The RETURN Statement
Against the Israeli Law of Return - For the Palestinian Right to Return
On 2 November 1917, the British Government issued the Balfour Declaration.
This represented the first major victory for the Zionist project of
transforming Palestine from a part of the Ottoman empire into a Jewish state
- a project which came to fruition on 15 May 1948, with the proclamation of
'the establishment of the Jewish state in Palestine'.
As a result, the Palestinian people now live either under Israeli rule or in
exile. Those in the territories occupied by Israel in 1967 (many of them
refugees from areas occupied in 1948) live under continuing harsh military
rule; those in the territories occupied in 1948 are second-class residents
in a Jewish state, denied the rights and privileges accorded to those
residents recognised by the state as Jews.
On 9 December 1987, the Palestinian people living under Israeli military
occupation rose up against their oppressors. On 15 November 1988, the
Palestine National Council declared the establishment of the independent
state of Palestine. Two years on, the Intifada continues. it is now
manifestly clear to everyone that the Israeli military occupation must end,
and that the PLO is the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian
people. Any pretence to the contrary is an obvious lie.
Meanwhile, the Israeli repression of the Palestinian people and their
Intifada continues. Over 800 Palestinians (150 of them children) have been
killed by the Israeli security forces or by settlers in the past two years.
Many thousands more have been maimed, imprisoned without trial, had their
homes destroyed or been expelled from their homeland.
Israel has become an armed camp, at war both with its neighbours and with
its subject Palestinian population. In its operations in Africa, Asia and
Latin America, Israel represents a major link in the world network of
repressive and racist regimes. Its nuclear weapons capacity, developed in
alliance with South Africa, is a danger to the entire Middle East, and to
the whole world.
In spite of this, Jewish communities have been recruited by Israel as both
support and justification for its activities. The historic sufferings of
Jews, particularly the Nazi murder of six million European Jews, are held to
justify Israel's existence and behaviour. Israel continues to present itself
as acting in the name of the Jewish people in international affairs.
We, entitled to the privileges accorded under the Israeli Law of Return to
Jews and their close relatives, declare our opposition to the state of
Israel as a Jewish state and to the Zionist movement. We call on our fellow
Jews and their close relatives to join us in making the following statement:
* the Palestinian people, at whose expense the state of Israel was
established and continues to exist, have the right to return, to
self-determination and to their independent state on Palestinian soil;
* the Palestine Liberation Organisation is the sole legitimate
representative of the Palestinian people;
* the state of Israel does not represent all Jewish people, neither legally,
morally nor in any other way;
* the Zionist structure of the state of Israel is at the heart of the racism
and oppression against the Palestinian people, and should be dismantled.
- George Abendstern, Rochdale
- George Adda, Tunis
- Paul Adams, London
- Isobel Aga, London
- Yasmin Alam, London
- Ammiel Alcalay, New York
- Mick Ashley, Brighton
- Deni Asnis, San Francisco
- Lenore Azaroff, Somerville
- Sid Bachrach, Handel
- Molly E Balaban, Surrey
- Michael Bar-Am, New York
- Dr. Tony Barnett, Norwich
- Mady Bassin, New York
- Jonathan Bellos, Brighton
- Phyllis Bennis, New York
- Dan Berger, Manchester
- Rabbi Elmer Berger, Sarasota
- Michael Berlin, London
- Penny Bernstock, London
- Eric Biddulph, Huddersfield
- Earl Billheimer, Bradford
- Cllr Ruth Billheimer, Bradford
- Stella Binns, London
- Jeffrey Blankfort, San Francisco
- Peter Bleyer, London
- Jenny Bourne, London
- Harry Bramson, London
- Dorit Braun, Earlsdon
