Connecticut Campaign 2023
A number of groups and persons are making a new attempt to get the state of CT to dump its now $107,000,000 investments in Israel. A key person to reach is the state Treasurer Erick Russell who manages the huge amounts of teacher and state employee pension money that gets invested. Email him at state.treasurer@ct.gov No need for a long letter. Just make it sharp and to the point and send it. Please send a copy to mail@thestruggle.org so we can know how many letters were sent.
Here are some short letters you might use as models or to give you ideas for the letters:
letter 1
Erick Russell
Treasurer, State of Connecticut
Via email
date of the letter, 2023
Dear Treasurer Erick Russell:
You no doubt know that the Israeli government has grown ever more extreme and racist, especially after the Israeli election of November 2022. On February 26 of this year its soldiers allowed a mob of at least 400 to ravage the town of Huwara on the West Bank, burning over 100 cars and homes. The Israeli Finance Minister, Bezalel Smotrich, who is also in charge of the Civil Administration of the West Bank, called for Huwara to be “wiped out” and that the “state of Israel should do it”. Despite this call for a massacre or genocide he remains a government minister and has not even been criticized by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu.
Smotrich is in fact Israel’s Finance Minister. Smotrich has been condemned by 120 mainstream American Jewish leaders and in a lead editorial in the Israeli paper Haaretzwhich calls him a “war criminal”. Yet, the problem with investments in Israel goes far beyond Smotrich. Israel has been recognized as practicing the international crime of apartheid by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and by 27 Israeli organizations. Our state has no business sending money to foster this kind of racist crime, no matter how much money is earned by the investments.
Will you end the Connecticut Treasury help for Israeli apartheid? Will you sell of pension fund investments in Israel?
Sincerely,
Name
Address
letter 2
Erick Russell
Treasurer, State of Connecticut
Via email
date of the letter, 2023
Dear Treasurer Erick Russell:
As a teacher (state employee) part of my deferred pay is held in the Treasury. I understand that $107 million in Connecticut pension funds were invested in Israel including Israeli companies and State of Israel Bonds.
I find that deeply offensive. I’ve seen the awful record of the Israeli government in treating its Palestinian citizens and its Palestinian non-citizens. Jewish citizens are favored and that’s done in law, the “Nation State Law”. It’s deeply discriminatory and enforced with enormous violence. That’s apartheid. It’s wrong and it’s illegal.
In May 2022 Israeli soldiers assassinated well-known Palestinian reporter Shireen Abu Akleh. Earlier that year soldiers stopped an American citizen of Palestinian birth, Omar Abdulmajeed Asaad, bound him and when he was unresponsive left him to die.
I don’t want a penny of my pension money invested in Israeli apartheid. I don’t want to hear a word about how much money those investments are making. Will you stop investing in Israel?
Sincerely,
Name
Address
letter 3
Erick Russell
Treasurer, State of Connecticut
date of letter, 2023
Dear Treasurer Erick Russell:
Would you invest in Russia as it invades Ukraine? Would you invest in apartheid South Africa? Do you agree that it’s wrong to invest in countries with cruel human rights records or those that take part in wars of aggression even if you’re sure you can make high returns?
It’s blood money and I hope to think you’d yank any investments under those circumstances.
Well Israel is in that category, cruel towards Palestinians, taking their land and making their life a living hell.
Will you stop investing Connecticut Treasury money in Israel?
Name
Address
letter 4
Erick Russell
Treasurer, State of Connecticut
date of letter, 2023
Dear Treasurer Erick Russell:
On June 6 three-year-old Mohammad Haitham Tamimi was buried in Nabi Saleh on the West Bank. Israeli soldiers shot the child and his father in another of their raids and actions against Palestinians. Last year they murdered a famous Palestinian journalist Shireen abu-Akleh who is also an American citizen. No soldier or commander was punished.
How can you in good conscience invest $100 million of pension money in Israel. I understand some of that money is invested in Elbit Israel's biggest weapons manufacturer. I appeal to you to sell off all those investments!
Name
Address
Another way to write a letter to Erick Russell is through the "Action Network". Click on this link, enter your name and address and you'll be taken to a page with a model letter which you can just send off or modify and then send.
