A group of queer and trans Jewish activists and allies organized by Jewish Voice for Peace protests in the path of the Celebrate Israel parade’s LGBT contingent in New York City on June 4, 2017. (Photo: Mike Henrich)
On Sunday, June 4, 2017, I participated with a group of queer and trans Jewish activists and allies in blocking the Celebrate Israel parade in New York City. We were one of six groups organized by Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) to put our bodies on the line in support of the struggle for justice in Palestine. We came together to proclaim loudly and unequivocally that apartheid and occupation are nothing to celebrate. One group organized by JVP blocked the Celebrate Israel contingent that included Mayor Bill de Blasio, decrying his support for Israeli state violence. Other groups targeted the NYPD as part of JVP’s new campaign, Deadly Exchange, which seeks to expose and end partnerships between US police departments and Israeli security forces.
Our group organized in reaction to an open call posted on Facebook to join an LGBT contingent of the Celebrate Israel parade sponsored by a variety of national and local LGBT Jewish organizations. We felt we could not let this contingent march without disruption because of the particular ways Israel uses LGBT people to distract from its brutal suppression of Palestinians.
In 2005, in consultation with marketing and advertising firms, the state of Israel launched a multifront program (called Brand Israel) to improve its image by convincing the global public that Israel is aligned with progressive values. Consequently, Brand Israel has promoted the idea that Israel is a safe haven for LGBT people in the Middle East. Tactics of Brand Israel include funding LGBT film festivals around the world, sponsoring delegations of Israeli LGBT activists to visit US cities and promoting gay tourism, such as Tel Aviv Pride. Palestinian activists have labeled this strategy “pinkwashing” — meaning that Israel is using its putative support for…