Write/Call Indiana Governor Holcomb
ICMEP received a note from our friends at Jewish Voices for Peace - Indiana. They are asking that we all take a few moments to personalize the following scripts for an email or a phone call to Governor Holcomb regarding his upcoming travel to Israel.
While Israel continues to violate the human rights of Palestinians, Governor Eric J. Holcomb, the former Honorary Chair of Donald J. Trump’s 2020 Indiana presidential campaign is participating in a sponsored trip to Israel this week to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. In doing so, Governor Holcomb betrays many of his constituents who oppose apartheid, and unwisely and unnecessarily wades into volatile foreign affairs. We are deeply disappointed and concerned about this trip and the Governor’s stated support for Israel, given Israel’s on-going campaign of apartheid, ethnic cleansing and violence towards Palestinians.
We call upon all Hoosiers of good faith to contact Governor Holcomb and share their concerns about the trip and the importance of upholding human rights for Palestinians.
Please see a phone and email script below.
PHONE SCRIPT:
Call the Governor at (317) 232-4567:
Hello, I am a constituent here in Indiana. I am calling because I learned about Governor Holcomb’s trip to Israel and his planned meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu and the Israeli Foreign Affairs Minister Ashkenazi. This trip comes only days after a brutal 11-day military siege on Gaza that killed over 230 Palestinians, including many young children, and in the midst of an ongoing forced expulsion of Palestinians in Jerusalem. Israel is continuing to target, harass and displace Palestinians throughout the region. I am distressed that Governor Holcomb would take this trip and meet with any politicians who engage in war crimes and human rights violations. I am asking Governor Holcomb to:
+ Denounce Israeli violence and ethnic cleansing
+ Meet with Palestinians to hear the experiences and demands of the indigenous population in Palestine
+ Meet with local Palestinian leaders and anti-Zionist Jewish community members in Indiana to learn about how these issues are impacting Hoosiers
+ End any economic partnerships with Israel as long as they continue to violate the fundamental human rights of Palestinians
EMAIL SCRIPT:
Use and personalize this script to email at
communications@holcombforindiana.com
Dear Governor Holcomb,
I am writing as your constituent out of deep concern for the rights and wellbeing of Palestinians living under Israeli occupation. Given the intense lobbying that frames military strikes and settler mob violence as Israeli self-defense, I want to ensure you hear from your many constituents who condemn this colonial violence and support the right of Palestinians to live in their homes free from oppression.
I was deeply disappointed to hear about Governor Holcomb’s trip to Israel this week. Prime Minister Netanyahu is engaging in on-going war crimes that have been repeatedly denounced by the international community, including the United Nations. Meeting with the Prime Minister normalizes these crimes and communicates to the world that Governor Holcomb and the people of Indiana condone Israel’s violence and human rights abuses.
Israel’s 11-day relentless bombing of Gaza killed 248 Palestinian people, including at least 61 children, and wounded hundreds more. 17,000 homes and businesses were damaged or destroyed including clinics, schools and hospitals. Over 800,000 people in Gaza are currently without regular access to clean drinking water. In the West Bank, Israeli police and settlers have injured thousands and killed at least ten people. Israel is currently waging a campaign of police terror, arresting thousands of Palestinian civilians in order to silence protestors in an attempt to prevent growing international support for Palestinian human rights. This brutal violence against Palestinians is not a “clash,” a “conflict” or an “eruption.” We’ve seen this before—too many times. And we’ll see it again.
The root cause of violence in Palestine and Israel is settler colonialism: thus, we must join with Palestinian people in Indianapolis and across the globe in calling for an end to all Israeli violence against Palestinians. The U.S. cannot continue to enable Israel’s destruction of Palestinian lives and livelihoods. These actions harm a just future for all people in Palestine and Israel. A growing number of Americans, including American Jews, are demanding our government hold the Israeli government accountable for its human rights violations.
We demand that Governor Holcomb:
+ Denounce Israeli violence and ethnic cleansing
+ Meet with Palestinians to hear the experiences and demands of the indigenous population in Palestine
+ Meet with local Palestinian leaders and anti-Zionist Jewish community members in Indiana to learn about how these issues are impacting Hoosiers
+ End any economic partnerships with Israel as long as they continue to violate the fundamental human rights of Palestinians
Sincerely,
[YOUR NAME]