Palestine is undergoing a genocide funded by U.S. tax payer dollars. The U.S. sends billions in military aid so that Israel can conduct the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians and enact devastating violence on the land and people of Gaza. Palestinians deserve to be free from Israeli occupation—to live long healthy lives in their ancestral homelands and to have control over their bodies and their destinies.
As the Minnesota Abortion Action Committee (MNAAC), we recognize that opposing Israeli Apartheid is a task that must be taken up by every progressive in the U.S. and not just those in the anti-war movement. Hospitals in Gaza are under attack. Pregnant Palestinians are without essential reproductive healthcare. Women and children make up a majority of those murdered by Israel. This is a crisis that demands all of our attention, which is why MNAAC urges our fellow reproductive rights organizations to join us in the fight to end U.S. aid to Israel.
As of November 5th, 2023, over 10,000 Palestinians have been murdered in the siege of Gaza. This is a trapped civilian population that is being directly targeted and collectively punished. Israel is committing war crimes, and their actions stem back far beyond this current campaign of violence. Israel has used its military power to forcibly remove and kill Palestinians, stealing and occupying their land since 1947. Israel only has the military resources and power to do so because of funding from the United States. Historically, the US has given a range of $1-5 billion per year to aid the Israeli occupation. Now, President Biden has requested $14.5 billion in aid to Israel. Most of our elected officials are in full support of this.
Reproductive Health
As people who work and fight for reproductive health and justice, we can see that Palestinians have been denied their bodily autonomy on multiple levels. In the open air prison of Gaza—where water, electricity, and other resources are routinely cut off by Israel—reproductive health was already suffering. The siege taking place since October 7th has made conditions even more dire. The United Nations reported that women and newborns are “bearing the burden” of the conflict both from a lack of healthcare access and as a large proportion of the casualties. War time conditions make it near impossible to have safe periods with adequate products, and cases of STDs and UTIs have gone up as there is little to no medical treatment available. Palestinians are undergoing c-sections without anesthesia due to hospitals being bombed by Israel. Maternal death, miscarriages, and stillborn births are rising as the violence continues.
In MNAAC, we understand that our struggles are connected and in many ways derive from the same roots of capitalism and white supremacy. These systems cannot be toppled by a singular entity or by a single moment; it will be a constant struggle in which we must all contribute. This couldn’t be more true when it comes to the liberation of Palestine. Palestinians are asking for our support and participation in the streets, on social media, in contacting our electeds, and more. The reproductive rights movement has been relatively silent on this issue so far and that absolutely must change. As community members, as neighbors, it’s urgent that we show our solidarity. With organizational platforms to spread our message, we must continue to share incoming information about Palestine, about Gaza, and about all oppressed peoples struggling for liberation. We must show up in the streets and aid the collective actions led by the Palestinian community and the anti-war movement. Our silence only assists the powers of oppressive forces. Our silence solidifies our complacency with this horrific moment in history.
We invite other reproductive rights organizations to sign onto this statement, affirming their commitment to:
- Share and circulate information about the situation in Palestine, including on-the-ground actions and events in our communities
- Cut ties with organizations that support Israeli apartheid and hold ourselves accountable to abide by BDS standards
- Use our organizational networks, connections, and resources to pressure those in power to divest from Israel on the national, state, and local levels
If your organization is interested in signing on, please email us at info@mnaac.org.