Anti-Zionist Toolkit

By Sam Ehlinger (they/she)

This is our activism issue, so we are of course going to talk about ways we can get involved in a variety of important issues, including the ongoing genocide in Gaza. It may be confusing to know how to get started in the movement to liberate Palestine. We’re going to break it down into a few things to focus on. This is our anti-zionist toolkit.

Israel’s assault on Gaza has killed at least 37,000 people, including more than 15,000 children, as of June 14, 2024, according to Al Jazeera. Though Champaign-Urbana may feel far away from the struggle for liberation of Palestine, our money is tied up in this violence in a number of ways. Our tax dollars go toward funding military aid for Israel, and students and community members have called for the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to divest from investments and partnerships that contribute to the genocide in Gaza.

Our support as a community is needed! As Fannie Lou Hamer said, “Nobody’s free until everybody’s free.”

So what can we do to help? Read on!

Step 1: Get Connected

Activists in Champaign-Urbana have a number of movements and groups underway to advocate for Palestine. Plug into those groups, learn from their updates and follow their lead on what actions to take.

First, join the CU Muslim Action Committee mailing list! This is a great way for you to learn about upcoming actions and the latest updates on the CU movement for Palestine. Sign up for updates here.

You should also follow on Instagram the UIUC Chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (@SJP.UIUC). They were the driving force behind the encampment on campus, which they temporarily took down on Friday, May 10 after 12 days of collective action for Palestine. The SJP’s Popular University for Gaza included prayers together, teach-ins and film screenings at the encampment. Let’s support this committed student group in their efforts to get the University to divest.

Step 2: Contact reps

We must apply pressure on our representatives to get the U.S. government to divest from Israel!

U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski (IL-13)

Representative Budzinski has voted in support of giving Israel more military aid. For example, of her vote for an aid package in April, Rep. Budzinski said in a statement: “I’m glad that we were able to pass bipartisan legislation that aids Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan as they face tyranny and terror.”

Let Rep. Budzinski know what you think. You can call her Champaign office at 217-305-6991.

U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)

In February, Senator Duckworth supported the passage of legislation to provide more military aid to Israel, saying the supplemental would go toward “helping Israel eliminate the threat posed by Hamas and expanding life-saving humanitarian assistance to the innocent civilians suffering in Gaza.”

Most recently, Senator Duckworth has advocated to get an American surgeon who saved her life in Iraq safely evacuated from Gaza. You can find her most recent actions related to this issue here.

A statement on the Senator’s website says that “Each day since October 7th, 2023, has brought painful, unimaginable suffering in Gaza and Israel. I have spoken out against the brutal terror attacks that Hamas conducted against Israel on October 7th which shattered the fragile ceasefire that was in place. I have also been vocal with my concerns about the viability of the Netanyahu government’s military strategy in Gaza and the atrocious humanitarian crisis that innocent civilians in Gaza, including thousands of precious children, have endured. The escalating humanitarian crisis and staggering loss of life in Gaza demands our urgent attention and concrete action by all involved parties to protect civilian lives and rapidly accelerate the flow of aid before widespread famine and disease claims even more innocent life in a war that has already seen the death of far too many civilians, many of them children.”

The Senator supports the Biden Administration’s efforts and a two-state solution that “strengthens the safety of Israel, eliminates the threat posed by Hamas and ends the prolonged and continuing suffering of Palestinians,” according to her website.

Let Senator Duckworth know what you think about the issue by contacting her Springfield office at 217-528-6124.

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL)

Senator Durbin was the first U.S. Senator to call for a ceasefire in November 2023.

In a May subcommittee hearing, Senator Durbin seemed to criticize Israel’s actions in Gaza, saying, “I have had enough with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s strategy in Gaza that has caused the deaths of thousands of innocent Palestinians, many of whom are women and children. How can we, in good conscience, continue to supply Netanyahu with weapons for a war where he restricts access to humanitarian aid like food, medicine, and fuel at the expense of women and children?”

During the hearing, Senator Durbin said:

“We have heard, over and over, that there is an Israeli strategy to restrict access to humanitarian aid in Gaza. As a consequence, children are starving to death and people are in desperate situations. I have personal friends of mine who have been there, medical doctors, and the reports are horrific of what deprivation has been caused. Is that at the hands of Israel’s strategy?”

Let Senator Durbin know what you think the U.S. should do about the current crisis in Gaza. Contact Senator Durbin’s Springfield office at 217-492-4062.

Step 3: Understand BDS

The Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement is a Palestinian-led movement that has been in place for nearly two decades, according to Al Jazeera.

Al Jazeera has a great article with information on the BDS movement, which you can read here.

Below are the main consumer boycotts encouraged by BDS (@bdsnationalcommittee on Instagram).

You might be wondering what the different categories mean! Here’s a quick explanation:

• Consumer boycott targets: This means as a consumer you should not purchase these products or give these companies any more of your money.
• Divestment and exclusion targets: You should pressure the institutions around you (governments and other institutions like universities) to divest from these companies.
• Pressure targets: The BDS movement is asking us for: “boycotts when reasonable alternatives exist, as well as lobbying, peaceful disruptions, and social media pressure” according to the @bdsnationalcommittee Instagram.
• Organic boycott targets: These are boycotts not started by the BDS movement, but ones that the BDS movement supports.

Step 4: Take action! Go to an event in person

CU MAC publishes a calendar of upcoming events you can participate in, such as protests or meetings. Be sure to bookmark this page and check it regularly!

Can you try to attend one event a week? Can you get a friend to go with you?

Lastly, we can’t emphasize enough the importance of attending City Council meetings, for Champaign or Urbana based on where you live. There is a movement for Champaign City Council to divest. If you live in Champaign, make your voice heard!

Your job is not done after voting. We have to make sure our elected officials follow through on the commitments we ask them to make. They represent us. Let’s show up.

Step 5: Organize!

Going to an event is a good first step, but  you could also consider being part of organizing for Palestine. There are a few options you could tap into by going to one of their events and expressing interest in getting involved! Here are some local groups organizing for Palestine:

• CU Muslim Action Committee: Join their mailing list at the QR Code in Step 1, or find them on Instagram @cumuslimaction.
• UC Jews for Ceasefire: They can be found on Instagram @ucjews4ceasefire.
• Prairie Liberation Center Alliance: Find them on Instagram @prairieliberationcenter. They also have a website! Contact the Prairie Liberation Center and express your interest in getting involved with this work.