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 Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Israel is not refusing to allow people to visit Jerusalem. Quite the contrary, we welcome visitors. Why do you refuse to use the normal visa procedure to enter?
A: The visa procedure is a way of denying entrance to many people, especially those of Palestinian origin. Regardless of their country of citizenship, Israel treats them differently from other citizens of that country. In addition, we refuse to respect the procedures of a system whose agenda is to remove people from their homes only because they are not Jewish, and to replace them with Jews.
Q: You say that all refugees and exiles and their heirs have the right to return to their homes in Israel. What about the Jewish refugees from Arab countries?
A: The Fourth Geneva Convention guarantees the right of all refugees to return to their homes, regardless of where those homes may be. Jewish refugees have the same rights as Palestinian refugees.
Q: But if Arab refugees return to their homes in Israel, won't that mean the end of Israel? Won't Arabs then outnumber Jews in Israel?
A: Human rights cannot be held hostage to political consequences, although everyone's human rights must be equally respected. Israel will cease to exist only if it insists on being a state that privileges Jews over non-Jews. Otherwise, it will be a state where it doesn’t matter who outnumbers whom and where everyone’s rights are equally respected.
Q: You say that Palestinians have the right to return to their homes in all of Palestine. Doesn't this mean that you intend to evict Jewish Israelis from their homes?
A: Under international law, it is illegal to remove people from their homes and it is illegal to prevent refugees from returning to their homes. We refuse to remove people from their homes, but we insist that all people have the right to return to their homes. Dr. Salman Abu Sitta has shown that more than 90% of the homes from which Palestinians were expelled were destroyed without new structures being rebuilt in their place. Homes will have to be rebuilt, but without evicting anyone.
Q: You say that you have no intention to stay, but that the Palestinians amongst you have the right to stay. If you believe that this is a right, why would you choose not to exercise it?
A: We want very much to exercise this right, and the sooner the better. However, an important step in this direction is to show that our presence is not a security threat. If we come only to visit this time, we can help to build the confidence necessary for further progress toward resolving our differences and restoring our rights.
Q: Your Mission Statement and Points of Unity mention "Palestine" or "Palestinian" twelve times, but never "Israel" or "Israeli." Why?
A: Although Palestine has never been an independent state, it is a geographic region that has recognized boundaries, which are the result of the British Mandate of Palestine which ended in 1948. When we refer to "Palestine," this is the territory to which we are referring. Similarly, "Palestinian" refers to the people who originate from this region. No such clear definition for "Israel" exists, and in fact "Israel" refuses to define its borders. In addition, there is a population that identifies as both "Palestinian" and "Israeli" (by citizenship), which blurs the distinction.
Q: Is the Global March to Jerusalem a Palestinian-led movement?
A: From the earliest meetings in Beirut and Amman, the majority of GMJ organizing groups have been Palestinian, and all participating organizations agree that the primary leadership must be Palestinian and as widely representative of the Palestinian community as possible. This includes Palestinian organizations both inside and outside Palestine. As of October 28, 2011, the total number of Palestinian organizations participating in the GMJ is close to fifty, including 15 in Palestine, 14 in Jordan, approximately 20 in Lebanon and some from other countries. The main list is at www.globalmarchtojerusalem.org and a separate list for the autonomous North American GMJ group is at www.gmj-na.org. We are still awaiting the names of the participating groups in Lebanon, and the list of organizations both inside and outside Palestine is expected to grow.
Q: The list of participating organizations includes groups about which we have concerns. Why are they included?
A: Every organization has agreed to the Mission Statement and Principles of Unity of the movement, shown on the website. We are a coalition that has united for a specific purpose, and we do not expect that all participating groups will agree on everything. However, the MS and POU state the minimum that we expect from all participating groups. These include respect for all humans (anti-racism), non-violence in conduct in all matters relating to the project, respect for Palestinian human rights and the rights of all persons, and other principles. We include all groups that agree to these principles.
Q: Why is there a separate GMJ-NA organization?
A: Because of the laws governing citizens of the U.S. and Canada, legal advisers in these countries have determined that it is better for them to operate separately and not to participate in the decision-making of the international movement, but rather as an autonomous coalition. This is because some of the groups in the international coalition are subject to legal reprisals in these countries, and there is some risk that any joint decision-making might place citizens of those countries in legal jeopardy. The risk may be small, but this is an extra measure of safety for those concerned.
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ENDORSERS
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Organizations
Following is a partial list of
organizations that have endorsed the Global March to Jerusalem. It includes those that are
based or have a significant presence in North America, and are either participating in the
organizing of the North American contingent of the GMJ or have been invited to do so.
