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Jews for Palestinian Right of Return (JPRR)

Website:

www.facebook.com/JewsForPalestinianRightOfReturn/
Type:

Anti-Israel Advocacy Group
Formation:

2013
Co-Founder:

Michael Letwin

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Jews for Palestinian Right of Return (JPRR) is an internet-based anti-Israel advocacy group with a presence on WordPress and Facebook. In 2013, the group posted a “Founding Statement” that referred to the 1948 establishment of the Israeli state as a “Nakba” (an Arabic term for “catastrophe”) and Israel’s victory in the 1967 Six-Day War as a continuation of apartheid and genocide. The group’s mission is to achieve one Palestinian state that extends “from the river to the sea,” a phrase referring to the land between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea currently consisting of the State of Israel and the disputed Palestinian Territories. Signatories of the statement include Max Blumenthal, Jeff Halper (the co-founder of the One Democratic State Campaign), Barbara Lubin (the former director of the Middle East Children’s Alliance), and other activists and journalists active in anti-Israel work. 1

Activities

In 2018, Jews for Palestinian Right of Return signed a group letter led by Jewish Voice for Peace encouraging governments to reject the definition of antisemitism used by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) and asserting that criticism of Israel in and of itself should not be considered antisemitism. 2

In 2021, the group helped lead protests against Jewish nonprofits like the Central Fund of Israel, Friends of Ateret Cohanim, the Hebron Fund, and Friends of IR David. It claimed that these groups are supporting dual Israeli-U.S. citizens traveling overseas and stealing Palestinian homes. 3

In 2022, the group signed a letter encouraging President Joe Biden to do more to stop Israelis from persecuting political activists and political organizations inside the Palestinian territories. According to the letter, the Israeli government unjustly shut down the operations of several groups while detaining their leaders for questioning under Israeli anti-terrorism law. 4

JPRR declared its support for the October 7 terror attacks, saying it “stands with the Gaza Ghetto Uprising,” effectively comparing Israeli treatment of Hamas-ruled Gaza like the Nazis treated European Jews during the Holocaust. 5 In late 2023, the group signed a group letter demanding that Sinai Synagogue in Indiana reverse its firing of a Torah and ethics teacher named Dan for his participation in a Gaza solidarity protest. 6 7

It also led a petition defending a non-binary professor at Princeton University who assigned the controversial book, The Right to Maim: Debility, Capacity, Disability to her students. The book accuses the Israeli government of deliberately maiming Palestinians for profit, and suggests that Black people be considered “disabled” due to systemic racism. 8 JPRR applauded the book’s theses and encouraged Princeton president Christopher Eisgruber to continue allowing this kind of material to be taught in the interest of free speech. 9 In November 2023, the group endorsed the National March on Washington to Free Palestine, which was led by the ANSWER Coalition, an organization of radical-left activists who campaign against U.S. foreign policy and the State of Israel. 10

Support for Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP)

Jews for Palestinian Right of Return often defends the actions of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), including vocal support for alleged senior PFLP leader Khaled Barakat. The German government banned Barakat from the country in 2020 because his rhetoric and Palestinian advocacy posed a security risk both in Germany and in broader Europe; JPRR depicted Barakat as a victim of German “repression.” 11   

It has also expressed support on behalf of PFLP official Khalida Jarrar and PFLP terrorist Rasmea Odeh, repeatedly posting glamorizing images of the latter. It also exalts Ahed Tamimi, a Palestinian activist who became famous for slapping an Israeli soldier, has repeatedly expressed her desire to have as many Israeli civilians killed as possible, and has referred to Hitler fondly. 12 13 14 15

Leadership

Michael Letwin is a co-founder of Jews for Palestinian Right of Return. He has an extensive history in socialist, organized labor, and anti-Israel movements. He is a former president of the United Auto Workers Chapter of Legal Aid Attorneys and a member of the Democratic Socialist of America’s boycott, divestment, and sanctions activity and the Palestine Solidarity Working Group. He is a member of Labor for Palestine and the New York chapter of Al-Awda: The Palestine Right to Return Coalition. He works as a public defender and is a self-described third generation political activist who has participated in public antiwar and pro-labor protests since childhood. 16

In November 2023, he encouraged his attorneys’ union (the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys) to adopt a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and an end to the Israeli presence in the Palestinian Territories. Four of his fellow union members sued in the New York State Supreme Court and successfully stopped the adoption of the resolution, agreeing with the plaintiffs that the resolution would inhibit public defenders’ abilities to do their jobs. Twyla Carver, the chief executive officer of the Legal Aid Society, opposed the resolution, telling staff that the language called for the elimination of the state of Israel and the annihilation of the Jewish people. 17

