Loss of Palestinian land to Israel, 1948 - 2000

Justice First!

in US Policies
for
Palestine-Israel
and the
Middle East

About Us and About New Mexico

Justice First! was started in March, 2007 in New Mexico. The coordinators are Vicki Johnson and Miriam Adams, info@justicefirst.info . Organizing is in its early stages; see the mission statement and recent activities.

Here are some personal accounts of individuals who are interested in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict:

Vicki Johnson (New Mexico, technologist and entrepreneur) writes:
I became committed to changing US policy in Palestine-Israel and the Middle East after I assisted an Iraqi mother and her 8 year old son in 2003-2004. They were brought to the US for medical treatment after the boy, Mostafa, was nearly killed by a "errant" US cruise missile in 1999 during the sanctions. Mostafa's brother was killed beside him. As I learned about the tragedies of this family, and what they endured as victims of war, I began researching US policy in the Middle East, the Arab-Israeli conflicts, international law and UN security resolutions. In 2004 I toured Palestine-Israel for one month. In the West Bank I was shocked to see, right in front of me, Israeli soldiers shooting at young children who appeared to be doing nothing more than running with a Palestinian flag. I saw luxurious apartheid West Bank settlements and settler roads; met with settlers who have dual US-Israeli citizenship; saw the massive illegal Israeli annexation wall that follows no border; had guns pointed at me at major checkpoints and flying checkpoints; many times saw Palestinians, even elderly women, treated abrasively by young Israeli soldiers; heard accounts of torture in Israeli prisons; met with Palestinian refugees; spoke with Palestinian women whose relatives are in prisoners; and much more. In Israel proper I heard racist, hateful comments made by Israelis about Arabs, even by official Israeli tour guides. I interviewed Mordecai Vanunu. I believe Israeli policies which violate international law are not only injuring the human rights of Palestinians and their innocent children, but also damaging the societies and security of Israel and the United States. More generally, I have many concerns about US and/or Israeli military actions against the civilian populations of Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Syria, Iran and other middle-east countries, especially those violate international law and UN security resolutions, such as the US and Israeli use of cluster bombs.

Miriam Adams (New Mexico, retired librarian) writes:
Despite an early (Conservative) Hebrew school indoctrination -beginning at age 7 along with traditional Jewish and Zionist orientation a few childhood questions defied explanations I was offered. (why did they-Palestinians- run, leaving all their things?) The pat answers haunted me especially upon my first visit to (Israstine) Israel in 1980 where I spent weeks in East Jerusalem and Bethlehem neighborhoods. However, it was the second intifada that ruptured my early indoctrination and a led me to a new comprehension. Appreciation goes to some insightful older anti-Zionist Jews I met online, who directed me to read their 'hard to find' list of books. Insight also arrived in the form of numerous hate-filled emails I received from relatives who made their aliyah in 1993 from oppressed New Jersey, who referred to Palestinians as 'sub-humans' and worse, in particular the morning after suicide bombing at their local mall in Netanya. Having been sensitized about racism thanks to close friends where I grew up, in Roxbury, a poor black community in Boston, as well as having worked as a suicide intervention counselor in California -- that convergence brought me to clarity about why Zionism equals racism, an equation I'd disregarded in the 70s. Nearly a decade of reading and researching revisionist historians as well as early Zionist writings deepened my understanding and empathy for the sufferings of Palestinians who have lived with military repression and terror for 40 years under Occupation.

Mike (New Mexico) would like to see vigorous open discussion of the Israel-Palestine conflict and the influence of Israel and allied Christian and Jewish Zionists in shaping US foreign policy. He writes about his perspectives in The Hand Of Israel In US Foreign Policy (pdf).

New Mexico

New Mexico ranks last or nearly last among the states in America in income, education, food sufficiency, business investment, etc. Surprisingly, however, there are highly visible pro-Israeli influences in New Mexico, even though the Jewish population is small, and Arabs and Muslims are a very small minority. Local evangelical churches support Christian Zionist and Israel-friendly events and speakers. But other factors seem to be at play as well.

Our governor, Bill Richardson, is running for president; his loyalty to Israel has been ranked highly. In April 2007, Gov. Richardson announced New Mexico would investing $5M in State of Israel bonds, for a total of $15M. See our response. In May 2007, Gov. Richardson stated he, as United Nations ambassador, vetoed resolutions critical of Israel, was one of the first governors to buy Israel Bonds and voted with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee "97 percent of the time" while a member of Congress.

In late 2006 a local minister organized "A Night to Honor Israel" in Albuquerque. 5,000 attended to hear talks by pro-Israel speakers and a featured talk by America's leading Christian Zionist, John Haggee of Christians United for Israel. At this event, Gov. Bill Richardson spoke. Gov. Richardson said that there is significant trade between Israel and New Mexico, and that Intel is in both NM and Israel. Gov. Richardson did not mention that like Israel, New Mexico has many nuclear weapons. It is reasonable to assume there exist scientific and military linkages between New Mexico and Israel related to the nuclear weapons R&D. Another parallel is that native Americans in New Mexico, like the Palestinians, have been dispossessed of their lands. Still, given the relative obscurity of New Mexico, compared to, say, California or New York, it remains a mystery why New Mexico is the recipient of so many pro-Israel events and speakers.