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Jewish Voice for Peace

A Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) is a San Francisco Bay Area grassroots organization dedicated to the human, civil, and economic rights of Jews, Palestinians, and all peoples in the Middle East.

JVP's work includes education, a campaign to suspend U.S. Aid to Israel, media activism, direct action, and support for those who refuse to serve in the Israeli Defense Force and/or the Occupied Territories.

JVP's Mission Statement reads:

We believe that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict will be resolved only when Israel removes its Jewish settlements and other occupation installations in the Palestinian territories, grants freedom and the right to self-representation for Palestinian Arabs, and addresses the legitimate claims of Palestinian refugees.

We call upon the Palestinian Authority and Israel to renounce the use of all violent tactics directed against civilians, including terrorism and collective punishment, and to co-operate in halting attacks by rogue individuals and groups.

We maintain that American foreign policy has badly served Israelis and Palestinians. By supporting Israeli governments nearly unconditionally while the occupation of the Palestinian people continues, successive U.S. administrations have harmed the chances for regional peace. The $4 billion in U.S. aid sent annually to Israel distorts the Israeli economy and fosters Israeli dependence on the U.S., while devastating Palestinian society and stifling Palestinian aspirations for self-determination.

We believe that the following principles are essential conditions of a just peace:

  • Both Israelis and Palestinians must be permitted to exercise self-representation and collective sovereignty within political entities of their own choosing
  • Jerusalem must be shared, and all people should be guaranteed the right to worship freely at their respective holy sites
  • Israel must stop abusing Palestinian human rights, including a halt to home demolitions, arbitrary arrests, closures, and travel restrictions
  • Israel must completely withdraw from the Occupied Territories and relinquish settlements, military outposts and by-pass roads
  • The parties must justly resolve the plight of Palestinian refugees
  • The parties must equitably distribute critical natural natural resources
  • All people of the Middle East should be free from violence

Beyond our focus on the Middle East, JVP aims to build a community of activists who will work together on issues of social and economic justice.

Contact Jewish Voice for Peace, (415) 789-8279, www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org, info@jewishvoiceforpeace.org