(Jewish Community Relations Council-Boston) Adam Suttin and Jeremy Burton - On August 1, the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement released a platform, created collectively by organizations representing a range of BLM groups around the country. We are deeply dismayed by elements of this platform that advance a biased and false narrative about the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. To conflate the experiences of African-Americans and Palestinians oversimplifies complex matters and advances false equivalencies that diminish the unique nature of each. JCRC cannot and will not align ourselves with organizations that falsely and maliciously assert that Israel is committing "genocide." We denounce an agenda to wage economic and cultural warfare against Israelis, including efforts to mobilize against state and local efforts that reject the BDS movement. We reject participation in any coalition that seeks to isolate and demonize Israel singularly amongst the nations of the world. The posture on Israel expressed in this platform does not reflect or represent the views of many in the African-American community including our own cherished partners here in Boston, a community that has staunchly supported Israel's existence and rights as a nation. It is time to end the destructive campaign against Israel's existence and to pursue peace through negotiation, dialogue and cooperation. Adam Suttin is president and Jeremy Burton is executive director of Boston's JCRC.
2016-08-04 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive