Stop Boeing From Selling Smart Bombs to the IDF!
In
November 2014, Boeing was awarded an $83 million contract by the Israel Air
Force for providing 3000 Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs). JDAMs are kits
that convert unguided bombs into “smart” guided weapons. Just months earlier,
Israel launched Operation Protective Edge, killing over 2000 Palestinians,
including 513 children. By producing these JDAMs and other weapons for the Israeli
Defense Forces (IDF), Boeing is fortifying Israel’s actions and contributing to
the occupation of Palestine. Therefore, we charge
that Boeing has the blood of thousands of Palestinians on its hands.
Furthermore,
Boeing’s Defense, Space, and Security department, which made the deal with
Israel, is located in St. Louis, MO, about 15 miles away from Ferguson,
MO. When Ferguson community members were under siege
by police terror in the wake of the murder of 18 year-old Michael Brown by
officer Darren Wilson, the people in Gaza expressed solidarity and support.
Boeing’s new deal violates this special bond and puts money towards war that
could be going toward education and eliminating the school to prison pipeline
that disproportionately impacts Black and other oppressed nationality
youth.
We
condemn Boeing’s business dealings with the IDF, from selling weapons to
collaborating with Israeli armament companies. There is a growing movement
calling for an arms embargo on Israel, echoing the call from civil society
organizations in Palestine. We are adding our voices
and demanding the US government implement a military embargo on Israel and
force Boeing to sever its ties.
Black Lives Matter!
Justice for Mike Brown & Eric Garner!
In
2014, in separate instances, police officers killed two unarmed Black men; Mike
Brown in Ferguson, MO and Eric Garner in Staten Island, NY. In both cases, the
officers were not indicted. Anti-War Committee Chicago stands in solidarity
with oppressed people-not just abroad but in the US as well.
We
have witnessed firsthand the injustice of the US courts in the case of Rasmea
Odeh. Why is a prominent Palestinian community organizer facing incarceration while
homicidal police officer Darren Wilson, who publicly stated he has no remorse,
walks free? Why are Rasmea’s supporters labeled as “almost certainly criminal”
and the person who filmed the police killing Eric Garner indicted while the
officer that used the lethal, illegal chokehold faces no charges?
These murderous
cops were exonerated, despite mountains of evidence. This is a chilling
affirmation of the systemic racism in this country. As we saw in the case of
Eric Garner, cameras and video footage of cops cannot solve this problem. We support
those protesting in Ferguson, New York, and countless other cities across the
globe. We call for justice for Mike Brown, Eric Garner, and all victims of
police crimes. We want an end to police control of oppressed Black and Latino
communities.
OCCUPATION IS A CRIME FROM FERGUSON TO PALESTINE!
If you or your organization would like to
endorse these statements, please email Kait McIntyre, Anti-War Committee
Chicago member, at kait.mcintyre@gmail.com
