The RETURN Statement - Against the Israeli Law of Return - For the Palestinian Right to Return

The RETURN Statement

Against the Israeli Law of Return - For the Palestinian Right to Return

On 2 November 1917, the British Government issued the Balfour Declaration. This represented the first major victory for the Zionist project of transforming Palestine from a part of the Ottoman empire into a Jewish state - a project which came to fruition on 15 May 1948, with the proclamation of 'the establishment of the Jewish state in Palestine'.

As a result, the Palestinian people now live either under Israeli rule or in exile. Those in the territories occupied by Israel in 1967 (many of them refugees from areas occupied in 1948) live under continuing harsh military rule; those in the territories occupied in 1948 are second-class residents in a Jewish state, denied the rights and privileges accorded to those residents recognised by the state as Jews.

On 9 December 1987, the Palestinian people living under Israeli military occupation rose up against their oppressors. On 15 November 1988, the Palestine National Council declared the establishment of the independent state of Palestine. Two years on, the Intifada continues. it is now manifestly clear to everyone that the Israeli military occupation must end, and that the PLO is the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people. Any pretence to the contrary is an obvious lie.

Meanwhile, the Israeli repression of the Palestinian people and their Intifada continues. Over 800 Palestinians (150 of them children) have been killed by the Israeli security forces or by settlers in the past two years. Many thousands more have been maimed, imprisoned without trial, had their homes destroyed or been expelled from their homeland.

Israel has become an armed camp, at war both with its neighbours and with its subject Palestinian population. In its operations in Africa, Asia and Latin America, Israel represents a major link in the world network of repressive and racist regimes. Its nuclear weapons capacity, developed in alliance with South Africa, is a danger to the entire Middle East, and to the whole world.

In spite of this, Jewish communities have been recruited by Israel as both support and justification for its activities. The historic sufferings of Jews, particularly the Nazi murder of six million European Jews, are held to justify Israel's existence and behaviour. Israel continues to present itself as acting in the name of the Jewish people in international affairs.

We, entitled to the privileges accorded under the Israeli Law of Return to Jews and their close relatives, declare our opposition to the state of Israel as a Jewish state and to the Zionist movement. We call on our fellow Jews and their close relatives to join us in making the following statement:

* the Palestinian people, at whose expense the state of Israel was established and continues to exist, have the right to return, to self-determination and to their independent state on Palestinian soil;

* the Palestine Liberation Organisation is the sole legitimate
representative of the Palestinian people;

* the state of Israel does not represent all Jewish people, neither legally, morally nor in any other way;

* the Zionist structure of the state of Israel is at the heart of the racism and oppression against the Palestinian people, and should be dismantled.

