Thursday, Aug. 21: Die-in and Protest will Tell ‘Chicago Stands with Israel’ Rally: ‘Stop excusing Israel's Crimes Against Palestinians’

Chicago—(ENEWSPF)—August 21, 2014. In an effort to continue to whitewash Israel’s crimes against Gaza civilians and the Palestinian people as a whole, the Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago (JUF) is organizing a rally and fundraising event billed, “Chicago Stands with Israel.” Students for Justice in Palestine will organize a die-in at 6 PM at the Chicago Hilton & Towers at 720 S. Michigan Avenue to oppose that rally, and will be joined in protest by the Coalition for Justice in Palestine and others, including Jewish Voice for Peace, Anti-War Committee, and Jews for Justice in Palestine.

Palestinians and their supporters have put tens of thousands on Chicago’s streets since July 8th, to oppose Israel’s lethal assault on the people of Gaza, which has killed over 2,000 Palestinians, injured more than 10,000, and made close to half a million homeless. Almost 500 of the Palestinian dead are children.

The keynote speaker for the JUF event is Michael Oren, former Ambassador of Israel to the U.S., and it was just announced yesterday that U.S. Senator Mark Kirk and Mayor Rahm Emanuel will be joining him. At a time in which Israel has pulled its cease fire negotiators from Egypt and continued its attacks on Palestinians, killing 19 yesterday, protesters have vowed to not allow Israeli apologists to gather unopposed.

“Our community and our supporters have been rallying constantly for six weeks to call for peace and justice in Palestine. Zionist organizations, on the other hand, continue to rally in support of Israel’s devastating war on a civilian population,” says Coalition for Justice in Palestine member Senan Shaqdeh. “It is even more upsetting to see that Senator Kirk and Mayor Emanuel will be at the Israel rally. They are supposed to be our representatives, and instead are supporting crimes against humanity.”

Thursday’s protest is being convened by the Coalition for Justice in Palestine, whose members include American Muslims for Palestine (AMP), Chicago Islamic Center, Palestinian American Community Center, Palestinian American Council, Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP)-Chicago, and United States Palestinian Community Network (USPCN); plus by supporters from the ANSWER Coalition, the Anti-War Committee-Chicago, the Arab Jewish Partnership for Peace and Justice in the Middle East, Jews for Justice in Palestine, Jewish Voice for Peace, and the Palestine Solidarity Group.