Michigan Green Party leaders condemn Israeli bombings and invasion of Gaza; support call for boycott of Israel

emailed to [email protected]

For More Information, Contact:
—————————–
Fred Vitale, Chair
Green Party of Michigan
[email protected]
313-580-4905

Green Party Leaders Condemn Israeli
Bombings and Invasion of Gaza;
Support Call for Boycott of Israel
==================================

Green Party leaders in Michigan condemned the brutal air strikes
and military assaults by Israel on unarmed civilians in Gaza and called
for a boycott of Israel.

The Israeli blockade of Gaza, erected in 2006 after the democratic
election of Hamas, was an act of war. As a result of the blockade, 80%
of Gazans live on less than two dollars a day, unemployment hovers at
50-60%, with only 195 factories working, reduced from 3,900 in 2005.

In spite of this near strangulation of their society, the people of
Gaza agreed to a ceasefire with Israel. Now, Israel drops dozens of
bombs on students and children, killing over 820 people and wounding
3,000. United Nations aid for the injured is blocked; reporters are
completely barred. Israel leaflets Gazans telling them to leave and
closes all the borders. And this pogrom isn’t over yet.

Derek Grigsby, chairperson of the Detroit Green Party and candidate
for Michigan House of Representatives, 7th district, said: “We demand
that the Bush administration stop using the state of Israel as a
terrorist force against the people of the Middle East and use the money
being given to them for basic necessities here at home, like healthcare
and education.”

He continued: “We call on all of our elected leaders to stand up
for justice and human rights and roundly condemn the murderous
aggression committed by Israel on the Palestinians.”

Margaret Guttshall, candidate for Wayne State Board of Governors,
spoke of her experiences. “When I was a student at Wayne State a few
years ago, we organized and convinced the Student Council to support
divestment from Israel, one of the first schools to do so. Now it is
time to implement divestment as well as academic sanctions against
Israel, just as we did against the apartheid regime of South Africa.”

“We want all military and economic aid from the U.S. to Israel
stopped immediately,” said Fred Vitale, state chairperson and candidate
for Michigan House of Representatives from the 3rd district. “We
support, among other actions, boycotts, divestment campaigns and
sanctions against Israel — until it ceases to deny Palestinian history,
ends the occupation, ceases discrimination against Palestinian citizens
of Israel, and permits displaced Palestinian refugees to return to their
homes,” Vitale concluded.

For more information:

www.gpus.org

www.MIGreens.org

http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article10056.shtml

for information on the call for a boycott, divestment and sanctions
against Israel.

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Green Party of Michigan
548 South Main Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
http://www.migreens.org

734-663-3555

GPMI was formed in 1987 to address environmental
issues in Michigan politics. Greens are organized
in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Each
state Green Party sets its own goals and creates its
own structure, but US Greens agree on Ten Key Values:

Ecological Wisdom
Grassroots Democracy
Social Justice
Non-Violence
Community Economics
Decentralization
Feminism
Respect for Diversity
Personal/Global Responsibility
Future Focus/Sustainability

Posted to IPR by Paulie