US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation
Dear Friend,
This is very exciting! We are witnessing a benchmark moment in the fight for freedom, justice, and equality for Palestinians. For years, we have worked to cultivate a shift in the way people talk about and relate to Palestinians; educating and empowering Americans to push for a better US policy. Many of us who have been engaged in this work for years can tell that things are changing and today we have reached a moment that is highly reflective of that change.
This week, the Pew Research Center released a new study of US attitudes including views on Israel/Palestine. For the first time ever, a subsection of Americans, "Liberal Democrats," sympathize more with Palestinians than Israel. Take a look at this chart below — the lines have crossed. This is what progress looks like.
A decade ago in 2006, Daniel Pipes, an avowed supporter of Israel’s oppressive policies and central cog in the Islamophobia industry, wrote on his blog about a similar poll showing very different results, noting that it was "heartening" that "liberal democrats support Israel by a nearly 2-to-1 ratio." Well, guess what, things have changed. These new numbers will surely be disheartening to Daniel Pipes and that my friend is a great thing.
There is still quite a battle ahead of us. While the shift is clearly evident among this subsection of the American political spectrum for the first time, it has not yet hit the mainstream. That is why we must redouble our efforts at this inspiring moment to make sure this progress continues. The US Campaign is actively engaged in campaigns to advocate for Palestinian rights in progressive circles and beyond, growing our base of support out from one end of the spectrum and into the mainstream. We can not do this without your support.
Some will look at these numbers and say that yes, while there has been a shift among Liberal Democrats, the rest of America is still very supportive of Israel. This is true and this is our challenge. But it is also true that on various issues where we have witnessed transformational change in public opinion over the past 15 years, whether it is on the issues of marriage equality, legalization, or US-Cuba relations, progressives were the first subsections where majorities supported change before the mainstream caught on.
As Israel’s brutal policies continue to deny Palestinians even the most basic rights, more and more Americans are getting fed up with our government’s unconditional support for Israel.
Friend, support for Palestinian rights will mainstream. It is not a question of if, it is merely a question of when. You can accelerate this process today by helping us grow the movement, our organization, and our resources. Together, we can make the next set of lines cross.
Onward,