We at SURJ Santa Cruz County, made up of both Jewish and non-Jewish members, want to express our heartbreak, grief and outrage at the ongoing genocidal bombardment of innocent civilian lives in Palestine. As we write this, more than 29,000 civilians have been killed in Gaza, and over 80,000 have been injured. People are starving and the health system has collapsed. We also continue to mourn the loss of life and condemn the brutal killing of 1,200 Israeli civilians on October 7th.
We stand in solidarity with people and human rights organizations around the world who are supporting a permanent ceasefire, release of all hostages, the unrestricted flow of humanitarian aid, and non-military solutions where all people in the region are liberated.
We condemn the systems and governments that set unjust and inhumane policies, and resist any stoking of hatred, or making any group of people the enemy.
We are also committed to resisting the trap of binary thinking; we are capable of holding complicated, multi-faceted truths at the same time, and uplifting our shared humanity. Palestinian people have been oppressed by occupation, apartheid, and extreme anti-Arab hatred. And Jewish people have faced anti-Jewish violence for centuries. However, the current tactics of the Israel Defense Forces are obliterating Palestinians and this requires all of us to demand that they stop killing civilians now.
We understand that genuine peace and safety must be grounded in justice, equity, and basic rights for everyone. Every human life is sacred and we condemn, in the strongest terms, the indiscriminate killing of civilians by anyone, anywhere. We abhor all forms of oppression, and are committed to challenging white supremacy wherever it shows up.
We will not be silent as our government stokes hatred or as war-profiteering weapons manufacturers like Lockheed Martin profit off the rising death toll in Gaza. Weapons, war and violence make the world less safe for everyone.
Because we all carry trauma, conversations where different perspectives are shared can result in discomfort and conflict. This is an expected and natural part of doing the work. We encourage all of us to approach differences with curiosity, compassion and the intent to understand. Rather than trying to change opinions or calling people out when we don’t agree, we seek to find common ground and unity, especially as division is a “master’s tool” that is not effective in finding alternatives toward dismantling the “master’s house” (to borrow from Audre Lorde).
We are inspired by the courageous voices and actions of Palestinian and Jewish human rights activists working together to address the roots of injustice, heal horrific traumas, and seek equitable long-term solutions.
Finally, we would like to direct people to SURJ Bay Area’s statement on Justice for Palestinian Solidarity for further explanation, including the section from Jewish members.
And we call on everyone in our network to turn grief and despair into action.
Here are some links and videos that show the interconnectedness of this moment in time to all liberation struggles:
- Leaders like Angela Davis have been educating us and calling for a Free Palestine for many years now.
- Here is a fabulous article about the connection between Black organizers and leaders and Palestine.
- Here is a film about the propaganda spread by the State of Israel that we recommend seeing.
- Follow the money to learn who is profiting from this genocide and continue your support for the Palestinian-led BDS movement for freedom and justice.
- Check out this interview with Ta-Nehisi Coates about his experience in Palestine.
Additional statements to read and reflect on:
- Letter to the Editor crafted by local perinatal workers here in our county.
- Statement by Cat Brooks of the Anti Police-Terror Project.
Showing Up for Racial Justice-Santa Cruz County, CA 