George Abendstern, Rochdale
George Adda, Tunis
Paul Adams, London
Isobel Aga, London
Yasmin Alam, London
Ammiel Alcalay, New York
Mick Ashley, Brighton
Deni Asnis, San Francisco
Lenore Azaroff, Somerville
Sid Bachrach, Handel
Molly E Balaban, Surrey
Michael Bar-Am, New York
Dr. Tony Barnett, Norwich
Mady Bassin, New York
Jonathan Bellos, Brighton
Phyllis Bennis, New York
Dan Berger, Manchester
Rabbi Elmer Berger, Sarasota
Michael Berlin, London
Penny Bernstock, London
Eric Biddulph, Huddersfield
Earl Billheimer, Bradford
Cllr Ruth Billheimer, Bradford
Stella Binns, London
Jeffrey Blankfort, San Francisco
Peter Bleyer, London
Jenny Bourne, London
Harry Bramson, London
Dorit Braun, Earlsdon
Gabriella Braun, Coventry
Hanna Braun, Coventry
Lenni Brenner, New York
Haim Bresheeth, London
Mordechai Briemberg, Vancouver
Josy Brown, Manchester
Tamar Brown, London
David Cabibbe, Genoa
Amir Carmel, Brighton
Ben Cashdan, London
Ray Challis, Coventry
Dana T. Charkasi, Vienna
Linda Clair, Rochdale
Doris Clay Bury, St. Edmunds
Tony Cliff, London
Tom Cloher, Adelaide
B J Cohen, Lincoln
Benjamin Cohen, London
Shaun Cohen, Leeds
Harry Cohen, MP, Leyton
Neil Collins, London
Petra Collins, London
Bob Cottingham, London
Michael Crome, Royston
J Csoti, Harrow
Mike Cushman, London
Dr. Keith Dadds, Poole
Rochan Dadoo, Manchester
Elizabeth Dales, Kent
Dr Renee Danziger, Geneva
Paul Roger Darby, Brighton
Peter Davey, London
Madelaine Davidson, Sawbridgeworth
Martin Davidson, Sawbridgeworth
Elias Davidsson, Reykjavik
Maurice Davies, Lisburn
Gul Davis, London
Dr Uri Davis, London
Debbie de Lange, London
G de Smidt, London
Brian Dilworth, Devon
Abigail Dombey, Brighton
Elizabeth Dresner, London
Merav Dvir, London
Shraga Elam, Saland
Jacob Eldar, Odense
Danielle Eldin, Montpellier
Michael Ellman, London
Mark Etkind, London
Lee Ezra, Altrincham
Chris Faatz, Salem
Steve Faith, Edinburgh
Linda Feldman, New York
Andrew Fenyo, Canterbury
Arye Finkle, London
Mark Fraenkel, Manchester
Carolanne Frank, London
Dr T Frank, London
Douglas Franks, San Francisco
Brian Freeman, Durham
Catherine Fried, London
Erich Fried, London
Klaus Fried, London
Robert Friedlander, Manchester
Daniel Friesner, Oxford
Michael Friesner, London
Barbara Gaines, New York
Edward Gaskett, Bolton
Elaine Ginsburg, London
Donny Gluckstein, Edinburgh
Dr Cecile Goldet, Paris
Steve Goldfield, San Francisco
Jeff Goldhar, Melbourne
Abigail Goodden, London
Phil Goodfield, Manchester
Chaya Gordon, San Francisco
Frances Gorman, London
John Gosler, London
Geraldine Gould, Edinburgh
Marci Green. Wolverhampton
Tony Greenstein, Brighton
Oren Gruenbaum, Manchester
Ilan Halevi, Paris
Stephen Hall, London
Mary Hamilton, Santiago
P Hammond, Durham
Djamila Hammoudi, London
Howard Harris, Cardiff
Leora Harris, New York
Dave Harrison, Bradford
Fred Hasson, London
Yitzhak Hasson, Tel-Aviv
Erwin Herrman, Melbourne
Alain Hertzman, London
Tina Hill, Derby
Rabbi Moshe Hirsch, Jerusalem
Yvette Hochberg, Berkeley
Bill Hoffmann, San Francisco
Ann Holt, Hull
Martha Horan, London
Andrew Hornung, London
Jacky Humphreys, Bristol
Nicole B Isitt, San Francisco
Br B Jacobson, London
Bessy Johnson, Bury
Theresa Jones, London
Dr david Josephs, Bedford
Meyer Journo, Rome
Sidney Salomon Journo, Rome
Fadi Kabbani, Cheshire
Noah Kaczerginski, Paris
Linda Kahn, San Francisco
Harriet Karchmer, New York
Michael Katz, London
Bill Kaye, London
Sindey Kaye, London
C J Keens, London
Victoria E Keens, London
Earle Kessler, Bristol
Sharaza Khan, Middlesex
M C Khullar, Chatham
Sid Kivanosky, New York
Judith M Klain, San Francisco
Daniel Kohns, Princeton
Tamara Kohns, Princeton
W Kopytynska, London
Z Kopytynska, London
Liz Krainman, New York
Mark Krantz, Manchester
Richard Kuper, London
Emillia Kupersmitt, London
Patricia Kushnik, Gatley
Diana Lam, London
Albert Langer, Melbourne
Bernice Laschinger, London
Jeff Lazarus, Fitzroy
Ruth Leboff, Birmingham
Ralph Leighton, Cuxton
Peter Lennard, London
Adam Lent, London
Janet Levelen, London
Les Levidow, London
Barry Levy, London
Hope Liebersohn, Newcastle
Prof Alan Lipman, Cardiff
Beata Lipman, Cardiff
Jane Lipman, London
Ed Lithgow, Edinburgh
