AJP Action breaks record, hosts largest Palestine advocacy event in all of U.S. history

Last week, Americans for Justice in Palestine Action (AJP Action), a newly born 501(c)(4) organization affiliated with American Muslims for Palestine (AMP), successfully held its private training session and public plenaries for its national virtual Palestine Advocacy Days, prepping constituents from all fifty states to advocate for Palestinian rights in Congress. 

The week kicked off with an intensive advocacy training session, providing an overview of legislative and policy issues addressed in meetings with Members of Congress and training attendees on communication strategies and substantive knowledge on legislative asks.

A Congressional plenary, entitled “Ending Business as Usual: Advancing Palestinian Rights in the Biden Era”, kept the energy going as it featured keynote speeches from Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib and Congressman André Carson, 2021’s well-deserved recipients of the Champions of Palestinian Rights Awards. The session also featured remarks from Reps. Ayanna Pressley, Judy Chu, and Betty McCollum, demonstrating the growing support for Palestine in Congress. Watch the full session here. 

AJP Action also held a powerful activist roundtable conversation on “Ending US Complicity in Israeli Apartheid” with Palestinian diplomat and scholar Dr. Hanan Ashrawi, Omar Shakir of Human Rights Watch, Taurean Webb of Harvard Divinity School, and Eva Borgwardt of If Not Now.

Missed it? Watch the conversation here.

The week ended strong with a record-breaking number of over 750 people from ALL fifty states taking to the Hill and virtually lobbying their congress members on Palestinian rights. We conducted over 150 meetings, 54 of them with Senate offices and we have 101 meetings still being scheduled! 

Because of our participants' advocacy, more representatives announced that they will support Rep. McCollum’s bill, H.R. 2590, - Defending the Human Rights of Palestinian Children and Families Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act. As we continue to be vocal, we are bound to get more congress members on board. 

We also lobbied in support of The People’s Response Act, which seeks to end harms disproportionately committed against people of color, particularly Black people, through interactions with police. An intersectional approach is key to ending injustice against all, from Ferguson to Palestine.

You were a part of the work last week in ensuring our political leaders recognize and respect Palestinian rights. It’s a long road ahead, but our goal to end U.S. funding of Israeli crimes is achievable if we unite our efforts and invest in the movement. Be a part of the continued fight for Palestinian liberation by donating today!