Rosie Berman
Overview
Rosie Berman helped lead an IfNotNow (INN) demonstration supporting violent protestors, as well as an INN protest against the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and an INN DC demonstration that opposed the recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.Berman expressed support for an anti-Israel agitator and attended a 2017 INN training session, developed with Taher Herzallah from American Muslims for Palestine (AMP), that claimed against AIPAC. She also participated in an INN DC training event in conjunction with Herzallah.
As of June 2019, Berman’s LinkedIn page said she was a “Bipartisan Staff Associate” at Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission in Washington DC, since December 2017.
Berman’s LinkedIn page also said she received a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Government in 2016, from Clark University (Clark).
Supporting Violent Protesters
On April 5, 2018, Berman helped lead [00:31:04] an INN DC demonstration outside AIPAC’s headquarters in Washington D.C.: “to protest the killing of Palestinian protestors” during the Great March of Return on Israel’s border with Gaza.
During the protest, Natalie Bernstien, an INN activist, read [00:32:19] out the name of the Palestinians killed during the protest and then INN DC recited the Mourner’s Kaddish for them.
During the protest, Natalie Bernstien, an INN activist, read [00:32:19] out the name of the Palestinians killed during the protest and then INN DC recited the Mourner’s Kaddish for them.
Most of the Gazans who died between March 30 and April 6, 2018, were identified as terror operatives who were killed while carrying out terrorist attacks, rioting against IDF forces or attempting to breach the border fence between Israel and the Gaza Strip.
Protesting AIPAC
On March 26, 2017, Berman helped lead [00:06:01] an INN protest outside the Washington, D.C. venue of the AIPAC policy conference, where some activists chained themselves to the entrance of the conference center. The stated mission of AIPAC is to “strengthen, protect and promote the U.S.-Israel relationship in ways that enhance the security of the United States and Israel.”In an INN-produced video filmed during the protest and posted to Facebook, Thomas Corcoran, then-INN Digital Coordinator, said [00:35:37] that AIPAC had “perpetuated Islamophobia” for years.
Cornel West, anti-Israel Professor, spoke [00:43:42] at the rally. West has dismissed Jewish historical connections to Israel, labeled Israel an apartheid state and equated [00:00:23] the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) with Hamas.
Four INN activists purchased tickets to the conference, posing as AIPAC delegates, in order to gain access to the building. Once inside, the INN activists dropped banners from the center’s third floor, stating that they “reject AIPAC and the occupation,” before being removed by security.
On March 28, 2017, following the anti-AIPAC rally, INN’s activities were endorsed by Robert Warren Ray, a “Feature Writer” from the Neo-Nazi website the Daily Stormer.
Ray wrote on the Daily Stormer: “I am officially endorsing the Jew vs Jew AIPAC protests...You’re doing our work for us. Keep it up.”
On March 27, 2017, following INN’s demonstration outside of the AIPAC conference, Berman attended an INN-organized training event in Washington D.C., titled: “ResistAIPAC Anti-Islamophobia Training,” that was “developed and facilitated in coordination” with Taher Herzallah, the Associate Director of Outreach & Grassroots Organizing for AMP.
The training event’s Facebook page promised to “continue the theme of the day with an action” that focused on the ways “AIPAC supports Islamophobia.”
The INN organizers wrote they were “excited to be joined by” Ramah Kudaimi, the Director of Grassroots Organizing for U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights (USCPR), a coalition of American-based anti-Israel organizations, which lobbies the U.S. Congress to adopt anti-Israel policies and to end support for Israel.
INN reported that the event was attended by “55 IfNotNow members from Washington D.C, Boston, Philadelphia, and New York City.”
They also reported that the training session looked at “messages of Islamophobia” and “focused on the ways the Jewish institutions in which many of us grew-up teach and propagate these messages.”
INN then listened to Herzallah go into “greater detail about various Jewish institutions that perpetuate Islamophobia support the occupation.”
The training event was followed by a protest outside of AIPAC's Conference at the Mt. Vernon Convention Center that evening to focus “on the ways AIPAC supports Islamophobia.”
At the protest, INN organizer Jill Raney said that the training earlier that day taught [00:22:10] her how Islamophobia is closely tied to the “American support for the Occupation.”
During the protest, one leader claimed [00:30:18] that AIPAC is “Islamophobic” and “peddles Islamophobia.” Another INN speaker took the bullhorn to explain [00:09:04] that he came out to “make sure that we continue to resist the awful influence that AIPAC has on the Jewish community and our country as a whole.”
Opposing the Recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s Capital
On December 8, 2017, Berman led [00:03:06] an INN DC demonstration in front of the Jewish Federation of North America (JFNA) building in Washington, D.C., protesting the U.S. government’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and the decision to move the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
The Facebook event description called the U.S. government’s move “incitement.”
The Facebook event description called the U.S. government’s move “incitement.”
During the protest, Berman labeled [00:03:22] United State’s President Donald Trump’s decision to move the U.S. Embassy to Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem “dangerous and violent” and condemned JFNA for celebrating the move.
Rachel Mandelbaum, an INN organizer, also filmed [00:33:37] the demonstration and said [00:14:09] that although this action would not include getting arrested: “sometimes, it’s nice to get arrested to really get your point across.”
