Migrant Justice is in receipt of the offer from the Consulate General of Israel to New England to donate hand sanitizer to "help communities most impacted by the pandemic." We reject this offer in the strongest possible terms.
We are aware that the Consulate suggested holding a public event in Vermont to distribute the donated hand sanitizer. Migrant Justice could not in good conscience accept this donation – much less participate in a public relations event – while the Israeli government continues its illegal blockade of Gaza, occupation of the West Bank, and maintenance of an apartheid state.
Israel’s 13-year long blockade of Gaza locks 2 million Palestinians into a densely populated area where social distancing is virtually impossible, refusing to allow delivery of food, medical supplies and building materials. Deliberate destruction of water and sewage treatment plants by targeted Israeli bombing has drastically reduced safe water: 97% of Gazans live without safe water for drinking and public health hygiene. If the Israeli government were sincere in its desire to "help communities most impacted by the pandemic," it would begin in Gaza, where cases have doubled in the last two weeks while the population suffers from blockade-imposed shortages of ventilators, PPE, and medicine:
Out of a sense of deep solidarity with our Palestinian siblings, Migrant Justice strongly rejects this donation offer. We will not be a party to your government's attempted "sanitization" of oppression.
Sincerely,
Migrant Justice