Fifty congressmen signed a letter which was sent to President Barak Obama urging him to put diplomatic pressure on Israel to resolve the Gaza blockade, the troubling signature in the mix was that of Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-NY), who represents the 11th district which includes Crown Heights.

Yvette Clarke takes Step Against Israel, Again

Fifty congressmen signed a letter which was sent to President Barak Obama urging him to put diplomatic pressure on Israel to resolve the Gaza blockade, the troubling signature in the mix was that of Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-NY), who represents the 11th district which includes Crown Heights.

This move is especially troubling to Clarkes Jewish constituents following the vote against a pro-Israel resolution, and her later attempt to appease them stating that her support for Israel is unwavering and that the move did not reflect a change in her position regarding Israel.

The letter was spearheaded by Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN), the first Muslim to be elected to congress, and joined by Betty McCollum (D-MN), and James Oberstar (D-MN).

Among the groups supporting the letter: J Street, The Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation (HCEF), The American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP), The American Near East Refugee Association (ANERA), The Methodist Church, The Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL), and Rabbis for Human Rights.

Eli Slavin, an advisor to Clarke, was unavailable for comment.

The letter:

President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, DC 20500
Dear President Obama,

Thank you for your ongoing work to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and for your commitment of $300 million in U.S. aid to rebuild the Gaza Strip. We write to you with great concern about the ongoing crisis in Gaza.

The people of Gaza have suffered enormously since the blockade imposed by Israel and Egypt following Hamas’ coup, and particularly following Operation Cast Lead. We also sympathize deeply with the people of southern Israel who have suffered from abhorrent rocket and mortar attacks. We recognize that the Israeli government has imposed restrictions on Gaza out of a legitimate and keenly felt fear of continued terrorist action by Hamas and other militant groups. This concern must be addressed without resulting in the de facto collective punishment of the Palestinian residents of the Gaza Strip. Truly, fulfilling the needs of civilians in Israel and Gaza are mutually reinforcing goals.

The unabated suffering of Gazan civilians highlights the urgency of reaching a resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and we ask you to press for immediate relief for the citizens of Gaza as an urgent component of your broader Middle East peace efforts. The current blockade has severely impeded the ability of aid agencies to do their work to relieve suffering, and we ask that you advocate for immediate improvements for Gaza in the following areas:

* Movement of people, especially students, the ill, aid workers, journalists, and those with family concerns, into and out of Gaza;
* Access to clean water, including water infrastructure materials,
* Access to plentiful and varied food and agricultural materials;
* Access to medicine and health care products and suppliers;
* Access to sanitation supplies, including sanitation infrastructure materials;
* Access to construction materials for repairs and rebuilding;
* Access to fuel;
* Access to spare parts;
* Prompt passage into and out of Gaza for commercial and agricultural goods; and
* Publication and review of the list of items prohibited to the people of Gaza.

Winter is arriving and the needs of the people grow ever more pressing. For example, the ban on building materials is preventing the reconstruction of thousands of innocent families’ damaged homes. There is also a concern that unrepaired sewage treatment plants will overflow and damage surrounding property and water resources.

Despite ad hoc easing of the blockade, there has been no significant improvement in the quantity and scope of goods allowed into Gaza. Both the number of trucks entering Gaza per month and the number of days the crossings have been open have declined since March. This crisis has devastated livelihoods, entrenched a poverty rate of over 70%, increased dependence on erratic international aid, allowed the deterioration of public infrastructure, and led to the marked decline of the accessibility of essential services.

The humanitarian and political consequences of a continued near-blockade would be disastrous. Easing the blockade on Gaza will not only improve the conditions on the ground for Gaza’s civilian population, but will also undermine the tunnel economy which has strengthened Hamas. Under current conditions, our aid remains little more than an unrealized pledge. Most importantly, lifting these restrictions will give civilians in Gaza a tangible sense that diplomacy can be an effective tool for bettering their conditions.

Your Administration’s overarching Middle East peace efforts will benefit Israel, the Palestinians, and the entire region. The people of Gaza, along with all the peoples of the region, must see that the United States is dedicated to addressing the legitimate security needs of the State of Israel and to ensuring that the legitimate needs of the Palestinian population are met.

