Opinion Editorials, October 14, 2009

Al-Awda, American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC)-Chicago, American Muslims for Palestine (AMP), Arab Student Union at Moraine Valley, International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network (IJAN), International Solidarity Movement (ISM), Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP)-Chicago, Palestine Solidarity Group (PSG), Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) at DePaul & UIC, respectively, and United States Palestine Community Network (USPCN) ask you all to join us to.....

Protest Ehud Olmert at the University of Chicago

(American Muslims for Palestine has also issued a call to participate in this action and Jewish Voice for Peace-Chicago supports this event)

WHEN: Thursday, October 15th, at 3:30 PM

WHERE: University of Chicago's Mandel Hall
                1131 E. 57th Street, Chicago (Hyde Park)

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will be speaking at the University of Chicago next Thursday, October 15th. He has been invited by the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy, which is using grant money supplied by King Abdullah II of Jordan to pay for the program.

A coalition of Palestinian, Muslim and human rights groups are outraged that the University of Chicago would invite Olmert, who was prime minister during Operation Cast Lead, in which Israel Defense Forces killed more than 1,400 Palestinians and wounded more than 5,300. Olmert is also responsible for implementing the siege on Gaza, now well into its third year. The siege has plunged more than 80 percent of the population into abject poverty. More than 400,000 people have no access to clean drinking water, according to the United Nations. Israel is violating international law and the Fourth Geneva Convention in denying basic human and civil rights to the occupied people of Palestine. 

In light of the Goldstone Report, which found Israel guilty of war crimes and possible crimes against humanity during Operation Cast Lead in December 2008 and January 2009, we denounce the Harris School for its completely unacceptable and reprehensible invitation to Olmert.

MORE ACTION STEPS

1.     Protest Ehud Olmert's presence at the University of Chicago at 3:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 15th, at Mandel Hall 1131 E.. 57th Street..  Information about bus transportation from mosques and community centers will be forthcoming.

2.     Call Colleen Peterson, director of external relations of the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy, and demand she cancels the event because Olmert has been implicated in war crimes in Operation Cast Lead. Call her at 773.702.5641. E-mail her at cjpeterson@uchicago ...edu .

3.     E-mail His Royal Highness King Abdullah II of Jordan and ask him to pressure the university to cancel the program, which is being paid for with his donation, at www.kingabdullah. jo/main.php? main_page= 0&lang_hmka1=1 and click on ‘feedback.’

4.     Contact HRH Prince Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein, Jordanian ambassador to the United States at HKJEmbassyDC@ jordanembassyus. org and ask him to ask King Abdullah to pressure the university to cancel this program. Call him at 202.966.2664.

Sunday, 10/18: Special Open Meeting on January 1 March to Break the Siege!

http://www.gazafreedommarch.org/article.php?list=type&type=416

JOIN US ON THE GAZA FREEDOM MARCH December 27—January 2!

CODEPINK ( http://www.codepink4peace.org/) and the Chicago chapter of the International Solidarity Movement (http://palsolidarity.org/) will host  a second special open meeting for anyone interested in participating in this historic solidarity action. Whether you're willing to travel to Egypt or willing to assist in building for this undertaking--we urge you to attend this meeting.

Gaza Freedom March, Jan. 1, 2010

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PVFRO4HeL0 (watch this then join us on Sunday)

Sunday, October 18

4:00 PM - 6:00 PM

ISM-Chicago

3828 N. Central Park Avenue, 1st Floor, Chicago

773-267-5198

ISMinChicago@aol.com