- Gabriella Braun, Coventry
- Hanna Braun, Coventry
- Lenni Brenner, New York
- Haim Bresheeth, London
- Mordechai Briemberg, Vancouver
- Josy Brown, Manchester
- Tamar Brown, London
- David Cabibbe, Genoa
- Amir Carmel, Brighton
- Ben Cashdan, London
- Ray Challis, Coventry
- Dana T. Charkasi, Vienna
- Linda Clair, Rochdale
- Doris Clay Bury, St. Edmunds
- Tony Cliff, London
- Tom Cloher, Adelaide
- B J Cohen, Lincoln
- Benjamin Cohen, London
- Shaun Cohen, Leeds
- Harry Cohen, MP, Leyton
- Neil Collins, London
- Petra Collins, London
- Bob Cottingham, London
- Michael Crome, Royston
- J Csoti, Harrow
- Mike Cushman, London
- Dr. Keith Dadds, Poole
- Rochan Dadoo, Manchester
- Elizabeth Dales, Kent
- Dr Renee Danziger, Geneva
- Paul Roger Darby, Brighton
- Peter Davey, London
- Madelaine Davidson, Sawbridgeworth
- Martin Davidson, Sawbridgeworth
- Elias Davidsson, Reykjavik
- Maurice Davies, Lisburn
- Gul Davis, London
- Dr Uri Davis, London
- Debbie de Lange, London
- G de Smidt, London
- Brian Dilworth, Devon
- Abigail Dombey, Brighton
- Elizabeth Dresner, London
- Merav Dvir, London
- Shraga Elam, Saland
- Jacob Eldar, Odense
- Danielle Eldin, Montpellier
- Michael Ellman, London
- Mark Etkind, London
- Lee Ezra, Altrincham
- Chris Faatz, Salem
- Steve Faith, Edinburgh
- Linda Feldman, New York
- Andrew Fenyo, Canterbury
- Arye Finkle, London
- Mark Fraenkel, Manchester
- Carolanne Frank, London
- Dr T Frank, London
- Douglas Franks, San Francisco
- Brian Freeman, Durham
- Catherine Fried, London
- Erich Fried, London
- Klaus Fried, London
- Robert Friedlander, Manchester
- Daniel Friesner, Oxford
- Michael Friesner, London
- Barbara Gaines, New York
- Edward Gaskett, Bolton
- Elaine Ginsburg, London
- Donny Gluckstein, Edinburgh
- Dr Cecile Goldet, Paris
- Steve Goldfield, San Francisco
- Jeff Goldhar, Melbourne
- Abigail Goodden, London
- Phil Goodfield, Manchester
- Chaya Gordon, San Francisco
- Frances Gorman, London
- John Gosler, London
- Geraldine Gould, Edinburgh
- Marci Green. Wolverhampton
- Tony Greenstein, Brighton
- Oren Gruenbaum, Manchester
- Ilan Halevi, Paris
- Stephen Hall, London
- Mary Hamilton, Santiago
- P Hammond, Durham
- Djamila Hammoudi, London
- Howard Harris, Cardiff
- Leora Harris, New York
- Dave Harrison, Bradford
- Fred Hasson, London
- Yitzhak Hasson, Tel-Aviv
- Erwin Herrman, Melbourne
- Alain Hertzman, London
- Tina Hill, Derby
- Rabbi Moshe Hirsch, Jerusalem
- Yvette Hochberg, Berkeley
- Bill Hoffmann, San Francisco
- Ann Holt, Hull
- Martha Horan, London
- Andrew Hornung, London
- Jacky Humphreys, Bristol
- Nicole B Isitt, San Francisco
- Br B Jacobson, London
- Bessy Johnson, Bury
- Theresa Jones, London
- Dr david Josephs, Bedford
- Meyer Journo, Rome
- Sidney Salomon Journo, Rome
- Fadi Kabbani, Cheshire
- Noah Kaczerginski, Paris
- Linda Kahn, San Francisco
- Harriet Karchmer, New York
- Michael Katz, London
- Bill Kaye, London
- Sindey Kaye, London
- C J Keens, London
- Victoria E Keens, London
- Earle Kessler, Bristol
- Sharaza Khan, Middlesex
- M C Khullar, Chatham
- Sid Kivanosky, New York
- Judith M Klain, San Francisco
- Daniel Kohns, Princeton
- Tamara Kohns, Princeton
- W Kopytynska, London
- Z Kopytynska, London
- Liz Krainman, New York
- Mark Krantz, Manchester
- Richard Kuper, London
- Emillia Kupersmitt, London
- Patricia Kushnik, Gatley
- Diana Lam, London
- Albert Langer, Melbourne
- Bernice Laschinger, London
- Jeff Lazarus, Fitzroy
- Ruth Leboff, Birmingham
- Ralph Leighton, Cuxton
- Peter Lennard, London
- Adam Lent, London
- Janet Levelen, London
- Les Levidow, London
- Barry Levy, London
- Hope Liebersohn, Newcastle
- Prof Alan Lipman, Cardiff
- Beata Lipman, Cardiff
- Jane Lipman, London
- Ed Lithgow, Edinburgh
- Nicola Low, London
- Rachel Lurie, New York
- Rebecca Lurie, New York
- Simon Lynn, London
- Sydney Lytton, London
- Tessa Lytton, London
- David Makofsky, Berkeley
- Antonia Maks, Exeter
- David Markham, London
- Gerald Marks, London
- Michael Marks, London
- Michael Marqusee, London
- Helen Mayer, London