Sincerely,

Members of Congress

Arizona
Raul Grijalva

California
Lois Capps
Sam Farr
Bob Filner
Barbara Lee
Loretta Sanchez
Pete Stark
Michael Honda
Lynn Woolsey
Jackie Speier
Diane Watson
George Miller

Connecticut
Jim Himes

Indiana
Andre Carson

Iowa
Bruce Braley

Kentucky
John Yarmuth

Maryland
Elijah Cummings
Donna Edwards
Massachusetts
Michael Capuano
William Delahunt
Jim McGovern
John Tierney
John Olver
Stephen Lynch

Michigan
John Conyers
John Dingell
Carolyn Kilpatrick

Minnesota
Keith Ellison
Betty McCollum
James Oberstar

New Jersey
Donald Payne
Rush Holt
Bill Pascrell

New York
Yvette Clarke
Maurice Hinchey
Paul Tonko
Eric Massa

North Carolina
David Price

Ohio
Mary Jo Kilroy
Marcy Kaptur

Oregon
Earl Blumenauer
Peter DeFazio

Pennsylvania
Chaka Fattah
Joe Sestak

Vermont
Peter Welch

Virginia
Jim Moran

Washington
Jim McDermott
Adam Smith
Jay Inslee
Brian Baird

West Virginia
Nick Rahall

Wisconsin
Tammy Baldwin
Gwen Moore

Virginia
Glenn Nye

51 Comments

  • antimesira

    The same people that supported the Mesira on 320 Jay street, Support her. It’s alright, giving up Jews here or there (in Israel) whats the difference?

  • ceo we need ahavas yisroel

    at the risk of sounding simplistic, just look at those people’s faces, they look angry, they are miserable people and they’re just looking to make misery, HaShem Yishmorainu.

  • The Real Joe

    After being at her so called Health care town hall meeting I am not shocked she knows she can get away with this because the Jewish leadership will continue to take pictures with her and support her by election time its time we show that are votes aren’t automatic maybe we should start encouraging someone to run against her

  • MMB

    Throw the RAT out ASAP and dont have TL picture taking sessions with her every opprtunity that comes our way.

  • peniny

    I think Yvette needs to be told that she“ll be losing here support and her opponent will get major support.What she is doing is ”lshem shomayim“ so to speak, she is not in a very Muslim district that she ”needs“ to show her ”support“ for this extreme anti-Israel cause.It’s because she ”belives” in it.
    Bye my vote.Bye bye my families vote.It should be bye bye any Jewish vote.Let’s see if we can hold her responsible

  • Slavin

    Where is Slavin’s picture giving Clarke FULL support of our community??!! As the saying goes, “With friends like that…”

  • Balanced

    Why is this such a big issue. The letter looks balanced, at least from a non-Jew’s perspective, and states: “We also sympathize deeply with the people of southern Israel who have suffered from abhorrent rocket and mortar attacks. We recognize that the Israeli government has imposed restrictions on Gaza out of a legitimate and keenly felt fear of continued terrorist action by Hamas and other militant groups. This concern must be addressed . . .” It is no secret that many innocent Arabs got caught up in the Hamas initiated conflict. Some Arabs hate Hamas as much as Israel does, and even spied and informed for Israel against Hamas during the Cast-Lead operation.

  • Moti

    NExt week the other website will ha e a photo op with her saying it was a mistake etc etc.. Where are the mashchistin for sleimus haaretz?? Why aren’t the up in arms? Why isn’t there a statment from our vadd hakalolah??

    Shame on you chaninah

  • Dovid Spencer

    Clarke has proven she doesn’t care about the Jewish vote, look at the demographics of the 11th districts, and look at the margin she has won by, she knows she could lose the entire Jewish vote and still win by a massive landslide. We have absolutely know Representation in any manner, the problem is the so called Jewish leaders keep supporting these anti Israel and anti school voucher politicians.

  • Email her!

