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Pressemiteilung des europäischen Zweigs der Teilnehmer des 'Global March towards Jerusalem, 30. März 2012' [11.12.2011]

GMJ European preparatory committee founded

Message to the international GMJ meeting in Amman 11/12- Dec 2011

Today the European preparatory committee for the Global March to Jerusalem was founded in Vienna. Delegates from Greece, Italy, Germany and the UK as well as the Austrian hosts were present.

We decided to set up a European campaign in order to involve as many countries and forces as possible enlarging the movement with the next step to found a larger and more representative committee in our next meeting scheduled for January 14, 2012, in Rome, Italy.

The political line we agreed upon and which we recognise also in the draft international call is:

1. Anti-Zionism, that means the refusal of an exclusive Jewish state which can only be colonial and racist. This includes support for BDS.
2. For democracy and self-determination of the peoples along the example of the current Arab revolt.
3. For the right to return of all expelled including their descendents.

We call upon the forthcoming Amman meeting to consider some changes in the international call in the spirit of the aforementioned principles (see attached). Pls. be also aware that according to our experience religiously coloured language tends to create problems of acceptance in the European movement.

We discussed to direct activists mainly to Amman as the situation there is the clearest and most predictable. Therefore it is decisive to make the profile of the local hosts as clear and transparent as possible.

With those who will not make it to the borders of Palestine, we will organise solidarity rallies with the GMJ in front of the respective Israeli embassies.

We are looking forward to start a strong, pluralistic and democratic co-operation with the international GMJ committee with mutual respect bringing together both Islamic as well as leftist forces. We want to gather as many activists, associations and political forces as possible but want to remain strictly independent from any states.

Within the next few days we will issue a call as a kick-off for the European campaign.

In solidarity
Wilhelm Langthaler
on behalf of the European preparatory committee for the GMJ

Vienna, Dec 10, 2011

 (ts)