- Mark McCoy, London
- Hilda Meers, Swanage
- Alyssa Melnick, New York
- Arna Mer-Khamis, Haifa
- Dr Norton Mezvinsky, New Britain
- Anita Miller, London
- David Milstein, Berkeley
- R Moodley, London
- Samantha Mooney, Cambridge
- Dr Stephen Moorbath, Oxford
- Amanda Morrow, Iraklion
- A P Moseley, Axminster
- Anneke Jos Mouthaan, Amsterdam
- Graham Murray, London
- A Muslemen, London
- J Nalibov, New Jersey
- Arthur Neslen, Manchester
- Dr Richard Noss, London
- Harry Nowicki, Melbourne
- Hilton Oberzinger, San Francisco
- Nogah Ofer, London
- Akiva Orr, Kfar Shemaryahu
- Jane Parker, Brighton
- Simonetta Paggi, Rome
- M Palacz, London
- Joan Parker, Leatherhead
- Diana Paton, Watford
- Ruth Pearson, Norwich
- Karen Phillips, London
- Michael Picardie, Cardiff
- Yuval Pilavsky, London
- C Platt, Leeds
- Mick Plewman, London
- Bennie Polack, Wolverhampton
- M H Pollack, London
- T and R Posner, London
- Daniel Potasznik, London
- Richard Powell, Bradford
- Dorothea Pratley, London
- T Rajadurai, Colombo
- Bert Ramelson, London
- Roland Rance, London
- Jill Rawling, Old Woking
- Nick Rawling, Slough
- Tony Rawson, Diss
- George Richardson, Littlehampton
- Frances Rifkin, London
- Nissan Rilov, Paris
- Nea Rizack, Teaneck
- Anna M Robinson, Birmingham
- R B Robinson, London
- Joanna Roche Milton, Keynes
- Michael Rodney, London
- Neil Rogall, London
- Osnat Ron, London
- Malcolm A Ronchetti, Coventry
- Manfred Ropschitz, Crediton
- Adam Rose, Manchester
- John Rose, London
- Michael Rosen, London
- Chanie Rosenberg, London
- Marty Rosenbluth, Ramallah
- Robert Rosenthal, London
- Douglas Ross, Southhampton
- Leon Rosselon, London
- David Rubinstein, Hull
- Sabby Sagall, London
- John Sage, Haverfordwest
- Sol Salby, Melbourne
- Jill Sanguinetti, Melbourne
- Esther Saraga, London
- John Schaechter, Birmingham
- Haim Scortariu, London
- Patricia Scott Robson, London
- Dr Richard Seaford, Exeter
- Tamar Selby, London
- Sam Semoff, Liverpool
- Cindy Shambon, Berkeley
- Carmel Shepherd, London
- Bernard Sherman, Purley
- Rosetta Sherman, Purley
- Steve Sherman, London
- Marika Sherwood, London
- David Shonfield, London
- Toma Sik, Tel-Aviv/Jaffa
- Patrick Simms, Warwickshire
- Mike Simons, London
- Mac Simpson, Brighton
- Steve Simpson, Bradford
- Adrian Sinclair, Bradford
- Abraham Sirton, Glasgow
- Ruth M Sirton, Glasgow
- Ehud Sivosh, London
- Sara Spain, London
- Harry Spillman, Hove
- Heini Srour, London
- Basil Stein, London
- Philip Stein, London
- Helen Stollar, London
- Janey Stone, Melbourne
- Marge Sussman, Berkeley
- Prof Michael Talbot, Liverpool
- Inbar Tamari, London
- Rebekeh Tanner, New York
- Jakob Taut, Kiryat Bialik
- Jon Taylor, Manchester
- Elizabeth Tebbs, Manchester
- Julian Teischer, Melbourne
- Dr Norman Temple, London
- Susan V Tipograph, New York
- David Toube, Southampton
- Joe Townsend, Brighton
- Tony Traub, Leigh-on-Sea
- John Turkig, London
- Shimon Tzabar, London
- Bub Usellis, Seattle
- Guido Valabrega, Milan
- Jean Claude Valomet, Nantes
- Roger van Zwanenberg, London
- Caroline Ward, Bradford
- Philip Ward, Sheffield
- Shaun Waterman, London
- Jayne Watson, Leicestershire
- Gary Kenneth Watt, London
- John Weal, London
- John Langford Weekley, Canterbury
- Joyce Weissberger, New York
- Edward Teller, Attleborough
- Tania Wess, London
- Suzan Saida Widmark, London
- Sue Wilson, London
- Baylah Wolfe, New York
- Marion Woolfson, Painswick
- George Wynschenk, Southport
- Sheral Grosse Yanowitz, London
- Daphne Yassir, Fulmer
- Yousef Yassir, Fulmer
- Cllr Sally Young, Newcastle upon Tyne
- Myk Zeitlin, London
- Y Zerovabeli, Edgware
-------------------------------------------
The above statement has been published a number of times in
British media, each time with an increasing number of
signatories.
Those interested in endorsing the above RETURN statement or
contributing to its publication can send their name, address and
telephone number to:
RETURN
BM 8999
London WC1N 3XX
(see also Editorial of the first RETURN magazine, where names of the
editorial board are listed)
|