- The suburban Chicago-based Committee for a Just Peace
in Israel and Palestine (CJPIP) "is a diverse, community-based group
dedicated to organizing activities and educational events that advance
the cause of peace and justice for both Palestinians and Israelis."
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- It supports:
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- -- "equal rights and access to resources (equitably)
based on" social, economic, environmental, and political justice principles;
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- -- peace and equal justice;
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- -- an end to Israel's illegal occupation and continuing
land theft;
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- -- "an end to US policies that sustain the occupation;
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- -- international support for an equitable and just negotiation
process;"
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- -- granting Palestinian refugees their right of return,
guaranteed under international law; and
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- -- ending all forms of individual, organizational, and
state-sponsored terror.
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- Selling It to Chicago Commuters
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- On November 20, Steering committee CJPIP member Caren
Levy Van Slyke headlined, "End Military Aid to Israel message reaches
thousands of Chicago commuters," saying:
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- Skeptics doubted it would happen, "and we were not
too sure ourselves" whether it was possible to reach Chicago Transit
Authority (CTA) commuters directly. Undaunted, they:
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- "designed an ad campaign with a simple, thought-provoking
graphic and text message that runs counter to the false dichotomy that
requires people to be either 'pro-Israel' or 'pro-Palestine.' Our ads show
side-by-side photos of Israelis and Palestinians together with this three-part
invitation:
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- 'Be on our side. We are on the side of peace and justice.
End US military aid to Israel.'
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- The ads direct people to our website: www.TwoPeoplesOneFuture.org,
which contains content and action ideas for newcomers to the issue, as
well as for issue-veterans." More on the site below.
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- CJPIP posters went up in CTA trains and downtown Chicago
transit stations, used daily by thousands of Chicago commuters. Their central
message is that:
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- "US military aid is counterproductive for Palestinians,
Israelis, and Americans and will not lead to a just and lasting peace."
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- They also wanted word out that Washington signed a "Memorandum
of Agreement" to supply Israel with at least $30 billion in military
aid from 2009 to 2018," an amount likely to be increased. It amounts
to a "blank check" to let Israel "do whatever it wants with
impunity," even if it harms "American taxpayer(s) who (foot)
the bill."
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- Other organizations involved include:
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- -- the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) Chicago
Middle East Program;
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- -- Jewish Voice for Peace-Chicago (JVP);
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- -- Chicago Arab-Jewish Partnership; and
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- -- the Chicago Faith Coalition on Middle East Policy.
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- The US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation also let
CJPIP "link to invaluable action and informational resources."
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- Chicago Responds
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- "In just a few weeks, thousands of visitors have
flocked to the website (TwoPeoplesOneFuture.org)." Hundreds more joined
CJPIP's Facebook page, updated daily with new information.
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- After the successful campaign, "guerrilla marketing"
momentum followed with 4" x 6" full-color Pocket Cards, "based
on the popular Fast Facts page on the website." There's more.
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- "The campaign is spreading beyond Chicago,"
the above web site providing "how-to-get-started" steps to do
it, hoping to encourage a national effort. With ads and a web site already
created, a "campaign in a box" can be replicated anywhere. More
still.
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- In Chicago, funds are being raised for another ad buy,
the more received, the more people can be reached for peace, equity and
justice in a part of the world where none now exists.
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- TwoPeoplesOneFuture.org
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- It states its beliefs, saying:
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- -- "We believe that peace is possible;"
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- -- that US policy obstructs it;
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- -- that achieving it is "our" business;
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- -- that current policy harms America's international
standing and security;
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- -- that Israeli military aid diverts vital funds needed
at home;
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- -- that providing it is dangerous and counterproductive;
and
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- -- that challenging it in open debate is essential.
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- The site provides a wealth of information, including
the roots of the current conflict, America's role, US and international
law, how military aid harms all parties involved, information on the campaign
to end it, and more.
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- CJPIP's web site (www.cjpip.org) provides information
on its extensive activities, including:
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- -- community education;
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- -- organizing actions;
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- -- legislative activism;
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- -- walks for a just peace;
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- -- community partnerships; and
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- -- its travel scholarship offer.
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- Working for peace, equity and justice in Israel, Palestine,
and America, CJPIP wants as many others committed as possible. The alternative
is continued war, occupation, repression, and billions diverted from vital
homeland needs.
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- Get involved. Contact CJPIP by email at justpeace1@aol.com,
or write them at:
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- Committee for a Just Peace in Israel and Palestine
- PO Box 3667
- Oak Park, IL 60303
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- Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at
lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. Also visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com
and listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the
Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network Thursdays
at 10AM US Central time and Saturdays and Sundays at noon. All programs
are archived for easy listening.
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- http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour/.
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