IN ADDITION TO GOING ON THE TRIP WE WERE GOING TO BE JOINED BY
STACY PLASKET FROM THE VIRGIN
ISLANDS.
ISLANDS. THE DECISION TO BAN ME AND MY
COLLEAGUES.
COLLEAGUES. THE FIRST TWO AMERICAN WOMEN
ELECTED TO CONGRESS IS NOTHING
LESS THAN AN ATTEMPT BY AN ALLY
OF THE UNITED STATES TO SUPRESS
OUR ABILITY TO DO OUR JOB AS
ELECTED OFFICIALS.
ELECTED OFFICIALS. THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT ME.
NET NET
NET NET BENNETTJAMIN NETANYAHU’S.
BENNETTJAMIN NETANYAHU’S. A POLICY THAT’S BEEN EDGED ON
AND SUPPORTED BY TRUMP’S
ADMINISTRATION.
ADMINISTRATION. THAT’S BECAUSE THE ONLY WAY TO
PRESERVE UNJUST POLICY IS TO
SUPRESS PEOPLE’S FREEDOM OF
EXPRESSION, FREEDOM OF
ASSOCIATION AND FREEDOM OF
MOVEMENT.
MOVEMENT. MY COLLEAGUE AND I ARE NOT THE
ONLY ONES BEING DENIED THE RIGHT
TO SEE FOR OURSELVES THE REALITY
ON THE GROUND ON THE WEST BANK.
THE NETANYAHU GOVERNMENT IS
CURRENTLY TRYING TO DEPORT OMAR
SHAKHIR, A HUMAN RIGHTS WORKER
WITH HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH BECAUSE
HE HAS REPORTED ON HUMAN RIGHTS
CONDITIONS IN THE WEST BANK AND
GAZA.
GAZA. LAST YEAR THE NETANYAHU
GOVERNMENT REFUSED ENTRY TO AN
AMERICAN CITIZEN, CATHERINE
FRANK, AND MY FRIEND -- WARREN
WHO ARRIVED ON A HUMAN RIGHTS
MISSION.
MISSION. ALL OF THESE ACTIONS HAVE
NOTHING -- DO NOTHING TO BRING
US CLOSER TO PEACE.
IN FACT, THEY DO THE OPPOSITE.
THEY MAINTAIN THE OCCUPATION AND
PRESENT A SOLUTION TO THE
COMPLEX.
COMPLEX. FORTUNATELY, WE IN THE UNITED
STATES HAVE A CONSTRUCTIVE ROLE
TO PLAY.
TO PLAY. WE GIVE ISRAEL MORE THAN $3
MILLION IN AIDE EVERY YEAR.
THIS IS PREDICATED ON THERE
BEING AN IMPORTANT ALLY IN THE
REGION AND THE ONLY DEMOCRACY IN
THE MIDDLE EAST.
BUT DENYING VISITS TO ELECTED
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS IS NOT
CONSISTENT WITH BEING AN ALLY
AND DENYING MILLIONS OF PEOPLE
FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT OR
TEACHERS TAUGHT ME ABOUT THE REALITIES OF OPPRESSION,
INJUSTICE AND THE NEED TO TAKE
ACTION.
ACTION. GROWING UP IN A CITY THAT’S BEEN
AT THE CENTER OF MANY SOCIAL
JUSTICE MOVEMENTS FOR CIVIL
RIGHTS, LABOR RIGHTS AND
EQUALITY AND ABSORBING THE
LESSONS SHAPED WHO I AM TODAY
AND DRIVES ME TO PUSH FOR PEACE
AND JUSTICE FOR THE PALESTINIAN
AND ISRAELI PEOPLE.
AS A YOUNG GIRL VISITING
PALESTINE TO SEE MY GRANDPARENTS
AND EXTENDED FAMILY I WATCHED AS
MY MOTHER HAD TO GO THROUGH
DEHUMANIZING CHECKPOINT SS -- EV
THOUGH SHE WAS A UNITED STATES
CITIZEN AND PROUD AMERICAN.
I WAS THERE WHEN MY SISSY WAS IN
A TERRIBLE CAR ACCIDENT AND MY
COUSINS AND I CRIED SO SHE COULD
HAVE ACCESS TO THE BEST
HOSPITALS IN JERUSALEM.
I REMEMBER SHAKING WITH FEAR
WHEN -- APPEARED IN A SMALL
VILLAGE WITH TANKS AND GUNS
EVERYWHERE.
EVERYWHERE. I REMEMBER VISITING EAST
JERUSALEM WITH MY THEN HUSBAND
AND HIM ESCORTED OFF THE BUS
ALTHOUGH THERE WAS A UNITED
STATES CITIZEN.
STATES CITIZEN. ALL I CAN DO AS THE GRAND
DAUGHTER OF A WOMAN WHO LIVED IN
OCCUPIED TERRITORY BY EXPOSING
THE TRUTH THE ONLY WAY I KNOW
HOW, AS MY DETROIT PUBLIC SCHOOL
SCHOOLS TEACHERS TAUGHT ME BY
HUMANIZING THE PAIN OF
OPPRESSION, OUR DELEGATION TRIP
INCLUDED VETERANS FORCED TO
PARTICIPATE IN MILITARY
OCCUPATIONS.
OCCUPATIONS. THEY ALSO WANT PEACE AND
SELF-DETERMINATION FOR THE
PALESTINIAN NEIGHBORS.
PALESTINIAN NEIGHBORS. THEY COULD HAVE SHED LIGHT IN
CHILD DETENTION.
CHILD DETENTION. THE DELEGATION WOULD HAVE SEEN
FIRST HAND WHY WALLS ARE
DESTRUCTIVE, NOT PRODUCTIVE.
THEY COULD HAVE ASKED PEOPLE IN
BETHLEHEM HOW WALLS CUT OFF
ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FROM A
WAY TO LIVE AND DO PSYCHOLOGICAL
DAMAGE THAT LASTS FOREVER.
ALL I CAN DO AS HER GRAND
DAUGHTER IS HELP HUMANIZE HER
AND THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE’S
PRICE.
PRICE. I KNOW WHEN WE CAN FINALLY SEE
THEM AS DESERVING OF HUMAN
DIGNITY, EVERYONE WHO LIVES
THERE WILL BE ABLE TO LIVE IN
PEACE.
PEACE. IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT PRIME
MINISTER NETANYAHU HAS TAKEN A
PAGE OUT OF TRUMP’S BOOK AND
EVEN THE DIRECTION FROM TRUMP TO
DENY THIS OPPORTUNITY.
YES, WHILE FOLKS ARE SHOCKED
THIS HAPPENED TO US, TODAY WE’LL
HEAR FROM FOLKS WHO WILL HELP
SHOW THE REALITY FROM MANY WHO
WERE BARRED FROM GOING INTO
ISRAEL, NOT TO BE EVEN ABLE TO
REACH THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE.
THEY ARE FELLOW AMERICANS WHO
CANNOT VISIT THEIR FAMILIES OR
LOVED ONES.
LOVED ONES. ALL OF US SHOULD BE DEEPLY