If your organization wishes to endorse and/or participate in the organizing, please contact
organize@gmj-na.org.
For organizations outside North America, see www.globalmarchtojerusalem.org.
- A.N.S.W.E.R-Act Now to Stop War & End Racism - Coalition
- Al-Awda, The Palestine Right to Return Coalition
- American Indian Movement - West
- Bay Area Women in Black
- Birthright Unplugged
- Canada Palestine Association
- Canada-Palestine Support Network
- Canadian Arab Federation
- Canadian Boat to Gaza
- Canadian Peace Alliance
- Canadian Voice of Women for Peace
- Centre for Research on Globalization
- Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid
- CNY Working for a Just Peace in Palestine & Israel
- CODEPINK Women for Peace
- Existence is Resistance
- Freedom Socialist Party
- Free Palestine Committee, National Lawyers Guild
- Free Palestine Movement
- Friends of Sabeel - Hawaii
- Friends of Sabeel - North America
- Friends of Sabeel - Northern California
- General Union of Palestinian Students - San Francisco State University
- Global Exchange
- Hamilton Coalition to stop the War
- Hilton Head for Peace
- Independent Jewish Voices
- International Committee, National Lawyers Guild
- International Socialist Organization
- International Solidarity Movement Bard College
- International Solidarity Movement Northern California
- Intifada Tent - Occupy Oakland
- ICAHD USA
- Leadership Team of Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls, MN
- Middle East Childres's Alliance
- Middle East Crisis Response
- Middle East Study Group
- Middle Eastern Student Association (MESA) York University
- Muslim American Society Immigrant Justice Center
- North Coast Coalition for Palestine
- Our Neighbors in Palestine
- Palestine House
- Palestinian American Congress
- Palestinian Association of Brantford
- Palestinian Association of Hamilton
- Resource Center for Nonviolence
- San Jose Peace & Justice Center
- Science for Peace
- September15
- South Alameda County Peace & Justice Committee
- Students for Justice in Palestine - UC Berkeley
- United Progressives
- U.S. Dominican Palestine Coordinating Committee
- Voice of Palestine
- Wellstone Democratic Renewal Club
Individuals
Following is a list of
indivduals who endorse the Global March to Jerusalem. Additional endorsements are welcome and may
be sent to organize@gmj-na.org.
- Dr. Amir M. Maasoumi
- Ann Wright, United States Army colonel, ret.
- Benjamin Monnet, World Assembly Member, USA/Korea
- Clayborne Carson, Professor & Director, Martin Luther King Jr. Research and Education Institute, Stanford University
- Cornell West, Professor of African American Studies, Princeton University; Philosopher, writer and Civil Rights Activist
- David Hartsough, Director, Peaceworkers, San Francisco
- Archbishop Desmond Tutu
- Rev. Dr. Dorsey Blake, Presiding Minister, Church for the Fellowship of All Peoples, San Francisco
- Edward Peck, Retired US Ambassador and career US Diplomat
- Professor Francis A. Boyle, University of Illinois College of Law
- George Galloway, British Member of Parliament
- Dr. Ghada Karmi, Co-Director, Centre for Palestine Studies, University of Exeter
- Dr. Hatem Bazian, Senior Lecturer in Near Eastern and Ethnic Studies, University of California, Berkeley
- Izzet Sahin, International Affairs Secretary, IHH
- Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright, Pastor Emeritus, Trinity Church of Christ, Chicago
- Joe Meadors, Veteran and Survivor of the 1967 Israeli Attack on the USS Liberty
- Dr. Judith Butler, American philosopher and Professor, University of California, Berkeley
- Lauren Booth, English broadcaster, journalist and pro-Palestinian activist
- Fr. Louis Vitale, Order of Franciscan Monks; Pace e Bene; nonviolent resistor
- Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb, American rabbi in the Jewish Renewal movement
- Mairead Maguire, , Nobel Peace Laureate
- Marcy Winograd, Los Angeles teacher, peace activist and former candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives
- Medea Benjamin, Co-founder Code Pink and Global Exchange
- Mustafa Barghouti, Palestinian democracy activist and former presidential candidate
- Noam Chomsky, Institute Professor and Professor (Emeritus) in the Department of Linguistics & Philosophy at MIT
- Richard Falk, Professor of International Law Emeritus, Princeton University
- Roger Leisner, Radio Free Maine
- Ronnie Kasrils, South African ANC leader and cabinet minister
- Samuel F. Hart, U.S. Ambassador, ret.
- Susan Abulhawa, Palestinian-American author and Founder of Playgrounds for Palestine
- Tariq Ali, British Pakistani military historian, novelist, journalist, filmmaker, public intellectual, political campaigner, activist, and commentator
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