May 19, 2020
NEW YORK—Anti-Palestinian activist and serial litigant David Abrams has voluntarily agreed to dismiss a lawsuit against the National Lawyers Guild (NLG), filed after NLG refused to publish Abrams’ advertisement indicating that Gush Etzion is part of Israel. Gush Etzion is an illegal settlement on occupied Palestinian land in the West Bank.
“We’re pleased to end this time-consuming lawsuit for a payment of zero dollars and get back to our urgent work ensuring that vulnerable populations across the globe have access to housing, healthcare, income and other basic human rights,” said Pooja Gehi, NLG executive director. “NLG reaffirms its commitment to Palestinian liberation, including support for Palestinian rights through grassroots tools such as boycotts, divestment, and sanctions (BDS).”
In 2016, Abrams sought to publish an advertisement in NLG’s dinner journal on behalf of a company, Bibliotechnical Athenaeum, which NLG believes was created in order to submit the advertisement. This ad from an organization located in an illegal Israeli settlement appeared deliberately placed to antagonize NLG for its positions in support of international human rights law. After NLG rejected the ad, Abrams sued, first acting as his own attorney. Abrams was later represented by the Lawfare Project, a right-wing anti-Palestinian group with a self-described plan to “inflict massive punishments” against critics of Israel.
The suit is part of a global effort, led by Israel, seeking to paint support for Palestinian human rights as discrimination. Abrams alleged that NLG’s rejection of his advertisement was unlawful and pointed to an email which did not correctly reflect NLG’s boycott policy. In fact, NLG’s BDS resolution commits to boycotting institutions actively complicit in the denial of Palestinian rights – not Israeli individuals or organizations.
As part of the settlement, NLG will clarify and reaffirm its policy opposing all forms of discrimination and circulate it to members. NLG will also post an advertisement from Bibliotechnical Athenaeum in its next dinner journal. The new ad will not include the name of Gush Etzion – or any illegal settlement – nor make any claims that such settlements are part of Israel.
“NLG is undeterred in our commitment to boycott institutions that are responsible for human rights violations of Palestinians,” emphasized NLG Director Pooja Gehi.
David Abrams is the executive director of the Zionist Advocacy Center (TZAC), which is a registered foreign agent for the International Legal Forum. Abrams and TZAC are responsible for bringing numerous harassing lawsuits against advocates for Palestinian rights as well as organizations providing humanitarian aid to Palestinians. The International Legal Forum collaborates with and receives funding from the State of Israel, with the purpose of stopping BDS.
Statements of support by allied organizations:
- Center for Constitutional Rights: https://ccrjustice.org/home/
press-center/press-releases/ center-constitutional-rights- commends-national-lawyers- guild - Jewish Voice for Peace: https://jewishvoiceforpeace.
org/nlg-bds/ - Palestine Legal: https://palestinelegal.org/
news/2020/5/19/statement-on- lawsuit-targeting-nlg-bds - Protect the Protest: https://www.protecttheprotest.
org/2020/05/19/the-end-of-a- lawsuit,-but-not-the-end-of- injustice/
The National Lawyers Guild is the nation’s oldest and largest progressive bar association and was the first one in the US to be racially integrated. Our mission is to use law for the people, uniting lawyers, law students, legal workers, and jailhouse lawyers to function as an effective force in the service of the people by valuing human rights and the rights of ecosystems over property interests.
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