus defined a clear defense of citizens’ right to seek redress of injustice through the use of boycotts. The fact that across the U.S. anti-boycott legislation originally targeting the nonviolent, international movement know as Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) is now being aimed at advocates for divestment from fossil fuels and guns is catalyzing even stronger action to repeal such bills.
Through coalitions and conferences such as those that produced the Rainbow PUSH Summit on Gaza, EPF-PIN expands its network of support and action. Solidarity nurtures hope.
