FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 16, 2017
Reference: Julie Jamora, Chairperson, GABRIELA New York, newyorkgabriela@gmail.com
GABRIELA New York stands in solidarity with the NYC and FSU Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) Chapters on their upcoming collaborative event “Feminism, Internationalism and Palestine” in which speakers from NYC SJP are scheduled to participate, and we strongly condemn the attempts and accusations levied by Zionist members within the Florida State University (FSU) Student Government Association (SGA) to deny funding to FSU SJP.
Withholding funds from FSU SJP is an attack on their first amendment rights and is unfair punishment of pro-Palestine students and speakers involved in the event. Time and again, SJPs from all over the country face bureaucratic pushback for their activities due to the ignorant and gross conflation that being pro-Palestine means being anti-Semitic. In fact, by not funding this event, FSU would have silenced Jewish members of SJP, speakers and participants in the event.
GABRIELA New York urges FSU SGA to understand that this event highlights an important issue: women’s liberation in the face of Zionism and Imperialism. Zionism and Imperialism go hand in hand in their attack on women’s rights as Imperialist countries like the United States use Zionists to advance their gender backwards interests in the Middle East and across the World.
The U.S. plays a big role in perpetuating conflict and war between Israel and Palestine, by continually sending political and military support to Israel. In the 2016 historic deal, the U.S. secured $38 billion to fund Israel’s military aid over the next ten years, or $3.8 billion per year. However, it is Palestinian women who will face the repercussions and who bear the burden of Zionist and Imperialist plunder, occupation, and military attacks on their homelands limiting their access to basic healthcare, education for their children, security, and meaningful livelihood.
Similarly in the Philippines, Filipino women also bear the brunt of US Imperialism. In 2014, US Marine Joseph Scott Pemberton murdered Trans Filipina Jennifer Laude with little recourse on his actions because of unequal military agreements between the US and the Philippines that grants impunity to US soldiers for crimes committed in the Philippines.
In the spirit of international solidarity, the women of GABRIELA New York link our struggle for national liberation in the Philippines and stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people and SJP chapters across the country who link and raise women’s liberation in the struggle against Imperialism, Zionism, and Patriarchy for a free and sovereign Palestine!
From Palestine to the Philippines, Stop the US War Machine!
Money for Jobs and Education, Not for War and Occupation!
Long Live the Palestinian People!
Long Live International Solidarity!
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GABRIELA New York 