Supporting an Anti-Israel Agitator
On September 28, 2017, Berman posed in a photo tweeted by INN leader Maiya Zwerling, alongside other INN activists with anti-Israel agitator Issa Amro.
Zwerling commented: “From the US to Palestine, @IfNotNowOrg and American Jews stand for freedom and dignity for all with our friend @Issaamro #endtheoccupation.”
Anti-Israel agitator Issa Amro is known for vandalism and attacks on Israeli soldiers and civilians. Amro heads the Youth Against Settlements (YAS) movement, an anti-Israel organization based in Hebron that promotes anti-Semitism, rock-throwing and violence against Israelis.
On October 2, 2017, Berman indicated on Facebook that she “went” to an event titled: “Palestine to Diaspora: The Movement for Palestinian Liberation,” featuring Issa Amro. The event also featured Yousef Munnayer, the Executive Director of the US Campaign for Palestinian Rights (USCPR). The event was co-hosted by CODEPINK, YAS and USCPR.
INN Activity
On May 19, 2018, Berman posed for a group photo posted on Facebook, from an INN DC training event co-led by Taher Herzallah, the Associate Director of Outreach & Grassroots Organizing of AMP.
INN’s comment on the Facebook photo described the training as gathering to “learn more about the history of Gaza, Palestinian non-violent resistance and how our community can take action to oppose the Israeli Military's recent actions.”
INN’s comment on the Facebook photo described the training as gathering to “learn more about the history of Gaza, Palestinian non-violent resistance and how our community can take action to oppose the Israeli Military's recent actions.”
In May 2018, terror group Hamas instigated violent riots on the Israeli-Gaza border. Thousands of rioters attempted to breach Israel’s border fence, declaring their intention to harm Jews across the border under the pretext of “peaceful resistance.”
On May 16, 2018, a Hamas senior official, Salah al-Bardawil, stated that 50 out of 62 protesters killed during the May 14 Gaza border protest were Hamas operatives. Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) also claimed that three of its members were killed at the same protest.
On April 6, 2017, Berman hosted INN DC’s event titled: “Asking the 5th Question at Hillel International,” according to Facebook. On April 3, 2017, Berman updated the event cover photo.
On February 14, 2017, Berman was tagged in a photo on Facebook from an INN DC training session.
On February 14, 2017, Berman was tagged in a photo on Facebook from an INN DC training session.
IfNotNow (INN)
IfNotNow (INN) is an anti-Israel organization founded in 2014, in response to Israel’s Operation Protective Edge (OPE) against Hamas.
INN claims to be “young Jews angered by the overwhelmingly hawkish response of American Jewish institutions” to OPE. INN presents three demands on its website: “Stop the War on Gaza, End the Occupation, and Freedom and Dignity for All.”
INN defines “the Occupation as the military rule over Palestinians in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza,” which is land Israel has controlled for nearly 50 years since the 1967 Six-Day War. However, INN leaders have made [00:34:32] the claim [00:13:49] at protests that the occupation is 70 years long, referring to Israel’s founding in 1948.
INN actions have aimed to demonize [00:38:13] Israel, harass [00:05:44] mainstream American Jewish organizations like the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and decrease support for Israel among American Jews.
INN has used “public action and imaginative ritual” to achieve its goals, including disruptions where activists were arrested.
One of the high-profile arrests occurred at a May 2018 disruption at a U.S. Senator’s office in Washington, D.C. to protest legislation against the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement.
At the same incident, INN used [00:07:17] the Jewish ritual of the Mourner’s Kaddish prayer to mourn [00:09:10] protesters who were killed during the Hamas-organized and funded Great March of Return riots on the Israel-Gaza border.
INN activists have also staged and promoted walk-offs from Birthright Israel trips, a heritage trip to Israel for young Jewish adults from across the world.
INN claims to be “young Jews angered by the overwhelmingly hawkish response of American Jewish institutions” to OPE. INN presents three demands on its website: “Stop the War on Gaza, End the Occupation, and Freedom and Dignity for All.”
INN defines “the Occupation as the military rule over Palestinians in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza,” which is land Israel has controlled for nearly 50 years since the 1967 Six-Day War. However, INN leaders have made [00:34:32] the claim [00:13:49] at protests that the occupation is 70 years long, referring to Israel’s founding in 1948.
INN actions have aimed to demonize [00:38:13] Israel, harass [00:05:44] mainstream American Jewish organizations like the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and decrease support for Israel among American Jews.
INN has used “public action and imaginative ritual” to achieve its goals, including disruptions where activists were arrested.
One of the high-profile arrests occurred at a May 2018 disruption at a U.S. Senator’s office in Washington, D.C. to protest legislation against the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement.
At the same incident, INN used [00:07:17] the Jewish ritual of the Mourner’s Kaddish prayer to mourn [00:09:10] protesters who were killed during the Hamas-organized and funded Great March of Return riots on the Israel-Gaza border.
INN activists have also staged and promoted walk-offs from Birthright Israel trips, a heritage trip to Israel for young Jewish adults from across the world.
INN claims to take no position on the BDS movement and that it is “open to any who seek to shift the American Jewish public away from the status quo that upholds the Occupation.” However, INN organizes with pro-BDS, anti-Israel organizations including American Muslims for Palestine (AMP) and Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP).
Social Media and Weblinks
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/612434654
Twitter:https://twitter.com/xoRosieB [Private]
