Photos and info on the Philly banner drop, NYC demo: http://jewishconscience.blogspot.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, August 22
Contact: phillysolidarity@gmail.com

Philadelphia Jews Stand Against Israel’s War Crimes

Activists Hang Banners Calling for an End to U.S. Military Aid to Israel

PHILADELPHIA BRIDGES Three banners were unfurled during this
morning’s rush hour from bridges across Philadelphia saying: “U.S.
Jews Say: Israel, Stop Killing Civilians,” “U.S. Jews Stand Against Israel’s War Crimes,” and “U.S. Jews Say: End U.S. Military $ to Israel.”

The banners were hung from the 18th & Vine Street and 15th & Vine
Street overpasses visible to commuters along I-676 as well as an
overpass on I-76 near 30th Street Station.

The Philadelphia Jews who hung these banners are working in
coordination with Jews in New York and San Francisco, who also
staged actions today demonstrating their opposition to recent
aggression by the Israeli and U.S. governments in Lebanon, Gaza and
the West Bank. These actions are building on the success of a
similar demonstration by Jews in Boston, Massachusetts on August
1st.

“Many American Jews don’t support Israel’s recent actions in
Lebanon. There is no Jewish consensus on this issue,” said a
Philadelphia rabbinical student who recently returned from a month
on the West Bank documenting human rights abuses against
Palestinians. “I don’t believe, though, that Jews have more of a
right than anyone else to speak out. We stand in solidarity with
our Arab-American neighbors whose voices are often ignored by the
mainstream media and whose families are in danger.”

“We oppose the two billion dollars a year in U.S. foreign aid that
goes directly to Israel’s military, outfitting the violence we’re
seeing now in Lebanon as well as the ongoing occupation of
Palestinian lives and land,” said a participant in today’s action.
“This morning, we’re making sure no one can go about their ordinary
rush hour without thinking about what our tax dollars are doing
today.”