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Call for Resignations Join a coalition of Jewish and Israeli groups and individuals who have signed on to a petition demanding the resignation of Israeli Deputy Defense Minister Ze'ev Boim and Likud Knesset Member Yehiel Hazan in response to racist remarks they made last week. Boim speculated that Muslims in general and Palestinians in particular might have a genetic predisposition to terrorism. Hazan supported this notion and said that "You can't believe an Arab, even one that is 40 years in his grave." This demands a response from the Jewish community, a community that knows all too well the damage wrought by statements like these, especially when made by government officials. As children and grandchildren of the Holocaust, we cannot allow those who act as leaders of world Jewry to speak the basest form of ethnic hatred with impunity. When you click "Take Action" your name will be sent to JVP and we will add it to a public petition that will be sent to Israeli officials and media. Click here to view the full list of signatures on this petition. Sample Letter for Campaign Subject: Call for Resignation of Israeli Officials Over Racist Remarks Dear [ Decision Maker ] , As Jews conscious of the history of anti-Semitism and the ideas and rhetoric that have fueled it over the centuries, we deplore the recent racist public statements by Israeli Deputy Defense Minister Ze'ev Boim and Likud Knesset Member Yehiel Hazan and call for their immediate resignations. Speaking at a memorial for the victims of a Palestinian attack that took place 26 years ago, Mr. Boim said: "What is it about Islam as a whole and the Palestinians in particular? Is it some form of cultural deprivation? Is it some genetic defect? There is something that defies explanation in this continued murderousness." MK Hazan subsequently stated "He's right. It's been a known fact for many years that the Arabs slaughter and murder Jews, without any connection to land. It's imprinted in their blood. It's something genetic. I haven't done research, but there's no possibility of explaining it differently. You can't believe an Arab, even one who's 40 years in his grave." We would like to remind Mr. Boim, Mr. Hazan and any who support such statements as these, that all violence against civilians is abhorrent, and that Palestinians and Israelis both face such atrocities; that acting out of feelings of fear, rage and hatred are the real enemies common to Jews and Arabs alike; that the language of hate is the fuel for the fires of violence. We declare that the best way to move toward ending the suffering of all the peoples of the Middle East is to end the 36-year old Israeli occupation and to join with a free Palestinian people in confronting all of those who would endanger the lives of innocents, whether Jewish or Arab, in militant groups or in government positions. Most of all, as Jews, we recognize this kind of thinking as that which has been used against our people so many times in the past. As Jews, we cannot stand by and allow such views to be a part of Jewish leadership on any level, in any part of the world. We call on Jews in Israel and around the world to raise a collective cry which demands that those who express such views not be tolerated in leadership positions in any part of a global Jewish community. The ideas expressed by Mr. Boim and Mr. Hazan are no different from those that have been expressed about Jews time and again. Of all peoples, we cannot and will not tolerate such reckless hate. We demand the immediate removal from office of Deputy Defense Minister Boim and the resignation of MK Hazan. ENDORSING GROUPS JEWISH VOICE FOR PEACE THE TIKKUN COMMUNITY ISRAELI COMMITTEE AGAINST HOUSE DEMOLITIONS (ISRAEL) NEW PROFILE (ISRAEL) HAGADA HASMALIT CULTURAL CENTER (TEL AVIV, ISRAEL) JEWS FOR PEACE IN PALESTINE AND ISRAEL (WASHINGTON, DC) NOT IN MY NAME (Chicago, IL) BALTIMORE JEWS FOR ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN PEACE (BALTIMORE, MD) JEWISH VOICE AGAINST THE OCCUPATION (SEATTLE, WA) TZEDEK (BERKELEY, CA) KOLOT TZEDEK (TUSCON, AZ) WOMEN IN BLACK (TUSCON, AZ) PHILADELPHIA JEWISH PEACE NETWORK (PHILADELPHIA, PA) VISIONS OF PEACE WITH JUSTICE IN ISRAEL/PALESTINE (BOSTON, MA) JEWS AGAINST THE OCCUPATION (SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA) JEWISH PEOPLE'S LIBERATION ORGANIZATION (MONTREAL, CANADA) ------------------------------------------ ALLY GROUPS STANDING IN SUPPORT ================================ GLOBAL EXCHANGE INITIAL SIGNEES Mitchell Plitnick Rabbi Michael Lerner Adrienne Rich Neve Gordon Catherine Rottenberg Steven Feuerstein Shira Robinson Naomi Braine Robert Blecher Melanie Kaye/Kantrowitz Liat Weingart Cecilie Surasky Allan Solomonow Charles Lenchner Efraim Davidi Lisa Stampnitzky Yeela Livnat Joshua Ruebner Hilda Silverman Rela Mazali Joel Beinin Penny Rosenwasser Rabbi Laurie Zimmerman Rami Elhanan Sincerely,

Campaign Launched: March 05, 2004

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