On January 11, I was arrested along with 18 other non-violent ceasefire protesters calling attention to South Africa’s case before the International Court of Justice (ICJ). We blocked a downtown street and for that we were charged with disorderly conduct II, a misdemeanor. We eventually pled no contest to the charge and must each finish 16 hours of community service to have our charges dismissed.
Before our plea hearing on March 2nd we held a press conference and rally outside the courthouse to remind people that the siege on Gaza is not just a humanitarian disaster, it is an environmental and moral disaster too. Since our protest, the ICJ offered a provisional ruling that Israel is indeed plausibly committing genocide in Gaza and ordered Israel to:
- refrain from all killing of Palestinian civilians,
- allow humanitarian aid to flow freely into Gaza, and
- stop its ministers from continuing to make statements of genocidal intent to the public
However, since those orders, Israel has done nothing but escalate its assault on the foundations of life for the 2.2 million residents of Gaza while the United States continues to provide political cover, as well as weapons of war, to support Israel’s genocidal campaign. UN experts have emphasized that civil society must engage to ensure the ICJ ruling is put into effect. Please engage for the sake of Palestinian lives and for the sake of the environment. Military “solutions” don’t bring peace, nor climate justice.
Below is the brief statement I made at the press conference:
Netanyahu has blocked roads, blocked borders, and blocked aid trucks, while killing at least 30,000 people, but he has not faced any consequences or punishment. Meanwhile, we block ONE intersection for 30 minutes and get arrested. Where is the justice in that? Peaceful protest is not a crime; genocide IS. The true criminals are Netanyahu and Biden. When will they get arrested?
As a climate activist, I also have to point out that these criminals are doing more than destroying A people and A culture, they are also devastating the environment in Gaza. To have any hope of justice in Palestine, including climate justice, President Biden must condemn Netanyahu’s murderous attacks on hospitals, schools, journalists, and non-combatants, including thousands of innocent children, and the US must halt weapons sales to Israel. The moral impetus is on the American government to support the International Court of Justice and the United Nations, and to demand a permanent ceasefire NOW. We need immediate international action to stop Netanyahu from invading Rafah and continuing his genocidal attacks. The crime is Genocide. Let Gaza Live.
#ImmediatePermanentCeasefireNow #LetGazaLive #HandsOffRafah#FreePalestine
