How proudly we hailed the stunning election of Barak Obama with its grand affirmation of our belief that all men are created equal. What greater victory for the African American struggle than to have an African American in the White House! 

But our attitude toward the African American struggle for equality stands in stark contrast to our attitude toward the Palestinian struggle for equality. 

The United States played a significant role in creating the Israel/Palestine conflict. It disregarded its own 1919 King Crane Commission's warning that the Zionist plan to colonize Palestine and dispossess its inhabitants would constitute a "gross violation" of the Palestinian right to self-determination. In brazen defiance of the Commission, the US became instrumental in pushing through the 1947 UN resolution depriving Palestinians of the right to self-determination. For too many years now the US has been massively funding Israel despite its brutal oppression of the Palestinian people. 

It is illegal and immoral to use our tax dollars to support Israel's oppression of Palestinians in flagrant violation of international law, UN resolutions and Universal Human Rights. Israel must end its blockade of Gaza, freeze the expansion of settlements and return to its 1967 borders. The United States must participate in the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. 

There will never lasting peace until justice is done and Palestinians are recognized as equal human beings. 

Edith Cacciatore and 
Jeanne Jensen 
Novato