Overview:
Over 140 Fresnans came together to learn about how they may be contributing to the violence against Gaza, how to get involved in community advocacy, and how to provide resources to Palestinians.
When Fresnans first walked into the Big Red Church on Saturday evening, they were greeted with booths from Palestine advocacy groups, plates of baked goods and refreshments, and musicians from the Generaciones Music Project singing folk-style Latin American songs.
The event was hosted by The Coalition for Palestine composed of CAIR’s Sacramento and Central Valley Council, Center for Non-Violence, Fresno for Palestine, Palestine Liberation Group, Peace Fresno, Raza Against War, Veterans for Peace and Women’s International League for Peace & Freedom.
Hajj Reza Nekumanesh, who moderated and helped organize the event, thanked the coalition and community members who showed up to “think about our role and what we can do today as we gather here on the 329th day of the current war in Gaza.”
Each of the five panelists had four minutes to introduce themselves and offer opening remarks. Panel members had a wide range of backgrounds including two Palestinian activists, the founder of the American Indian Movement-West, a board of director for Jewish Voice for Peace, and the vice president of Veterans for Peace.
Faisal Naser, a second generation refugee that originated in Gaza, spoke about how the freedoms of expression, protest, assembly, and criticism that initially drew him to the U.S., are principles that seem to now be eroded.
“What our government is doing is the worst kind of psychological torture I have been exposed to,” said Naser. “Do we not have enough issues that require funding domestically? Are our politicians so detached from reality that they decided our money is better spent going to Israel? What about our health care? What about our aging infrastructure, homeless issues, drug issues, expensive colleges?”
Zeina Rose, a Palestinian Jordanian American activist, spoke about her experience working in Palestine almost every summer since 2017. She co-directs a summer camp that teaches K-12 students and takes international teachers on political tours of the West Bank and Jerusalem to prepare them as allies in their home countries.
“I’m here because every community matters in liberation work,” said Rose. “Our liberation is tied to Palestine. The whole world is watching innocent people get taken hostage, their homes destroyed, developing diseases, starving, losing limbs and getting killed.”
After the panelists introduced themselves, Nekumanesh called on each of them to respond to two questions, allowing four minutes for the first response and three minutes for the second.
Antonio Gonzalez, founder of the American Indian Movement-West, spoke about the importance of Indigenous peoples connecting with and standing in solidarity with other Indigenous communities and their movements.
Seth Morrison, a board of director of Jewish Voice for Peace, spoke about how his organizations and progressive members of the Jewish community can collaborate with movements in the U.S. to stop the flow of weapons to Israel.
“The reality is that too many Americans, too many of my friends and family, of your friends and family, don’t really understand what’s going on,” said Morrison. “We have to build our power and we have to do it together.”
Morrison also stressed three bills—AB 2925, SB 1277, and SB 1287—and said that they are designed to suppress Palestine-related speech in public schools and on college campuses. Although legislators have passed these bills, they now require Gov. Gavin Newsom’s veto to be prevented from becoming law.
Dr. Joshua Shurley, vice president of Veterans for Peace, spoke about the effects veterans have experienced as a result of ongoing U.S. involvement in Middle East wars.
Shurley stressed that moral injury affects veterans who take part in actions that go against their core values, causing psychological or spiritual distress. This becomes especially difficult when veterans are praised as heroes by society, creating a conflict between their actions and their personal beliefs.
Naser spoke about how there used to be large numbers of Palestinian supporters showing up to protests, events and city council meetings, but those numbers are dying down.
“We’re not doing enough,” said Naser. “There’s a genocide going on. 40,000 Palestinians dead, 17,000 children dead, a few 100 babies that were born, died during this war. I don’t necessarily think that people should either go to protests or come to these events, but you should find something and do it. And if you’re not doing anything right now, you’re failing Palestinians.”
Nekumanesh wrapped up the moderated panel discussion by asking community members if they felt empowered by the responses given. He said that if he can come here and take action, and if everyone around him is also willing to make an effort, then change is possible.
Before Nekumanesh introduced poet Aideed Medina, he chanted “Free, Free, Free Palestine” and community members reciprocated in unison.
Medina recited canto, a portion of a poem that can be sung or chanted, in Spanish and English to “create bonds with us, con nuestra gente, with your gente, so we can fight a good fight.”
During the event, community members were invited to write down their questions on index cards for the panelists to address during the Q&A session.
Questions ranged from the definition of a Zionist, how to send money or provide food support to Palestinians, which organizations are making a difference in Palestinians’ lives, and what it means to be a good ally.
“When we’re fighting for Palestine, we’re also fighting for Black lives, Native American recognition and for all people,” said Rose. “The biggest way to start is really just educating yourself and talking to people around about what you’ve been learning.”
Panelists also emphasized the importance of engaging in local politics and school board meetings, boycotting U.S. companies that fund Israel, forming coalitions with advocacy organizations, and urging Gov. Gavin Newsom to veto anti-Palestine bills.
The Coalition for Palestine plans to continue holding protests in Fresno every Wednesday and Saturday, and to organize a collective event on Oct. 7.