    I just respectfully sent her a request as a constituent to stop pressuring Israel from compromising the safty of it’s citezens and tell the Palastenians to stop teaching to hate and kill infadels. I also reminded her who was dancing durring 911. Please do the same at http://clarke.house.gov/

  • a yid

    we will get her out next election and so our so called community leaders they just took a photo up with her we dont need this type of leadership we shell condem her actions she will not be welcomed at any commuinty event in crown heights freedom of speech

  • clarck = HAMAS

    well you see how small is our community
    the muslim gave ms clarck money and she is working for the muslims . eli slavin is not the bad guy here.
    just remember DO NOT TRUST a……
    and yes i am racist i care for my brothers and sisters.
    but as question to ms clarck.
    if your friends are such good friends at HAMAS.
    please just asked THEM THE HAMAS to stop bombing israel and all problems solved no o will have put diplomatic pressure on Israel .
    thy are your friends .
    but i realy wish for you to understend and feel it first hand and HAMAS should bomb your house and you will understend the terorists .

  • VERY CONCERNED

    we have to be the best we can be, chevra. by pushing around people who really only care about themselves, its like counting sand at the beach. They don’t understand us because they don’t understand who they are and what their purpose is. How can we set an example until we’re being the best we can be.
    we all have to step up ourselves and search our neshamas to be better yidden and do more of what the Rebbe advised.
    and one BIG issue is the simple yet difficult mitzva of
    AHAVAS YISROEL.

  • Leaving this place thank god!!

    why am i not surprised??
    when we have one of our own who has time and again run for a position where he can help our community our “rabonim” sell out to someone else???
    well here is your slap in the face!!
    thats what you get for giving her all those votes!

  • GENUG!

    B“H

    Thank you ch.info, for keeping on getting the word out about this toxic form of ”representation” we have.

    Can’t our district elect better than this???? Even the average C. H. goy thug on the street would probably be an improvement!

    We’re at fault here, for letting our votes be directed by the likes of those frummer Yidden who support her (who always choose to be unavailable for comment when news like this comes out).

  • Boruch

    The other site as usual (I’m sure the vaad hakahol slips money in their pocket) acting as the PR arm of the vaad hakahol, is censoring the comments of those who have grievances against Clarke. She stabs us in the back repeatedly. We must get her replaced.

    We need to draft a candidate that will oppose her in the primary. [Maybe Hikind? Just a thought, but] I’m sure there are many that have the credentials to unseat this Pro Palestinian, Anti Capitalist woman in a primary (in our district trying to get a Republican to unseat her is almost certainly going to fail due to the districts voting patterns).

  • disgusted

    Eli Slavin, I hope you are really proud of yourself. Obviously, you have no conscience if you can carry on working for a sonei yisrael like this woman.

  • Very Concerned.....................

    Slavin & Co shouldn’t jump at every photo op with this cholera. Sleeping with the enemy doesn’t help the Community.

  • Moti

    I lime the way pepole here say it’s not eli slavins fault… Why does he allow himself to be used as a front so sh can do all this junk to us

  • CROWN HEIGHTS RESIDENCE

    ELI SLAVIN WORKS FOR HER. ALL ELI SLAVIN CARES ABOUT IS GETTING HIS PICTURE TAKEN. BY THE WAY ELI SLAVIN WASNT VOTED INTO ANYTHING.HE DOESNT REPRESENT OUR COMMUNITY. ENOUGH SAID.

  • truth with respect

    thankyou, whomever put in Yvette Clarke’s email from her website. I used it and left a respectful message, urging her to see the truth, I went over that information and urged her to represent truth, nothing else.

  • Shmuel

    Hey chevra, even some Jewish members signed the letter!Mamesh!

    What all the hand wringing? Why not stage street protests outside the Crown Heights homes of persons who publicly support or work for elected officials who don’t know any better how to represent their constituents?

    Hm, let me add something else. Maybe Ms Clarke also represents a very large Gaza constituency? Maybe all the Gazaians only live in her congressional ward? No other New York City member of congress signed the letter!

  • dovid

    already ?….so fast ?….
    slavin did not had time to wash of
    the brown staff from his nose , yet ……
    slavin , use a steel brush and kerosene …
    industrial straint rust remover, is good to ……..

  • Daniel Botnick

    Yvette’s 11th District includes the neighborhoods of Brownsville, Crown Heights, East Flatbush, Flatbush, Park Slope, Prospect Heights, and Kensington. With serous organization (never attempted by Yassky) she can be challenged, if not unseated. This needs to be done; otherwise, we can expect nothing but the same old lip service and boot in the rear when issues close to us arise.
    PAC (if there is still a PAC): think twice about your credibility if you endorse her again.

  • from LA

    get rid of her….get her out now!!!!what’s her position to be so nasty and hateful to the jews who voted her in????
    You must campaign strongly at the next election…..
    Sorry I can’t help, I’m from LA.

  • Yasher Yoach Eli Slavin

    Yasher Koach for being at her side, supporting her and dragging us in to vote for her. I hope you feel REALLY good!!! Is there anything else you plan on supporting? I would hate to think who you’d support during world war 2!!

  • Moishe

    The last time this happened chanima presured her to get him into the Obama Chanukah party. And for that he will make it all go away

    the next week they did a photo op by drizins house and all was forgoten..

    Now let’s wait and see what chanima will get..,

    Eli…. Your hands are not clean

  • to truth with respect

    It is actually the other way around. She disrespected her Jewish constituents. SHE WORKS FOR US (yes, her district is overwhelmingly more Jewish than Muslim)! She must respect us! I understand that the Dearborn Michigan congressman voted for it. That’s his constituency. But in Brooklyn?!

    Nobody hurled personal insults at her. We are just voicing our outrage over her lending her hand to Anti Semitism. Get it?!

  • register to vote!

    we can only get her out of office if we register to vote, and actually vote!
    please register as a democrat, so we can get her out in a primary, in the general elections there is no chance.

    http://www.vote.nyc.ny.us/p

  • be real

    go back to where you came from slavin youre a phony dont play these bs games shame on you

  • Anonomis

    Demand the same as would Sharpton Boycott everything that is associated with her.GET YOURSELF A NEW CANDIDATE NOW,IF |We do not her type automatically wins!

  • Slonim

    The most power this lady has is to get sperlin into a party. She could not even get slavin into the party. She is a rather junior member. The smart ones from NYC, meaning EVERY OTHER congressmember, did not sign the letter.

    Slavin does not do any work. He is a sperlin pay off for support from the non existent political committee.

    The real fools are Jewish voters from Crown Heights who let this perpetuate.

  • Fig Leaf

    Ratter than talking we have to do something.
    1) Go over the list of donation to CLARKE FOR CONGRESS
    Pick up all the Muslim names and see for yourself who is supporting Ms Clarke for congress. I looked and there are many.
    2) Pick from the list all non Brooklyn residents who donate to Ms Clarke
    And just by doing a Google search find out who are thy and way a Miami
    Business would donate to a Brooklyn congress woman ?
    3) I bet her mother http://www.unaclarkeassocia… represent Muslims
    For a nice pay.
    4) Mr. Ely is just a fig leaf

  • dov hikind = anti sem...

    please dont forget the Hypocrisy of mr hikind the mosser
    he will go to tel aviv to show hig chazer kosher fisel but dance and kiss Yvette Clarke and make sure YOU vote for her.
    mr hikind is the bigest danger to the jewish nation today.

  • chilax

    her letter is totally legit. theres no anti-semitism in there.
    for all those of you who didn’t actually read it.. why don’t you?

  • Slavin is happy

    Eli Slavin, Are you happy now? YOU let us down!! Don’t come to my simchas!!

  • mrk

    Dear ms, Clark

    I mr rosen who voted 4 you, who lives in yr area , of crown heights , I am speaking to you as a white American ,who lives in a area 75 % Caribbean and American

    black , i have been yelled at spat at punched at and mugged by blacks , but I don’t run never will and never have , just like the blacks in the south, but i most speak

    out , we don’t run not now or even then during the riots of 1991, we will defend our people here and abord .

    its very nice to see you sticking up 4 the Arabs , but how about sticking up 4 the Jews in crown heights who R being abused by the black people living here with us?

    were r you then when Jewish girls get mugged by blacks on president St and Brooklyn ave? were R you when a Jew gets robbed on Albany and Montgomery St.?

    were R U ..? ms Clark .. ? in Gaza ,, we voted 4 U , not the people of Gaza

    sign

  • To chilax

    To chilax

    I did read the letter.. And if you can’t understand what you read that is fine. Why don’t you just scroll down and see who else signed and who DIDNT sign and you will understand

    she may not be an antisemite but she is defintley steping all over us and couldn’t care less what we think and what we say

    BTW age is an antisemite that is old news

  • Dear Chilax

    Dear chilax:

    The wording in the letter SOUNDS legit, but between the lines is:

    1) blaming Operation Cast Lead for the suffering of the people living in Gaza, as if the Israeli Defense Forces just hauled off and inflicted themselves on Gaza for no reason;

    2) implying that the Israeli government doesn’t allow (and hasn’t been allowing) vital necessities into Gaza — a common misconception;

    3) Note the wording of the list of what is asked for in the letter. Access to “Agricultural Materials”, and that “Agricultural Supplies” should be allowed to pass into Gaza promptly. However, many many times, unfortunately, fertilizers are not used for crops, but to make bombs, which are used against the people of Israel. Isn’t the redundancy (TWO mentions of these these items for “Agriculture”) odd?

    This is especially odder, given the fact that in Gaza, the Israelis who were forcibly ejected had left behind beautiful agricultural projects and other developments, which the Arabs could have used for their own benefit.

    Yet, one of the first things the Arabs did in Gaza was triumphantly destroy and trash the greenhouses and other beautiful development that had been done there.

    If “Agriculture” is such a priority for them, one would think the Arabs would not have destroyed the infrastructure for it in Gaza, long before there was ever a need for Operation Cast Lead.

    I’m glad you expressed your opinion, as it’s filled with common misconceptions, based on your reading of the regular media’s coverage of what’s been going on in the Middle East.

    Unfortunately, the regular media has been reporting numerous lies about what’s been going on in the Middle East, especially in the last year or so. A stunning example is the UN’s “Goldstone Report” — a pack of lies about Operation Cast Lead, which is already in the process of being disproven and exposed as the falsehood it is.

    I urge you to check out some other websites and media sources, to find out some “fair and balanced” information about what’s been REALLY going on in the Middle East.
    The Jews of Crown Heights (and of the world) would much prefer that Ms. Clarke more properly inform herself as well.

    We can only hope that Ms. Clarke will become more genuinely open-minded and more truly informed for the remaining part of her term in Congress, as she is not only alienating the Jewish vote, but the Christian vote as well.

    Ms. Clarke is another example of the growing class of Federal officials who view us voters as stupid, as witnessed by her behavior during this summer’s so-called “Town Hall Meeting” at the Jewish Children’s Museum. This “event” was really nothing but a photo op for her to be seen rah-rah’ing it up with bussed-in Union shills and other liberal politicians such as Anthony Wiener; the real citizens of Crown Heights couldn’t get a word in edgewise!

    But we’ll remember, come November!

  • we are showing our weakness

    we are putting a knife in our own back by continuing to support and believe this piece of trash spit in her face and tell where she belongs because they will not be any nicer by us licking them and an animal stays an animal as with the story with so called trained cat and the she saw a mouse the rest we know what happened.

  • SLAVIN, CHANINA

    Slavin and Chanina and whoever else is involved with her:

    You muzzled any criticism last time. Why? You guys are like Chamberlain. If you’d met Hitler you’d think you’ve brought peace to the world.

    I’d hate to think what would happen if you were advising Obama on Iran…

  • Looking For Alternatives

    So what is the name of the Representative running against her this election? If I want to vote Clarke out, I need to vote someone else IN. I wouldn’t know who that would be, nor does it say anywhere. A follow up article should be written, not only pointing out why NOT to vote for Clarke, but also recommending an alternative representative that would be better to vote IN.