Nicola Low, London
Rachel Lurie, New York
Rebecca Lurie, New York
Simon Lynn, London
Sydney Lytton, London
Tessa Lytton, London
David Makofsky, Berkeley
Antonia Maks, Exeter
David Markham, London
Gerald Marks, London
Michael Marks, London
Michael Marqusee, London
Helen Mayer, London
Mark McCoy, London
Hilda Meers, Swanage
Alyssa Melnick, New York
Arna Mer-Khamis, Haifa
Dr Norton Mezvinsky, New Britain
Anita Miller, London
David Milstein, Berkeley
R Moodley, London
Samantha Mooney, Cambridge
Dr Stephen Moorbath, Oxford
Amanda Morrow, Iraklion
A P Moseley, Axminster
Anneke Jos Mouthaan, Amsterdam
Graham Murray, London
A Muslemen, London
J Nalibov, New Jersey
Arthur Neslen, Manchester
Dr Richard Noss, London
Harry Nowicki, Melbourne
Hilton Oberzinger, San Francisco
Nogah Ofer, London
Akiva Orr, Kfar Shemaryahu
Jane Parker, Brighton
Simonetta Paggi, Rome
M Palacz, London
Joan Parker, Leatherhead
Diana Paton, Watford
Ruth Pearson, Norwich
Karen Phillips, London
Michael Picardie, Cardiff
Yuval Pilavsky, London
C Platt, Leeds
Mick Plewman, London
Bennie Polack, Wolverhampton
M H Pollack, London
T and R Posner, London
Daniel Potasznik, London
Richard Powell, Bradford
Dorothea Pratley, London
T Rajadurai, Colombo
Bert Ramelson, London
Roland Rance, London
Jill Rawling, Old Woking
Nick Rawling, Slough
Tony Rawson, Diss
George Richardson, Littlehampton
Frances Rifkin, London
Nissan Rilov, Paris
Nea Rizack, Teaneck
Anna M Robinson, Birmingham
R B Robinson, London
Joanna Roche Milton, Keynes
Michael Rodney, London
Neil Rogall, London
Osnat Ron, London
Malcolm A Ronchetti, Coventry
Manfred Ropschitz, Crediton
Adam Rose, Manchester
John Rose, London
Michael Rosen, London
Chanie Rosenberg, London
Marty Rosenbluth, Ramallah
Robert Rosenthal, London
Douglas Ross, Southhampton
Leon Rosselon, London
David Rubinstein, Hull
Sabby Sagall, London
John Sage, Haverfordwest
Sol Salby, Melbourne
Jill Sanguinetti, Melbourne
Esther Saraga, London
John Schaechter, Birmingham
Haim Scortariu, London
Patricia Scott Robson, London
Dr Richard Seaford, Exeter
Tamar Selby, London
Sam Semoff, Liverpool
Cindy Shambon, Berkeley
Carmel Shepherd, London
Bernard Sherman, Purley
Rosetta Sherman, Purley
Steve Sherman, London
Marika Sherwood, London
David Shonfield, London
Toma Sik, Tel-Aviv/Jaffa
Patrick Simms, Warwickshire
Mike Simons, London
Mac Simpson, Brighton
Steve Simpson, Bradford
Adrian Sinclair, Bradford
Abraham Sirton, Glasgow
Ruth M Sirton, Glasgow
Ehud Sivosh, London
Sara Spain, London
Harry Spillman, Hove
Heini Srour, London
Basil Stein, London
Philip Stein, London
Helen Stollar, London
Janey Stone, Melbourne
Marge Sussman, Berkeley
Prof Michael Talbot, Liverpool
Inbar Tamari, London
Rebekeh Tanner, New York
Jakob Taut, Kiryat Bialik
Jon Taylor, Manchester
Elizabeth Tebbs, Manchester
Julian Teischer, Melbourne
Dr Norman Temple, London
Susan V Tipograph, New York
David Toube, Southampton
Joe Townsend, Brighton
Tony Traub, Leigh-on-Sea
John Turkig, London
Shimon Tzabar, London
Bub Usellis, Seattle
Guido Valabrega, Milan
Jean Claude Valomet, Nantes
Roger van Zwanenberg, London
Caroline Ward, Bradford
Philip Ward, Sheffield
Shaun Waterman, London
Jayne Watson, Leicestershire
Gary Kenneth Watt, London
John Weal, London
John Langford Weekley, Canterbury
Joyce Weissberger, New York
Edward Teller, Attleborough
Tania Wess, London
Suzan Saida Widmark, London
Sue Wilson, London
Baylah Wolfe, New York
Marion Woolfson, Painswick
George Wynschenk, Southport
Sheral Grosse Yanowitz, London
Daphne Yassir, Fulmer
Yousef Yassir, Fulmer
Cllr Sally Young, Newcastle upon Tyne
Myk Zeitlin, London
Y Zerovabeli, Edgware

-------------------------------------------

The above statement has been published a number of times in
British media, each time with an increasing number of
signatories.

Those interested in endorsing the above RETURN statement or
contributing to its publication can send their name, address and
telephone number to:

RETURN
BM 8999
London WC1N 3XX

(see also Editorial of the first RETURN magazine, where names of the editorial board are listed)

Back to Index of Dark Web Pages of Zionism

Back to our section on Zionism