2024 REPORT
THE ALLIANCE FOR WATER JUSTICE IN PALESTINE
Over the past year, Alliance members participated in dozens of Boston area demonstrations and encampments in Salem, Cambridge, Lynn, and other communities in Massachusetts. We also regularly went to the local offices of Senators Markey and Warren and other elected officials.
The Joint Advocacy Group (JAG) in which we are an active member, defeated the anti-BDS (boycott, divestment, and sanctions) bill in MA in 2018 and 2019. The attempt to codify the IHRA definition of antisemitism in MA law 2023 is going into hibernation, but we will stay vigilant for any further attempts.
We are engaged in much ongoing work: organizing to counter a new MA State Antisemitism Commission, advocacy in our Congressional District, and No More Bombs campaigns. We organize within broad collaborations of many Palestine solidarity groups.
Success:
· We recently participated in actions and meetings at the offices of Senators Markey and Warren to pressure them to sign on to Bernie Sander’s Joint Resolutions of Disapproval (JRD) to halt arms shipments to Israel. Both Senators finally voted in full support of the JRD, together with 17 other Senators.
We created three different widely distributed yard signs: LET GAZA LIVE, CEASEFIRE NOW and U.S. STOP ARMING ISRAEL. It’s always a boost to see them as we drive through Boston and surrounding communities.
Priorities:
· We are involved in addressing efforts in Massachusetts to fight antisemitism in schools. While we are committed to fighting antisemitism, we protest initiatives that are actually focusing on silencing the Palestinian narrative. The Antisemitism Commission will make legislative recommendations and we are already preparing for related hearings. We joined Together for an Inclusive Massachusetts(TIM), the group fighting to ensure that more diverse voices are heard instead of only organizations with an uncritical pro-Israeli perspective.
· We are in process of working with videographers in Palestine to create a short but compelling video about the history of Israel’s weaponization of water against the Palestinian people. We will use it for educational purposes with legislators and distribute it nationally and internationally on social media.
Media:
· We participate in a letter-writing group. Several of its members met with editors of the Boston Globe and succeeded in getting several letters published.
· We occasionally do press releases, including one for the mourning procession we helped organize last February and also wrote about it for a local paper. The event brought together 100s of mourners, many carrying shrouded effigies of dead infants, but all dressed in black and walking silently in Boston behind the only banner “Let Gaza Live.”
· A few of the people we work closely with recently returned from Palestine (Aida Camp in Bethlehem, Nur Shams camp in Tulkarm and Balata camp in Nablus). One of them wrote an op-ed which will be printed in the Boston Globe in December and which is posted on our Facebook page.
Social Media:
· Over 550 people nationally receive our biweekly briefs about Gaza and the West Bank; 200 people receive our weekly listing of Boston area “Demos & Standouts.”
· Our Facebook page has 1,700 followers and we also have an active Twitter page (3,050 followers) and are expanding our Instagram presence.
· As of November 30th, we had 4,700 visits to our website which is up 17% from last year. Website visitors come from over 70 countries.
Our Future:
Over the past year, we began our meetings by encouraging our members to share not only our deepest fears and anxieties but also what we were doing to cope with grief and rage. We know that the year ahead won’t be any easier and we have recommitted ourselves to taking better care of ourselves and each other. We will stay strong together as we build our movement for liberation. “We who believe in freedom can not rest until it comes.” (Ella’s song, Sweet Honey in the Rock)
These photos, taken by Barry Hock, are from November 29, 2024 where over a hundred people gathered at Downtown Crossing in Boston for the annual Stand Out organized by the Alliance to mark the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. We handed out 600 leaflets. A large group walked through Macy’s.
