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US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation

The US Campaign is a U.S.-based coalition of more than 250 member organizations working to influence United States policy as it relates to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. According to its Web site, the US Campaign "is based on human rights and international law, providing a non-sectarian framework for everyone who supports its Call to Action." The Call to Action summarizes US Campaign's goals and strategy, which include educating and mobilizing the public to challenge U.S. policies that support the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem.

In 2006, member organizations voted to adopt an anti-apartheid framework in its educational and advocacy work. This framework stresses the similarities between Israeli policy toward Palestinians and the apartheid system in 20th century South Africa. In 1973, the UN General Assembly adopted the International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid, which declared apartheid a crime against humanity. Prominent individuals who have talked about apartheid in the context of Israeli policy toward Palestinians include former U.S. president Jimmy Carter, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and former South African president and anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela.