Jewish Socialists' Group on March 18 anti-war demo

I was on the big peace demonstration in London yesterday. If you believe the police there were 15,000 people, according to Socialist Worker it was 100,000.
I wasn't counting, so you can take your pick - think of a number in-between.
There were more demonstrations in cities from Vancouver to Sydney. (In France, the Iraq war was temporarily overshadowed by the battle between the French government and youth).
Meanwhile, in Iraq the US forces were bombing and shooting up cities they have supposedly "liberated" while their man Allawi warns that the country is in a state of civil war. Meanwhile, having shown its hand by conniving at the Israeli raid on Jericho, the British government, despite a show of withdrawing some troops from Iraq (having sent more to Afghanistan), has not a peace policy in sight.
Though Saturday's demonstration was mainly about Iraq, the desperate situation in Palestine and the threat of war on Iran were much in mind, as shown in speeches, placards, and this leaflet below distributed by Jewish Socialists' Group members on the march:



NO MORE GHETTOES!
'My feeling is that the blood of left-wing activists and the Palestinians is cheap,' says 17-year old Matan Cohen, hospitalised after being hit in the eye by a rubber-coated bullet, fired by the Israeli Border Police, on 24th February. Matan, a member of Anarchists Against the Wall, had joined Palestinians and Israelis demonstrating peacefully together at Beit Sira, against the uprooting of olive trees to make way for Israel's annexation fence.

Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert has pledged to make this Israel's 'permanent border', effectively reducing what remains of Palestine into a walled ghetto for Palestinians. The British government suppressed its own report for the European Union on Israeli annexation measures. British media gave us nightly showings of the Gaza settlers' protests but have shown not a glimpse of the anti-Wall protests and repression at places like Bil'in and Beit Sira. We heard an outcry about boycott calls against Israel, but the US, EU and Israeli governments are using economic sanctions to punish the Palestinian people and their children because of the vote for Hamas - itself a protest against 'road map' that had led nowhere. Now we've seen the British government's collusion in the Israeli military assault on Jericho prison - an election stunt and a bloody provocation.

Jewish Socialists support the Israeli Peace Bloc, Gush Shalom, in demanding that Israel cease building the Apartheid Wall, negotiate with whoever the Palestinians choose, and end the occupation and theft of Palestinian land.
A just peace can only be based on equality and freedom, recognising both people's rights.
Read the EU's supressed report on our website http://www.jewishsocialistorg.uk/,
and read about Matan Cohen's ideas and aims in the latest issue of JEWISH SOCIALIST

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JEWISH SOCIALISTS have taken part in every demonstration against war with Iraq. We demand withdrawal from Iraq, and support the Iraqi people's right to run their own country democratically and control its resources to rebuild their lives. We support Iraqi democrats in combatting threats to their human and civil rights from imperialists and fundamentalists.

JEWISH SOCIALISTS also oppose war with Iran. Iranian President Ahmadinejad is a reactionary who uses anti-Western and anti-Jewish rhetoric as a diversion from his attacks on the Iranian people. It suits the governments of Britain, the USA and Israel to build up this bogeyman as a threat, even though they ignored similar rhetoric when they armed Khomeini's Iran. They pretend to take seriously his threats to 'wipe Israel off the map', linking it with alleged nuclear ambitions - but Palestinians want the right to return to their homeland not a radioactive wreck. It is Israel that has nuclear weapons and has not signed the non-proliferation pact.

We oppose nuclear weapons anywhere in the world
We oppose war with Iran
We say the labour and anti-war movements must give support to the Iranian working people and struggle for democratic rights in Iran
The Jewish Socialists' Group is affiliated to European Jews for Just Peace
We oppose 'community leaders' who tie our fortunes to right wing politics and to Israel.

JEWISH SOCIALISTS participate in the peace, labour and anti-racist movements to aim for a better world for all.


Jewish Socialists' Group
PUBLIC MEETING

Sunday 26th March 7.30pm Indian YMCA. Fitzroy Square London W1
(nr.Warren Street tube)
What are the prospects for peace in Middle East?
with Moshe Machover (former editor of Khamsin)
Ahlam Akram {Arab Labour Group)
Torab Saleth (Iranian Workers Left Unity)