Palestinian Youth Movement Condemns Palestinian Participation in J Street Conference

The Palestinian Youth Movement condemns in no uncertain terms the recent, shameful participation of several prominent Palestinian politicians, activists, and intellectuals in the recent J Street 2019 national conference. Such a capitulation only works to amplify the legitimacy of so-called “soft” Zionist organizations like J Street by exceptionalizing organizations such as AIPAC that are more explicit in their support for the ongoing colonization of Palestine, the dispossession of Palestinians, and the political targeting of conscientious individuals and activists of all backgrounds who support the liberation of Palestine and its people. 

But the distinction between the two organizations is merely one of degree, as in both examples the root cause of Palestinian suffering--Zionist colonization, military occupation and apartheid, and the resulting dehumanization, death, and deprivation of the Palestinian people--remains substantially unchallenged. It makes no difference whether or not J Street adopts a more “liberal” stance in relation to Palestine: the Palestinian struggle is anti-colonial in character first and foremost, and any organization that seeks to obscure that character through faux-liberal optics and to distract from, even undermine, authentically anti-Zionist and anti-colonial organizing for Palestine, remains a softer instrument of Zionist colonization. 

For this reason, these Palestinians’ participation in the J Street conference is nothing short of a searing betrayal of our people and our cause. We reject their legitimacy and any excuses they may offer now or in the future. But most importantly, we reject any capitulation to the colonial power that continues to dispossess us. The disastrous Oslo Accords should have amply demonstrated by now that there can be no negotiation and no “middle ground” with the Zionist colonial entity until the sharp imbalances of power that continue to define the Palestinian struggle are challenged. 

Without such a reversal, colonial hierarchies will only persist in newer, (slightly) more invisible forms, and organizations such as J Street remain the primary vessels for this very persistence.  We say NO to capitulation! NO to normalization! NO to the liberal face of colonialism!

Below we reproduce the names of all Palestinian attendees of the J Street conference. We ask followers and supporters to circulate this far and wide to ensure that these native informants are sufficiently criticized for selling out the Palestinian struggle.

Until Return and Liberation,

The Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM)

Palestinians who participated in the J Street 2019 National Conference

Dr. Saeb Erakat, Palestinian Chief Negotiator

Bashar Azzeh, Member of PLO Palestinian National Council and Central Council

Osama Qawasma, Advisor to Palestinian President Abbas

Ayman Odeh, Member of Knesset 

Nizar Farsakh, Board Chair, the Museum of the Palestinian People

Maisam Jaljuli, Member of the National Leadership, Standing Together

Issa Amro, Co-Founder, Youth Against Settlements 

Mazen Faraj, Bereaved Son, Parents-Circle Families Forum 

Yousef Bashir, Author, The Words of My Father (from Gaza)

Moien Odeh, Palestinian Human Rights Attorney and PhD Conflict Resolution Student, George Mason University 

Member of Knesset Gadeer-Kamal-Mreeh, Blue and White Party 

Dr. Thabet Abu Rass, Co-Executive Director, Abraham Initiatives