Today at the embassy of the convicted state of Israel…

AJV’s statement:

We are anti-Zionist Jews. Got that – we are anti-Zionist.

Zionists, Christian and Jewish, have been trying to convince you that Zionist really means Jewish, or that Jewish must mean Israel, or that anti-Zionist means you’re a bad person.

Let’s try that again, with help from the International Court of Justice. Zionism is Israel’s regime of power, not a religion. Zionism is Israel’s nationalist, settler-colonial, genocidal and now formally criminal project. It is represented in Aotearoa by this embassy. The Zionist project has been found guilty of apartheid. Apartheid is a crime against humanity, and we are anti-apartheid. Zionism illegally took Palestinian land by force. It occupies and racially segregates and prevents self-determination and we are anti all of that. The international court of justice has found that Zionism steals resources and dispossesses families, and we are anti those crimes, too. We are against all the crimes of which Zionism has finally been convicted.

Anti-Zionism is our positive statement of values, our love of humanity, and our commitment to Palestinians who have been the victims of four generations of Zionism’s crimes.

We are pro-truth, pro-justice, pro-human dignity and pro-civilian protections. We call on our government to be that, too. Take the side of civilians. Stand up for the return of refugees to their homes, as the court has decided. Call for reparations as the court does. Act as we are instructed by the court to act on the scene of such unbearable crimes. The court has instructed us to cease diplomatic relations, treaty relations, economic and trade and investment relations with Israel. BDS, anyone?

Ambassador, you are the lookout man for criminals and they have been caught. Go home and stop using our name as your shield. Around here, we do not call Israel the Jewish state. We call it the convicted state. We are anti your illegal Zionist project. We do not want you here. The International Court has instructed us to send you packing.

We anti-Zionist Jews stand side by side with our Palestinian whanau awaiting action on the court’s findings. We will raise their voices until the crimes of Zionism have ended. Think of us as officers of the court. The highest court of the United Nations has ruled that we must do everything in our power to end Israel’s illegal occupation. Palestine must be free.

Marilyn Garson and Fred Albert, co-founders

Alternative (anti-Zionist) Jewish Voices