Greetings:
The campaign to divest from Israel has begun! Please join us in changing California’s law by helping us circulate a petition measure that would require the state’s two largest pension funds, PERS and STRS, to divest from companies that contribute to the construction of Israeli settlements or provide military equipment to Israel.
If you can help gather signatures in your area, please email your closest regional/county contact at one of the email addresses below or email us back at this address. We will get you copies of the petition and the petition circulating instructions. If you know someone else who may be interested in gathering signatures, please forward this email to that person. You can also find this and other information about the campaign at our website at: http://israeldivestmentcampaign.org/
If you live in the Sacramento area, we are conducting training sessions between 5-7pm, at 909 12th Street, downtown Sacramento on Monday September 13, Wednesday September 22 and Monday September 27. Training is also planned to continue Mondays, 5-7pm in October.
If you live in Southern California: contact us at the following address: ca.divest.sc[at]gmail.com
If you live in San Francisco Bay Area : contact us at the following address: ca.divest.sfba[at]gmail.com
If you live in San Luis Obispo Area: contact us at the following address: ca.divest.slo[at]gmail.com
If you live in the Sacramento Area: contact us at the following address: ca.divest.sac[at]gmail.com
WELCOME TO THE ISRAEL DIVESTMENT CAMPAIGN
STATEWIDE DIVESTMENT INITIATIVE CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED IN LOS ANGELES ON 9/8/2010
Video of Press Conference (edited to 12.5 minutes)
For a link to the press conference audio, see “Campaign News” (below) for Tue. 9/08
Click here for an AlterNet article with a video clip from PressTV
The IDC is qualifying a ballot initiative in California, titled the Divestment of State Retirement Funds from Israel Act, to require California’s public retirement systems, the State Teachers’ Retirement System (STRS) and the Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS), to sell stocks held in companies that support Israeli settlements or provide military equipment and services to the State of Israel.
Israel’s violation of Palestinian human rights and its settlements in and occupation of Palestine must end. Unfortunately, neither our federal government nor state governments are willing to take the necessary action to bring about peace to the region. Therefore, we have decided to take the question of human rights violations, settlements and Israel’s occupation directly to the voters of California. We believe an overwhelming majority of Californians agree that Israel needs to STOP building settlements on Palestinian land, end its occupation and allow Palestinians their right to return to their land.
Therefore, this ballot measure is necessary in order to move the Middle East Peace Process toward a just resolution for both Israelis and Palestinians.
In order to qualify the Divest from Israel Act for the next statewide ballot, 434,000 signatures must be gathered within a 5 month time period from September 1, 2010 to January 31, 2011. If you want to sign the petition or you want to help us gather signatures in your community once the petition is ready, please go to the Petition Information menu tab to find out how you can participate.
Petitions
The petition forms and instructions are temporarily stored here (may be moved later). These links are case sensitive:
http://www.israeldivestmentcampaign.org/Docs/PETITION.pdf
http://www.israeldivestmentcampaign.org/Docs/CirculatorInstructionsVolunteers.pdf
http://www.israeldivestmentcampaign.org/Docs/CirculatorInstructionsPaid.pdf
It is important that you read the instructions before you print or fill out any forms to avoid invalidating them!
