CODEPINK Protestor Assaulted in Congress Earns Apology, Compensation |
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AIPAC Volunteer Lobbyist, IDF Veteran Who Assaulted Young Jewish Peace Protestor in Congressional Gallery Washington, D.C.-Rae Abileah, a peaceful demonstrator from CODEPINK who was physically injured on May 24, 2011, in the U.S. House of Representative Gallery, while protesting during the speech of Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, reached a settlement in a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia with defendant Stanley Shulster. The settlement provided for compensatory damages, an apology, and a joint statement.
Joint Statement of Rae Abileah and Stanley Shulster: We have reached an agreement in the lawsuit brought by Rae Abileah against Stanley Shulster. Our agreement resolves Ms. Abileah's claim that Mr. Shulster assaulted her while she protested during a speech at the U.S. Capitol by Israel Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, and Mr. Shulster's defense that he did not assault her. Mr. Shulster apologizes for any physical or emotional harm caused by him to Ms. Abileah. He agrees that he should have let the Capitol Police handle the situation. Ms. Abileah accepts this apology. Mr. Shulster respects the right of Ms. Abileah to hold a different view on the Israel-Palestine conflict and believes she holds this view in good faith. Ms. Abileah respects Mr. Shulster's right to hold a different view on the Israel-Palestine conflict and believes that he holds this view in good faith. "The settlement of my case has led to accountability for the assault against me intended to silence me from expressing my opposition to Israel's violence against the Palestinians," said Rae Abileah, who is a Jewish-American of Israeli descent and is the co-director of CODEPINK.
On November 14, 2010, members of the pro-Occupation group Stand With Us (SWU) entered a meeting of Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) and sprayed pepper spray into two JVP members' eyes. "When our regular chapter meeting suddenly filled with furious, disruptive Jews, I wondered what about us bothered them so much," Glen Hauer, a longtime JVP member, said. "We are only doing what our tradition teaches all Jews to do-seeking justice."
Ms. Abileah's protest and subsequent assault was widely covered by news sources including CNN, ABC, NBC, San Francisco Chronicle, Yediot Ahronot, Haaretz, Jerusalem Post, and Aljazeera. Ms. Abileah is available for interview upon request. ### |