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IfNotNow

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Thucydides411 (talk | contribs) at 20:03, 23 October 2023 (Changed "far-left" to "left-wing", based on majority of news coverage using the latter term. See talk.). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Not to be confused with If Not Now, When? (disambiguation).

IfNotNow
FoundedJuly 2014 (2014-07)
FocusIsraeli–Palestinian conflict
Location
Websiteifnotnowmovement.org
IfNotNow protesting the American Israel Public Affairs Committee's 2017 Annual Policy Conference in Washington, DC

IfNotNow is an American Jewish progressive, left-wing[1] activist group opposing the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.[2][3] The IfNotNow movement consists of Jewish Americans, typically millennials, who demonstrate against politicians, U.S. government policies, and Jewish institutions perceived to support the occupation, primarily through direct action and media appearances.[4][5][6][7][3][8]

Founding

IfNotNow's first public action, then under the name "If Not Now, When?" was in July 2014 to protest the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations's support for Israel during the 2014 Israel–Gaza conflict.[5] Activists recited the Jewish prayer of mourning, the Mourner's Kaddish, for all Palestinian and Israeli victims of the war outside the Conferences' office.[9]

The name IfNotNow is derived from a saying by the 1st century Jewish sage Hillel the Elder: "If I am not for myself, who will be for me? And being for myself, what am 'I'? And if not now, when?"[5]

Strategy

IfNotNow is a movement-based organization, designed to appeal directly to the public through social media and direct action; their refusal to participate in closed-door meetings has been criticized by leaders of established Jewish institutions.[10][11] As part of the broader #JewishResistance coalition,[12] IfNotNow has sought to highlight similarities and ties between the Trump administration and the administration of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.[7][13] Members of IfNotNow were arrested for interrupting U.S. Ambassador to Israel David M. Friedman's Senate confirmation hearing, blowing a shofar and criticizing his support and funding of settlements in the West Bank.[14][15]

In August 2022, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) tweeted that "George Soros has a long history of backing anti-Israel groups...Now he's giving $1 million to help @jstreetdotorg support anti-Israel candidates and attack pro-Israel Democrats. AIPAC works to strengthen pro-Israel mainstream Democrats. J Street & Soros work to undermine them." In response to the tweet, IfNotNow denounced AIPAC for antisemitism, tweeting that "AIPAC is the antisemitic far right...They are not a Jewish org, nor claim to be one."[16][17]

References

  1. ^ Sarlin, Benjy (16 August 2019). "'Watershed moment': Israel critics seize on Trump-Netanyahu bromance after travel ban". NBC News. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  2. ^ "Jewish, progressive groups bring Congress 1M signatures opposing Trump's Bannon appointment". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 8 December 2016. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
  3. ^ a b Wilensky, David (17 March 2017). "Six locals activists arrested protesting AIPAC's L.A. office". J. The Jewish News of Northern California. Retrieved 20 March 2017.
  4. ^ Nussbaum Cohen, Debra (2 May 2016). "Anti-Occupation Jewish Millennial Group 'IfNotNow' Picks Up Steam in the U.S." Haaretz. Retrieved 20 March 2017.
  5. ^ a b c Blumberg, Antonia (26 July 2014). "Jewish Group Delivers Mourner's Kaddish For Gaza Victims". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 20 March 2017.
  6. ^ Nathan-Kazis, Josh (21 February 2017). "IfNotNow Holds Mock Confirmation Protest Outside David Friedman's Law Office". The Forward. Retrieved 20 March 2017.
  7. ^ a b Altshuler, George (23 February 2017). "Left-wing groups ramp up protests of Trump's Israel policies". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 20 March 2017.
  8. ^ Arom, Eitan (25 December 2016). "IfNotNow issues Chanukah ultimatum to Jewish Federations over Trump appointments". The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
  9. ^ "J Street's Gaza War Support Wins 'Moderate' Praise — But Alienates Some Backers". The Forward. Retrieved 2017-06-22.
  10. ^ "Anti-Occupation Group If Not Now Wins Attention of Millennials — and Ire of Jewish Establishment". The Forward. Retrieved 2017-06-22.
  11. ^ Eilberg-Schwartz, Penina (2017-04-03). "The time for working with AIPAC has passed". J. The Jewish News of Northern California. Retrieved 2017-06-22.
  12. ^ Norton, Ben (22 November 2016). "#JewishResistance protests Trump adviser Steve Bannon, racism, Islamophobia at pro-Israel group gala". Salon. Retrieved 2017-06-22.
  13. ^ Cohen, Debra Nussbaum (2017). "What Is the 'Jewish Resistance'? Behind the Movement of Millennial Jews Rallying Against Trump". Haaretz. Retrieved 2017-06-22.
  14. ^ "Left-wing groups ramp up protests of Trump's Israel policies". Washington Jewish Week. Retrieved 2017-06-22.
  15. ^ Schulberg, Jessica (2017-04-20). "6 Protesters Were Arrested. Only The 2 Arab Muslims Face Misdemeanor Charges". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 2017-06-22.
  16. ^ "AIPAC accused George Soros of undermining American politics. Is that antisemitic?". The Forward. Retrieved 2023-04-06.
  17. ^ "In ridiculous claim, left-wing Jewish group calls AIPAC 'antisemitic'". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 2023-04-06.
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