Petition Campaign Against Iran War – OpEd

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A local activist friend, Aram Falsafi, has created a new petition campaign against an Israeli attack on Iran.  He asks signers to commit to divesting from Israel in their personal and political lives if it launches a pre-emptive assault on Iran.

In all honesty, there is one element of the text with which I have difficulty, which calls for ending U.S. military and diplomatic support for Israel in light of such an assault.  My problem is with calling for an end to diplomatic support of Israel, which essentially demands that the U.S. government to put Israel into diplomatic isolation.  It’s not that different from a law passed by Congress which criminalizes any contact by any American official with any Iranian official.  It also would do roughly to Israel what the west is now doing to Iran.  If it won’t work, and isn’t right for Iran, I don’t think it’s right for Israel.  So this is a tough one for me.

But I believe in letting 1000 flowers bloom when it comes to finding ways to oppose war.  Some will find the Israel Loves Iran campaign perfect for them.  Others will want more political substance to express their sentiments.  There are many readers of this blog who will agree with this petition and Aram has done an excellent job offering a new tool for activists to express their opposition to an Iran war.  I urge you to sign if it accords with your beliefs.

This article appeared at Tikun Olam

Richard Silverstein

Richard Silverstein is an author, journalist and blogger, with articles appearing in Haaretz, the Jewish Forward, Los Angeles Times, the Guardian’s Comment Is Free, Al Jazeera English, and Alternet. His work has also been in the Seattle Times, American Conservative Magazine, Beliefnet and Tikkun Magazine, where he is on the advisory board. Check out Silverstein's blog at Tikun Olam, one of the earliest liberal Jewish blogs, which he has maintained since February, 2003.

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