DC protestors mark 40th anniversary of Israeli Occupation

  Robert Naiman, Huffington Post

More than 5000 people crowded onto the lawn west of the U.S. Capitol Sunday to protest the 40th anniversary of the Israeli military occupation of the West Bank. There were people there from around the United States. "Aktar yahoud min arab," ("More Jews than Arabs,") said my companion's mother, and while I'm not sure that was correct, there certainly were a lot of folks sporting "Another Jew Against the Israeli Occupation" stickers, courtesy of Jewish Voice for Peace. One enterprising soul who didn't look a day over 70 had a hand-made sign: "Real Jews Oppose Israeli War Crimes."

Of course, a demonstration of 5000 people won't make the history books. Nonetheless the demonstration represented a significant accomplishment. It was sponsored by United for Peace and Justice, a multi-issue coalition. There was diverse representation. Aside from the usual small sprinkling of sectarian groups hawking their various newspapers, it was overwhelmingly sane. Progressive Democrats of America was there, another good sign.

And some of those folks who were protesting will be on Capitol Hill today, asking their representatives to support different U.S. policies towards Israel and the Palestinians.

One thing that many will be asking their Representatives to do is co-sponsor H.R.1755, Representative McGovern's bill to limit the use, sale, and transfer of cluster bombs, "the other land mines." So far this bill has seven co/sponsors, while its companion in the Senate, introduced by Senator Feinstein, has nine co/sponsors. Proportionately, the McGovern bill should have about 40 sponsors - the fact that it doesn't indicates that many Representatives haven't heard from their constituents yet on this issue.

The issue of getting rid of cluster bombs is a broad one that should attract wide support. But it is also quite relevant to U.S. policy towards Israel, since the use by Israel of U.S.-supplied cluster bombs in its war in Lebanon last summer was one of the catalysts for the current U.S. campaign.

The international movement to ban cluster bombs is picking up steam; while in Israel 2 of the 3 principal architects of the Lebanon war have been forced from power. One of the issues in the Israeli debate - by no means the only one - was the high number of Lebanese civilian casualties in the war, and cluster bombs are an important part of the story.

United for Peace and Justice is asking people to call their Members of Congress today. The switchboard is 202-224-3121. Ask your Representative to co-sponsor the McGovern bill. You can also write to them here: