Monday, January 5, 2015

No Weapons Sales To Israel

Below are two statements from AWC....


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