References

  1. “Founding Statement.” Jews for Palestinian Right of Return. January 1, 2013. Accessed August 1, 2024. https://jfpror.wordpress.com/founding-statement/
  2.  “First-ever: 40+ Jewish groups worldwide oppose equating antisemitism with criticism of Israel.” Jewish Voice for Peace. Accessed August 1, 2024. https://www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org/2018/07/17/first-ever-40-jewish-groups-worldwide-oppose-equating-antisemitism-with-criticism-of-israel/
  3. “Actions demand NY shut down groups backing settler-led genocide in Palestine.” Liberation. July 30, 2021. Accessed August 1, 2024. https://www.liberationnews.org/actions-demand-ny-close-groups-backing-settler-genocide-in-palestine/
  4. “President Biden: Stop Israeli Government’s Attacks on Palestinian Civil Society.” Center for Constitutional Rights. August 29, 2022. Accessed August 1, 2024. https://ccrjustice.org/president-biden-stop-israeli-government-s-attacks-palestinian-civil-society-0
  5. Jews for Palestinian Right to Return on Facebook: “October 7th, 2023: Jews for Palestinian Right of Return Stands with the Gaza Ghetto Uprising…” October 7, 2023. Accessed August 1, 2024. https://www.facebook.com/JewsForPalestinianRightOfReturn/posts/pfbid02VhP4dBdiKFPBCRQBg4a7kwecBVgkrQehA3cP9AtCXV2XRQ3hwZovS6VSrMxUQq5ml
  6. “Don’t Silence Voices for Palestinian Rights: An Open Letter to Sinai Synagogue’s Leadership.” Jewish Voice for Peace. Accessed August 1, 2024.  https://www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org/2023/10/24/sinai-letter/
  7. Matt Gotsch. “Michiana Friends of Palestine holds rally for peace in the Middle East.” WNDU 16 News Now. October 11, 2023. Accessed August 1, 2024. https://www.wndu.com/2023/10/12/michiana-friends-palestine-holds-rally-peace-middle-east/
  8. Andrew Stiles. “5 Things We Absolutely Love About Princeton Professor Satyel Larson.” Washington Free Beacon. August 16, 2023. Accessed August 1, 2024. https://freebeacon.com/author/stiles/campus/satyel-larson-princeton-professor-anti-semitism/
  9. “Princeton University: Defend Faculty from Antisemitism Smears.” September 13, 2023. Accessed August 1, 2024. https://www.change.org/p/princeton-university-defend-faculty-from-antisemitism-slanders?original_footer_petition_id=12033730&algorithm=promoted&source_location=petition_footer&grid_position=6&pt=AVBldGl0aW9uAJnwOgIAAAAAZRfO849nbIRhNWViNTdiZQ%3D%3D
  10. “Who We Are.” ANSWER Coalition. Accessed August 1, 2024. https://www.answercoalition.org/who_we_are
  11. “Jews for Palestinian Right of Return: Solidarity with Khaled Barakat and Palestine Free Speech in Germany.” July 27, 2019. Accessed August 1, 2024. https://jfpror.wordpress.com/2019/07/27/jews-for-palestinian-right-of-return-solidarity-with-khaled-barakat-and-palestine-free-speech-in-germany/
  12. Joanie Margulies. “Tamimi: We will drink your blood; what Hitler did to you was a joke.” Jerusalem Post. November 1, 2023. Accessed August 1, 2024.  https://www.jpost.com/arab-israeli-conflict/article-771102
  13. Jews for Palestinian Right of Return on Facebook: Demand the Immediate Release of Khalida Jarrar…” August 10, 2015. Accessed August 1, 2024. https://www.facebook.com/JewsForPalestinianRightOfReturn/photos/pb.100069628020239.-2207520000/902607116480626/?type=3
  14. Jews for Palestinian Right of Return on Facebook: “PLEASE WRITE A LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR RASMEA ODEH…” November 12, 2014. Accessed August 1, 2024. https://www.facebook.com/JewsForPalestinianRightOfReturn/photos/pb.100069628020239.-2207520000/753020144772658/?type=3
  15. Jews for Palestinian Right of Return on Facebook: “Ahed and Anne, spirited teenage girls…” February 14, 2018. Accessed August 1, 2024. https://www.facebook.com/JewsForPalestinianRightOfReturn/photos/pb.100069628020239.-2207520000/1817410405000288/?type=3
  16. “Michael Z. Letwin.” Accessed August 1, 2024. https://michaelletwin.wordpress.com/
  17. Maximillian Alvarez. “The New York Supreme Court Just Blocked a Union from Voting on a Pro-Palestine Resolution.” In These Times. November 22, 2023. Accessed August 1, 2024.  https://inthesetimes.com/article/palestine-resolution-unions-court-blocked
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