This past month I participated in two events in support of Palestine, and a permanent ceasefire for Gaza.
On Wednesday, December 6, I joined over 500 interfaith clergy and laity to march across the Golden Gate Bridge with banners, flags, music and chants. Some of us started on the Marin side while other started on the San Francisco side and we met in the middle. We were greeted by drivers with thumbs up and honking horns.
United Methodists were one of the largest groups of faith people marching that day in support of Gaza, a ceasefire, an end to the occupation and, an end to US military support for Israel.
It is a grave state of affairs that our US government and many private businesses support the ongoing occupation and killing of Palestinians my Israeli military and illegal settlers. Many businesses that we unknowingly do business with have set up businesses in illegal settlements and their products are used to demolish homes, farmlands and build illegal settlements on illegally confiscated Palestinian lands.
We can all do our part by contacting regularly our elected representatives to support an end to the illegal occupation and military assault by Israel on Gaza. We can also learn what companies are doing business in illegal settlements and stop buying from them – and let them know you are stopping.
The other event was BMUC’s banner raising on Christmas Eve of the Gaza solidarity banner “Love Demands a Permanent Ceasefire.” Several choir members joined in the banner raising. We were also joined by Assisting Minister CJ Dunford of Berkeley Buddhist Temple and Marin Buddhist Temple, Jun Hamamoto, member Oakland Buddhist Temple, Rev. Mike Friedrich, and Rev. Michael Yoshii. BMUC has a long history of standing in solidarity with Palestinians and all communities that are under occupation and assault. Below are pictures from both events.
If you want to post them on your own social media pages, please also include ‘collaborator@interfaith4ceasefire’, so that individuals and communities of faith know that BMUC joins in solidarity for the oppressed. We are living out our Christian legacy of caring for the lost, the last and the least.
Blessings.
December 6, Interfaith March on Golden Gate Bridge for Ceasefire on Gaza
BMUC Ceasefire Solidarity Banner Raising (click here for video)
