Press Release
Contact: info@freealquds.org, www.freealquds.org
“International Day of Al-Quds, Friday, August 17th, 2012″
The Al-Quds Committee cordially invites you to attend the events being held in cities across the US, Canada and UK to commemorate the International Day of Al-Quds.
Al-Quds is Arabic for Jerusalem and its environs, the Holy Land. The International Day of Al-Quds is a day of solidarity with the oppressed innocent civilian Palestinians in their struggle against the racist oppressive Zionist-Apartheid Regime (Israel). Al-Quds Day events are held in cities across the world including many cities in the US, Canada and UK. The Al-Quds Committee is currently coordinating an effort to organize peaceful Al-Quds Day events across various cities in the US.
Al-Quds Committee and peace and justice loving individuals around the world have very serious concerns about the financial aid being sent to the Apartheid Zionist Regime and the political and diplomatic support provided by the US, Canadian and UK governments. The financial and political support is used by the Zionist regime to perpetrate oppression of innocent civilians, extend illegal occupation, increase settlement activity and cover-up horrific crimes against innocent civilians. From 2009 to 2018, the United States is scheduled to give the Zionist Regime–the largest recipient of U.S. assistance–$30 billion in military aid. Through its illegal 45-year military occupation of the Palestinian West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza Strip, the regime misuses U.S. weapons in violation of U.S. law to kill and injure Palestinian civilians, destroy Palestinian civilian infrastructure, blockade the Gaza Strip, and build illegal settlements in West Bank and East Jerusalem (Source: US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation).
We peacefully protest the financial toll this amount of aid has taken on the lives of Americans, given the current economic down-turn. As a result, we face unemployment, loss of critical fire/rescue services, police, funding for education, and social services while precious American tax dollars are being used to support and sustain an immoral agenda of regional hegemony, occupation, oppression and a siege on a civilian population.
As an example, the state of California’s share of Military Aid to the Zionist Regime totals $ 3,479,880,300.94 for FY2009-2018. This money could have been spent instead to: provide 42,254 households per year with affordable housing grants OR provide 57,766 job seekers per year with green jobs training OR provide 102,892 children per year with early reading education OR provide 2,818,173 people per year with primary health care (Source: US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation).
The state of New York’s share of Military Aid to the Zionist Regime totals $ 2,512,380,432.75 for FY2009-2018. This money could have been spent instead to: provide 30,506 households per year with affordable housing grants OR provide 41,705 job seekers per year with green jobs training OR provide 74,285 children per year with early reading education OR provide 2,034,646 people per year with primary health care (Source: US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation).
The state of Texas’s share of Military Aid to the Zionist Regime totals $ 2,578,333,893.32 for FY2009-2018. This money could have been spent instead to: provide 31,307 households per year with affordable housing grants OR provide 42,800 job seekers per year with green jobs training OR provide 76,235 children per year with early reading education OR provide 2,088,058 people per year with primary health care (Source: US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation).
The state of Michigan’s share of Military Aid to the Zionist Regime totals $728,813,339.85 for FY2009-2018. This money could have been spent instead to: provide 8,849 households per year with affordable housing grants OR provide 12,098 job seekers per year with green jobs training OR provide 21,549 children per year with early reading education OR provide 590,228 people per year with primary health care (Source: US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation).
We are also concerned about the loss of reputation and the intensity of ill will that is generated throughout the world against the US, Canada and UK as a result of their prejudicial support of the racist Zionist regime and demand an immediate end to supporting the heinous crimes of this racist regime.
On Friday, August 17th, the Al-Quds Committee is helping coordinate peaceful Al-Quds Day events across US, Canada and UK which will be attended by Muslims, Christian, Jews and peace and justice loving individuals from all walks of life. Please visit Upcoming Events for details on events in the various participating cities, across the US.