Rocket Shelled Ashkelon Marked as Den of Apartheid by Sacramento Israel Haters, May Lose Sister City Bid
Latest update: August 13th, 2012
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Ashkelon Mayor Benny Vaknin didn't know his city was a den of apartheid policies until the good people of Sacramento told him so.
Photo Credit: Yori Yanover / JewishPress.com
However, Councilmember Cohn would not say that the question was entirely settled.
“Sacramento is a pretty diverse city and claims like the ones being made about Ashkelon, using terms like Apartheid and discrimination,” he said, “can be very damaging, even when unfounded.” And the 2009 Council statement was a statement of intent, which is not binding, according to Cohn, who has served on the City Council for 18 years.
For Cohn, the proof that those fighting the measure are not really concerned about human rights, as they claim, is that Sacramento has sister-city relationships with a city in China, and one in Moldova, countries where the human rights record should have raised concerns.
City Councilmembers have been receiving dozens of emails and calls on the matter, both in favor and against. It is anticipated that several hundred people will turn out for the meeting next week.
Broad says he isn’t trying to have a battle over the Arab-Israeli conflict, “they have enough of that over there.” The concept of establishing sister-cities is to “reach out to other people, to create people to people contact,” and Broad believes that will happen between people in Sacramento and the people in Ashkelon. He is far less hopeful that the pro-Palestinian activists want anything like that with the pro-Israel groups even within Sacramento.
“I was in the room when leaders of the Bethlehem Initiative, some of whom are also in the vanguard of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions groups, pledged in front of several City Council members that they would engage in dialogue and open communications with the Sacramento Jewish community,” recalled Broad. “They have refused.”
What is at the heart of the grievance, what motivates the people who oppose something as benign as the creation of a sister-city relationship with an Israeli city that isn’t even in the territories? Bond didn’t hesitate: “they want to reverse the results of the 1948 war.”
Broad went further, “the Arabs waged an aggressive was against Israel in 1948, and they lost.”
“There are consequences to waging aggressive wars when you lose,” Broad continued. “But the people who don’t want to accept those consequences are still fighting that war, just in a different way.”
On August 14, in the Sacramento City Council, there will be yet another effort to re-fight the war the Arabs lost in 1948. But, according to at least one weary participant in the stateside battle, “that conflict needs to be resolved by the parties, it won’t be resolved in Sacramento.”
tell a friendAbout the Author: Lori Lowenthal Marcus is the US correspondent for The Jewish Press. She is a recovered lawyer who previously practiced First Amendment law and taught in Philadelphia-area graduate and law schools.
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31 Responses to “Rocket Shelled Ashkelon Marked as Den of Apartheid by Sacramento Israel Haters, May Lose Sister City Bid”
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Sacramento should not give in to these people! Poor Ashkelon used to be such a beautiful place, and a tourist destination, but it's lost all that business because it is besieged by terrorist attacks. It is the Israelis of Ashkelon who have suffered enormously at the hands of the Palestinian extremists. I hope Sacramento understands this.
Shame on sacremento for believing these lies.
Sacramento isn't going to buy the lies of the Israel haters. Supporters of Israel will stop the BDS effort yet again.
I think Sacramento should do itself proud and not support Israel brutal and racist occupation of the Palastinians.
Don't ask for healthcare in the free Palestinian lands because they send you to the Israeli apartheid hospitals for treatment. Sorry you are undeserving of a country because all yo do is destroy and hate!!
You are a fool for making those statements. your Aran brethern treat you far worst thaen any Israeli .
If the occupation ended, the pals would have no need to seek treatment in Israeli aparthied hospitals but as the aparthied system is there, the Pals have no choice. Very shortly the UN will give the Palastinians non member state status at the UN, (there is no US veto) then its the internation criminal court for Israel.
Racist antisemitic fascist English trash. Like the overwhelming majoritx, vast majoroty of your ultra-despicable sinking – sunk – country…
Please Jewish Press act to delete inflammatory antisemitic comments uttered by snob rich white racist English filth. Thank you.
Mr. Ali is a partisan of hte openly antisemitic anti-Jewish pro-Israel-destruction British party masquerading by the name "Liiberal Democrats", when in fact it IS a fascist antisemitc political party as one of its neo-Nazi EU MP Chris Davies, attests to. Nothing out of the ordinary here folks. An Islamofascist Islamic Jew-hater in a racist British political party. We know their tunes perfectly and see throufgh them well.
When it come to being a 'facist' you would know about that than I would Frankl. Very shortly we will elect to give the palastinians non-member state and then it is the international criminal court for Israel……any organistaion or group which funds or indirectly funds the occupation will then be sued……hope your lawyers are ready…
Learn proper English first you illiterate analphabet buffoon! Are you British in any way, by the way?!
and you learn to get your facts stright. Israel is a country that operates an apatheid system – example palastinains being banned from using certain roads in the west bank- any decent minded person should oppose this racist and brutal israeli regime.
Andi Ali. The International Criminal Court for Israel but not for the murderers in Gaza and on the west bank who continue their war of murder and terror against unarmed Israelis? Golda Meier had it right. "When the Arabs put down their guns, there will be no more war. But when the Jews put down their guns there will be no more Israel." I am sure Mr. Ali would be just fine with that. He and his neo-Fascist friends. But the Jews will not be led to slaughter again. Not this time and never again.
All israel needs to do is end their occupation and aprtheid polices…….simple
You said it right and well tagsnola.
Who is occupying Gaza?
Bruce Thompson Hamas!
what? liberals are anti-Semitic? what's next? liberals that are pro-abortion?
I agree, so many cities in Israel are constantly being bombarded by terrorists. Shame on you, Sacramento, for giving in to those racists.
Nancy do your homework. Don't rant yet. They haven't decided anything yet. Write a comment in A sacramento newspaper or sign the above petition instead.
Christians United For Israel members have sent close to 20,000 emails in the last 48 hours. Add your voice:
https://secure2.convio.net/cufi/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&page=UserAction&id=259&JServSessionIdr004=kut08v3p43.app214b
Sacramento making news around the world!
I am glad the numbers are climbing! May we continue to send a resounding message!
thousands of e-mails being sent to Samento urging them no to vote in Israel's favour until it ends it'sbrutal and racist occupation of Palastine.
Andi Ali is a partisan of the openly antisemitic anti-Jewish pro-Israel-destruction British party masquerading by the name "Liiberal Democrats", when in fact it IS a fascist antisemitc political party as one of its neo-Nazi EU MP Chris Davies, attests to. Nothing out of the ordinary here folks. An Islamofascist Islamic Jew-hater in a racist British political party. We know their tunes perfectly and see throufgh them well.
The UK Liberal Democratic Party is about as far from being a fascist party as you can imagine. Its economic policy is very free market oriented.
here here!
As far as Israel and the pro-Israel Jewish, even non-Jewish community is concerned, my comments is point blank apt!!!
I wonder if the folks working on this know that Portland, Oregon is a sister city to Ashkelon as is Baltimore Maryland. As President of the Portland-Ashkelon sister city Assn. I am happy to help in anyway possible.
such ignorance
The good guys won; the sister city agreement was unanimously approved by the Sacramento City Council last night.
http://www.sacbee.com/2012/08/15/4726563/sacramento-council-approves-sister.html
Sacramento already had a sister city agreement with Bethlehem, a Palestinian city.