From
Israel to New York - Jews, Christians Protest Hamas Led Palestine
UN Vote
By
Joel Leyden
Israel News Agency
New
York --- September 20, 2011 .... Thousands of Jewish and Christian
protesters are taking to the streets in Jerusalem and in New York
to protest a UN vote on the creation of a Hamas led Palestine.
Just south of the UN, Rabbi Avi Weiss and 50 other demonstrators
protested the PA's request to the UN for unilateral statehood.
The protest was sponsored by AMCHA - Coalition for Jewish Concerns.
Six
people were arrested and charged by NYPD with disorderly conduct
and impeding traffic. In addition to Glenn Richter and Rabbi Avi
Weiss from AMCHA, Helen Friedman (the Executive Director of AFSI
Americans for a Safe Israel) and Cheryl Jacobs Lewin, (Chicago
Chairperson of AFSI Americans for a Safe Israel) were arrested
in order to demonstrate that they are not prepared to quietly
allow the world to pressure Israel into suicidal concessions.
Rabbi
Weiss told the Israel News Agency: "It cannot be that
we acquiesce to uprooting Jews in order to allow for an Islamic
terrorist state at our border. The events of the past several
months illustrate that Israel stands alone as the only country
in the region committed to guaranteeing human rights, protecting
religious rights of all, human rights for women, children and
valuing human life like no other country in the Middle East. We
cannot allow the United Nations to be used as a forum to demonize
Israel while turning a blind eye to the brutality running amuck
in the region."
Israel
should not be forced to accept a two-state solution when that
new state refuses to disassociate from Hamas and Iran, who make
no pretense of their intention of destroying the Jewish State
and no intention of accepting peace with Israel as a Jewish state.
It is inconceivable that Jews be forced to leave their homes again
with absolutely no realistic hope for peace. It is not hope, it
is insanity.
On Wednesday, September 21 from noon to 2 p.m. there will be a
pro Israel protest outside the UN against Durban 3. Organizers
suggest getting there at 11 a.m. due to large crowd anticipation.
This rally will be sponsored by Eagles' Wings - Christian supporters
of Israel with Israel speakers Knesset members Danny Danon, Ofir
Akunis, Rinat Wilf (and others) at Dag Hammarskjold Plaza, 47th
St. and First Ave. in New York.
On Thursday, September 22 from noon to 2 p.m., StandWithUs (Amcha
and Israel Action Committee are partnering) against Durban 3 at
Dag Hammarskjold Plaza, 47th St. and First Ave. in New York.
The
Palestinian Authority PA will be requesting that the United Nations
General Assembly and perhaps the Security Council to endorse a
Palestinian state. Palestinians will march en masse inside and
around Israel. And in New York, Israel's supporters will stand
proud and strong as they say a resounding "no!" to a
unilateral declaration of a Palestinian state, and protest the
UN's unceasing drive to demonize and delegitimize Israel.
The
issue is not a vote at the UN. The issue is that of an all
out PR campaign of incitement and violence coordinated by
Iran, Syria, Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah which will
transcend into a regional war in the Middle East.
Rabbi Avi Weiss, national president of Amcha-Coalition for Jewish
Concerns, stated: "Those who choose will step into the street
as a moral act of conscience to block traffic to the UN. We will
show the world that the UN's anti-Israel 'business as usual' cannot
continue. When the police order those in the street to step aside,
those who choose to remain on First Avenue will be subjected to
peaceful arrest. We urge all who are concerned about the security
of our bothers and sisters in Israel to join us."
Weiss added: "In every generation there have been those who
have risen up to overcome us. We and people of goodwill will prevail.
We are here to tell the UN that if in fact they support a unilateral
declaration of independence for the Palestinians which leads to
anti-Israel violence, the UN will have inspired that violence,
and blood will be dripping from their hands."
The September 20th action is coordinated by Amcha-Coalition for
Jewish Concerns, with other groups to be listed. For information,
call Amcha-CJC at 718-796-4730 or e-mail actforisrael@aol.com.
PA President
Mahmoud Abbas stated that the Palestinian Authority would not
recognize Israel as a Jewish state.
A UN vote
for Palestinian statehood would be an egregious insult to the
pursuit of peace and to the universal values of human rights.
Washington should adopt the strongest position possible. The US
administration should cut off the annual $470 million in U.S.
aid to the Palestinians if they pursue a statehood vote. Congress
should pass a bill proposed by Chairman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.)
of the House Foreign Affairs Committee to reduce US funding of
the UN if the General Assembly gives Palestine an enhanced status.
The issue
is not a vote at the UN. The issue is that of an all out PR campaign
of incitement and violence coordinated by Iran, Syria, Hamas,
Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah which will transcend into a regional
war in the Middle East.
The Israel
Defense Forces are preparing for mass riots as the Israel Defense
Forces Home Front Command prepares bomb shelters for it's citizens.
Mark Regev,
spokesman for the Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, criticized
the Palestinian effort last Friday, calling it a violation of
the Oslo Accords, the 1993 agreement between Israel and the PLO.
"The
Palestinians made a commitment to Israel and the world, to resolve
all outstanding issues through negotiations. The Palestinians
are violating their signed commitments."
Regev also
threatened the PA, saying that if they proceed with their UN action
either with the General Assembly or the Security Council, "Israel
will reserve the right to respond in kind". Several Israel
lawmakers have suggested responding by annulling the accords or
by annexing all or part of the entire West Bank. The West Bank,
which never belonged to any entity known as Palestine, belonged
to Jordan before the 1967 war.
Rabbi Avi Weiss
of the Hebrew Institute in Riverdale was among protesters who
briefly shut down
First Avenue to protest the move by the Palestinian Authority
to seek statehood. Photo: Bob Hennelly/WNYC
While many
protest a UN vote for a Palestine that has openly stated that
it would not allow Jews inside their country, a state of Apartheid,
Americans are also out in the streets protesting the arrival of
Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The New York based advocacy
group United Against Nuclear Iran, is protesting outside the
Warwick Hotel
in Manhattan where Ahmadinejad
is staying.
"Ahmadinejad
is the leader of a criminal regime allied with al-Qaeda and other
terrorists, and guilty of atrocious human rights violations,"
the group said in a statement. "Would the Warwick be willing
to accommodate Osama bin Laden's successor Ayman al-Zawahiri were
he to visit Manhattan?"
What will
it take for Rabbis in the US, Europe and Canada to connect these
dots. To transcend online petitions on the Internet and warn the
Jewish communities of Europe and North America of a very real
and very lethal war that Israel now faces. That the situation
in Israel has never been more grave. That every Jewish child in
North America and Europe will feel the fallout as anti-semitism
reaches new highs.