Tweeting Treasurer Erick Russell
Connecticut's Treasurer tweets @TreasRussell
Some tweets to retweet to him:
https://twitter.com/PEPeace/status/1636179132806569984
https://twitter.com/PEPeace/status/1636177008106381312
Make your own
example:
Sell off investments in Israel @TreasRussell @GovNedLamont Don't profit from oppression of Palestinians #NoApartheidInvestments
Some hashtags to use #SellOffIsraelBonds #BreakTheBondsOfOppression
#NoApartheidInvestments
Save and use some of the pictures below in your tweet if you like.
Trade Unions and Palestine
In 2022 the State of CT has $107 million of Pension $$ in Israel Investments
AFL-CIO, Imperialism, Zionism and The Palestinians - Nov. 2021 panel
Canadian Unions that Support BDS
In 2021 the State of CT has $85 million of Pension $$ in Israel investments
Union Support for Palestinian Rights Could be a Game Changer
Machinists report: CT AFL-CIO Resolution Calls for BDS to Pressure Israel - passed 10/29/2015. See resolution (pdf))
Connecticut Union Leaders Visit Palestine-Israel Sept 2015(pdf))
UAW Grad Students Local Votes for BDS in Landslide
How Easy it Was to Get the AFT to Say How Much it Owned
300 Unionists Say Stop the Attack on Gaza (2104)
Little Known Fact: In 1985 the AFL-CIO Considered Breaking Ties with Israel
Arab Auto Workers Strike, Outraged over UAW Israel Bond Purchases - True U.S. Labor History
Palestinian Labor Leader Speaks at CT AFL-CIO Convention
Why We Picketed NY AFL-CIO Pres Hughes
Shameful 2007 Statement by U.S. Union Chiefs on Palestine
Dump Israel Bonds Banner
Labor Council Calls on CT Treasurer to Dump Bonds
After Gaza Massacre CT Treasurer Increases Stash of Israel Bonds
Washing Away Labor's War Stain - Dumping $25,000 of Nasty Bonds
CT AFL-CIO Cleanses Itself of Bonds
Palestinian Trade Union Movement Unanimously Confirms Support for BDS
Israeli Histadrut Union Ignores $2 Billion Ripoff
New Haven Central Labor Council Calls for Sell-Off of Bonds (2009)
AFT Has $300,000 in Tainted Bonds
Over 50 Call for CT AFL-CIO to Sell its Israel Bonds (2009)
Union Members Scorn Trumka Over Anti-BDS Statement (2009)
Palestinian Civil Society BDS Call 2005
Unions Owning Israel Bonds 1986
The Sabra-Shatila Massacre
Two Videos of New Haven March on 30th Anniversary of the Massacre
First One Second One
Dia al Azzawi artwork at the Tate - Sabra-Shatilla 1982
Photographer Returns to Follow Up on His Iconic Photos
MECC Plans for Marking 30th Anniversary of the Massacre
Banner Marking 30th Anniversary
An Account by a Defender and Survivor of Shatila Camp
Ralph Schoenman on the Massacre
Review of Bayan Nuwayhed Al-Hout's Book that Names 1300 Dead or Missing
French Author Jean Genet "Four Hours at Chatila"
Franklin Lamb's "Letter to Janet"
Bayan Nuwayhed Al-Hout's "Sabra and Shatila September 1982" complete
In 1999 Barak Appointed War Criminal to High Post
U.N. General Assembly Resolution Comdemns it as an "act of genocide"
2012 Al-Jazeera Film: Gaza Hospital: Beirut
Eyewitness Don Wagner of Sabeel Recommends Al-Jazeera Film
To the IDF soldiers who were at Sabra and Shatila - Ellen Siegel
Podcast: Ralph Schoenman - Coming to Sabra and Shatila in 1982
More from Ellen Siegel "Shared Memories"
A Preventable Massacre - Seth Anziska New York Times 9/17/2012
The Forgotten Massacre - Robert Fisk 2012
They shot my Father in the Head
Connecticut and the Sabra-Shatila Massacre (Sept. 2012)