Meetings: 7:00 - 8:30 pm the second and
fourth Thursdays of the month at the Woodstock
Public Library. Contact:

Who We Are
In the News

The Middle East Crisis Response is a group of Hudson Valley residents joined in support of human rights for Palestinians and an end to the US's aggressive policies in the Middle East. (read more)

Donating to Mideast Crisis

Even a small donation helps our efforts. Make checks out to "MECR" and send them to: MECR, Box 1362, Woodstock, NY 12498.

Local Groups We Support

Children of Occupation Project
local women artists and teachers working for peace in the Middle East.

Hudson Valley Motorola Boycott
ending Israeli apartheid though economic means.

Woodstock Peace Economy
promoting peaceful manufacturing in Woodstock.

Our Blogs

Articles
published about
The Middle East.

Events
our group has
organized.

Links
to organizations
fighting apartheid.

Merchandise
that promotes
peace and justice.

Resources
for understanding
the Middle East.

Other Blogs

Raising Yousuf:
Unplugged - diary of a Palestinian mother

Doctor in Galilee
"a physician struggling to alleviate his people's lot"
-Desmond Tutu

Eyewitness Reports
from Palestine by Anna Baltzer

Gaza Views
follow Felice Gelman's trip to Egypt and Gaza

George Salzman
former American Jew living in Oaxaca, Mexico

Joan Nestle:
67 year old Jewish lesbian fem, writer, archivist

Mondoweiss
Jewish writer for the American Conservative questioning Zionism

Shalom Rav
Random Blogthoughts by Rabbi Brant Rosen

Sunshine
Fida's blog from Rafah

Tales to Tell from Gaza
by ISM member Sharon Lock

Podcasts

Palcast: podcasting the occupation.

ClassWars podcast.

Background

Find out which Israeli and international corporations are directly involved in the occupation: in the construction of Israeli colonies and infrastructure in the occupied territories, in the settlements' economy, in building walls and checkpoints, in the supply of specific equipment used in the control and repression of the civilian population under occupation.


Read Joel Kovel's book Overcoming Zionism: Creating a Single Democratic State in Israel Palestine that was censored by the Israeli Lobby. Listen to his interview on "Democracy Now!"


Read about Rachel Corrie, the 23 year old American peace activist, who was crushed by an Israeli bulldozer as she knelt in front of a Palestinian home. A memorial as well as a tribute to Rachel Corrie were put in the Poughkeepsie Journal. Read more in Common Dreams.

Watch a video of Jim Page singing "I'd Rather Be Dancing."


Listen to Ilan Pappe, Israeli historian, talk about apartheid and the ethnic cleansing of Palestine.


Listen to: "They're Building a Wall" by David Rovics.


Songs For Mahmud


Watch a short clip from "A Palestinian Woman," a new release from Red Hill Films.


Watch the "Shame of Ertas" on YouTube.


Listen to Yonatan Shapira, an Israeli air force pilot who refused to serve in Palestine. He spoke at Bard and on Activist Radio.


Read the "Two-States or One State" public debate between Uri Avnery and Ilan Pappe.


Read: MuzzleWatch
Tracking efforts to stifle open debate about US-Israeli foreign policy.


What YOU can do for justice in Palestine.


The Free Gaza Movement, which has organized several humanitarian deliveries to the Port of Gaza via their fleet of Cypriot boats, had one ship, the Dignity, rammed by the Israeli navy in December. Now another ship, the Spirit of Humanity, is being towed to Israel, where the crew and passengers expect to be handed over to the Israeli border patrol. Take action to have these humanitarian aid workers released.


This petition is about Professor Margo Ramlal-Nankoe's struggle for tenure at Ithaca College. We think she has been targeted for her criticism of US and Israeli policy in the Middle East. Sign a petition for an independent and transparent tenure review process.


Tristan Anderson (US Citizen) was critically injured and is in intensive care. Other friends there reported that the Israeli soldiers were not in any danger when they fired new kinds of projectiles and other weaponry. Tristan was actually to the side and was hit while standing and observing the attack by the Israeli soldiers on the Palestinian and International nonviolent and unarmed demonstrators. So far in the last 9 years over 6000 Palestinians and several Internationals were murdered by Israeli occupation forces (including a 23 year old American student Rachel Corrie)...

Let us test if the new US State Department is more open to human rights than the old fascist state Department. Email them your thoughts. This link will take you to the state Department comment page.

Mazin Qumsiyeh


Dear Friend,

I am writing you today because hundreds of thousands of children in Gaza are suffering terribly following the recent Israeli attacks paid for by your tax dollars and mine.

Even before this horrifying assault, there were tremendous shortages of food, medicine, electricity, and fuel because of the Israeli blockade that has been going on for nearly two years. We must do everything we can to stop the immoral acts of the Israeli government and our own government's political and financial support.

But right now, the children desperately need our immediate help. I'm asking you to make a contribution to the Middle East Children's Alliance to help meet the most basic needs of children in Gaza...

Thank you so much for your support,
Noam Chomsky


Middle East Crisis Response member, Dr. Joel Kovel, has been terminated from his teaching position at Bard College. We think it has everything to do with his outspoken criticism of Israel. If you value intellectual freedom in America:


Two weeks ago, Hampshire College announced that it was divesting from a mutual fund which has holdings in six corporations that support Israel's military occupation. Now Hampshire's administration is caving to pressure from Alan Dershowitz and trying to reinvest in two of these corporations - Motorola and Terex. (US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation)



Blinded by white phosphorus in Gaza.
The invasion Congress voted to praise.


Israel Killing Palestinians in Gaza
With US Weapons

(Print PDF Flyer)


"Let's see this for what it is." said UN spokesman Chris Gunness. "Fifty-six percent of the Gaza Strip are children. Let us not cause suffering of innocent children."

  • Contact your congressional representatives and demand that the US government pressure Israel to stop starving Gazans, end the siege, and respect basic Palestinian rights.

    Senator Charles Schumer District Phone: (212) 486-4430
    Senator Hillary Clinton District Phone: (212) 688-6262

From US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation


To: Woodstock, NY Town Board

We are residents, neighbors and friends of Woodstock, New York. We are dismayed that Woodstock's largest manufacturer makes components for many major weapons systems. According to its own promotional materials, these include aircraft and military vehicles that are prominent in illegal wars and occupations in Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine.

We believe that Woodstock's material contribution should be for peace, not war. Investment in peaceful production creates more jobs than investment in military production, and is better for the environment.

We call on the Town Board of Woodstock and all parties in our community to work together to convert its military production to peaceful, sustainable products.



Israeli patrol books shooting at Palestinian
fishermen off the Gaza coast.


Dr. Terri Ginsberg is the latest college faculty member being targeted for making pro-Palestinian statements. The American Association of University Professors has condemned these attacks on Dr. Ginsberg's academic speech which culminated in her not being reappointed to her position at North Carolina State University.

  • Sign a petition from AcademicsForJustice.org to protect academic freedom on campus. You do not have to be a college faculty member to sign.