Institutionalizing Anti-Palestinian Racism in Massachusetts: An Upcoming Webinar on Why State Efforts to Combat Antisemitism are in fact Anti-Palestinian Racism

Massachusetts Peace Action and the Institute for the Understanding of Anti-Palestinian Racism to hold webinar on the Mass State Senate Commission on Combatting Antisemitism and Anti-Palestinian Racism

Dec 06, 2024

Massachusetts Peace Action Education Fund along with Together for an Inclusive Massachusetts is holding a webinar with Merrie Najimy of the Institute for the Understanding of Anti-Palestinian Racism and Nora Lester Murad, who wrote the “toolkit” on how to “defend against false accusations of anti-semitism.”

The webinar “will explain anti-Palestinian racism and expose the assault on Palestinians and their allies currently being advanced through the Massachusetts Special Commission on Combatting Antisemitism.”

Who are the actors involved:

Massachusetts Peace Action is an extreme left organization which is very anti-Israel. In its position on Israel-Palestine MAPA says the following:

“Since October 7, 2023, the Israeli army has been engaged in an all out genocidal campaign against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip”
“The Palestinian people of Gaza, who, since 2007, have endured life under a medieval siege, now face daily bombings and forced starvation. Israel’s campaign of terror has left no line uncrossed, shelling hospitals full of injured civilians and healthcare workers and massacring desperate families waiting in line for flour. Our goal is to alter the course of U.S. policy from one of unconditional financial and political support for the Israeli genocide, occupation and apartheid of the Palestinian people to one that demands that Palestinians and Israeli Jews have equal political and human rights.”
“At MAPA, we recognize the imperial and colonial roots of the Zionist project and stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people’s right to liberation and return to the homes from which they were expelled.”

MAPA also hosted the “books not bombs” event, sponsored by American Federation of Teachers-Massachusetts and the Massachusetts Teachers Assocation, in which Merrie Najimy was to speak on “Releasing tax dollars by pulling back from Gaza, Ukraine and other foreign wars” but predictably dedicated all of her time to Gaza. Watch her panel here.

Together for an Inclusive Massachusetts “is a group of Jewish, Muslim, Christian, labor, education, student, civil rights and other organizations and individuals advocating for justice and equity in the Commonwealth”.

Their steering committee includes Jewish Voice for Peace Boston.

Merrie Najimy: Najimy is the former president of the Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA) and the founder of MTA Rank and File for Palestine.

Najimy is on record saying that what Israel is doing in Gaza is “beyond genocide”. Watch video here

Najimy is also involved with the Institute for the Understanding of Anti-Palestinian Racism.

The IUAPR is pushing to get anti-Palestinian Racism training into schools. For them, racism against Palestinians includes not recognizing Israel as a settler colonial state, rejecting their narrative of the Nakba (the founding of Israel in 1948), equating the actions of the “oppressed” (the Palestinians) with the oppressors (Israel), justifying violence against Palestinians, and rejecting the notion that Palestinian refugees have a “right of return”.

Most important, for proponents of APR, the victims of this racism do not need to be Palestinian but can also be their allies.

Nora Lester Murad : Murad is an author and activist. She is a vocal proponent of the campaign to remove Anti-Defamation League resources from schools.

Indeed, Murad has claimed that “The ADL is as bad as the proud boys” and that “If we allow the ADL [and similar organisations] to control what happens in schools, we will be raising another generation of genociders.”

Here are excerpts from Murad’s cartoon “How to justify the genocide of Palestinians in 14 easy steps: A graphical guide”

And finally, a quote from Murad’s recent newsletter:

Nora Lester Murad -“With each false accusation of antisemitism, the pro-Israel groups demonstrate that they care about supporting Israel unconditionally, not creating a world in which Jews can live equally alongside others…”

The webinar will delve into how the Massachusetts Special Commission on Combatting Antisemitism is an assault on Palestinians and their allies.

To that end, here is a summary of the first two hearings of the commission as well as full video of both hearings:

The Commission was formed to combat antisemitism in Massachusetts - as its name suggests. “incidents of antisemitism reached a 205% increase from 2022 to 2023 across New England, according to the ADL. A total of 440 antisemitic incidents in Massachusetts were recorded by the ADL in 2023 – a 189% increase from the year before”:

The commission shall: (i) report on trends and data related to incidents of antisemitism in the commonwealth; (ii) make recommendations for the implementation of the United States national strategy to counter antisemitism; (iii) identify and evaluate existing efforts to combat antisemitism in the commonwealth; (iv) identify best practices from efforts to combat antisemitism in other states and jurisdictions; (v) evaluate the commonwealth’s hate crime statutes and whether any amendments would better protect residents from antisemitism and other similar forms of hatred; and (vi) recommend strategies, programs and legislation to combat antisemitism in the commonwealth. The commission shall submit a report of its study and recommendations to the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate and the senate and house committees on ways and means not later than November 30, 2024.

(b) The commission shall consist of: 3 persons appointed by the senate president, 1 of whom shall have expertise in combatting antisemitism and 1 of whom shall represent a Jewish community organization in the commonwealth; 3 persons appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, 1 of whom shall have expertise in combatting antisemitism and 1 of whom shall represent a Jewish community organization in the commonwealth; 1 member who shall be appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives; 1 member who shall be appointed by the minority leader of the senate; 2 persons appointed by the governor, 1 of whom shall have expertise in legal issues related to civil rights and civil liberties; 2 persons appointed by the Massachusetts Municipal Association, Inc.; the attorney general or a designee; the chair of the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination or a designee; the commissioner of higher education or a designee; the commissioner of elementary and secondary education or a designee; 1 person appointed by the Massachusetts District Attorneys Association; 1 person appointed by the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association Incorporated; and 1 member appointed by the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents, Inc. The senate president and the speaker of the house of representatives shall each designate a co-chair from their respective appointees.

From the first hearing of the commission, held on October 29th:

“We will draw in voices that are not already represented on this commission included, but not limited to, Orthodox Jews, Israeli Jews and those who may have differing opinions about what counts as antisemitism.”

You can watch the full first hearing here. Here is the Agenda:

AGENDA
1. Opening Statements of the Chairs - Rep. Cataldo and Sen. Velis
2. Self-Introductions of the Members
3. Overview of the Statutory Charge
4. Overview of Meeting Agenda
5. Overview of WH National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism
6. Discussion of Topic Areas for Emphasis in Furtherance of the Commission’s Work as Prescribed in Section 201 of Chapter 140 of the Acts of 2024
7. Anti-Defamation League Presentation on Available Data on Antisemitism
8. Introduction to Combined Jewish Philanthropies’ Center for Combating Antisemitism
9. Logistical Commission Matters
10. Adjourn

And here are the meeting minutes: