Rukhsana Ghouse, Woodbury Bulletin, 27 January 2010

As a resident of Minnesota, I have a moral obligation to ensure that our state doesn’t make investments that oppress others. Minnesota’s investment in Israel supports Israel’s apartheid system which has caused thousands of civilian deaths, including children, and widespread human rights violations.

This system defies rulings by the International Court of Justice, more than 65 UN Resolutions, and the Fourth Geneva Convention. Recently the Progressive Caucus of the DFL passed a resolution for the state of Minnesota to divest from Israel Bonds. This resolution is similar to past divestment campaigns targeting apartheid-era South Africa.

This resolution and the DFL’s Progressive Caucus have come under attack by numerous Zionist special-interest groups, who believe that the state of Israel is above scrutiny and international law. However, I believe that this stance by the DFL’s Progressive Caucus, based firmly on social and political justice, needs to be supported in full. I would like to highlight this publicly and ensure that this resolution is taken forward in the interests of peace and justice.

I would encourage all Minnesota residents to join me in supporting the DFL’s Progressive Caucus, and the larger campaign to divest from apartheid regimes like Israel in the interests of human rights.

Rukhsana Ghouse is a resident of Woodbury, MN., community activist, and stay-at-home mom.