Virginia Coalition for Human Rights (VCHR)

The Virginia Coalition for Human Rights (VCHR) is a broad-based coalition of 23 organizations that advocate for Palestinian human rights.^[1]

Advocacy

VCHR members support and defend universal human rights, freedom of speech, including the right to boycott, and academic freedom. VCHR's organizations protest discrimination, oppression, and violations of international laws. VCHR recognizes the rights of the Palestinians as inalienable whether they live in Virginia, Palestine or as refugees or immigrants.

The Education Committee supports the teaching about ethnic communities in Virginia which have been marginalized or excluded from the public school curricula. During Latinx Heritage Month, VCHR supported the teaching about Central America.^[2] Since 2022, the committee has participated in the Virginia Conference for the Social Studies offering high school history teachers resources on the Arab World, including resources about Gaza, and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Resource Guide for Secondary Teachers.

VCHR cooperates with other human rights organizations in joint advocacy efforts. In 2019, VCHR signed on to a letter to Secretary of State Anthony Blinken condemning Israel's outlawing and criminalizing six Palestinian human rights and community-based organizations, including: Defense for Children International - Palestine, Al Haq, Addameer, Bisan Center for Research and Development, Union of Agricultural Work Committees, and Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees.^[3] Dr. Tariq Haddad a Palestinian American and a membered of VCHR refused a January 2024 meeting with Secretary Blinken to protest the Biden-Harris administration’s ongoing support of Israel’s indiscriminate bombardment of Gaza and forced displacement of Palestinians in Gaza. Dr. Haddad has lost over 100 family members in Gaza.^[4]

VCHR opposes the funding of the Virginia Israel Advisory Board (VIAB) by state taxpayers. VIAB is an Israeli business promotion entity embedded in the state government. VCHR members oppose the Commonwealth of Virginia's preferential and unconditional support for Israeli businesses due to moral, economic, good governance, and state public opinion issues.[1] VCHR opposes Energix's construction of solar energy projects in Virginia because Energix is benefitting from tens of millions of dollars in federal solar energy tax credits that would otherwise benefit Virginia companies and because Energix has projects located in the occupied West Bank of Palestine and the occupied Syrian Golan Heights in violation of international law.^[5]

Participating organizations

Alexandria for Palestine
Alliance of Baptists—Justice for Palestine and Israel
American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee
American Muslims for Palestine
American Muslims for Palestine Richmond Chapter
Appalachian Peace Education Center
Arab American Association of Central Virginia
Central Atlantic Conference (UCC) Palestine/Israel Network
Defenders for Freedom, Justice, and Equality
Episcopal Peace Fellowship—National Capital Regional Chapter
Israel Palestine Mission Network of the Presbyterian Church—USA
Here4TheKids
Jewish Voice for Peace
National Arab American Women's Association
New Dominion PAC
Northern Virginians for Peace & Justice
Palestinian Christian Alliance for Peace
Plowshares Peace & Justice Center
Richmonders for Peace in Israel-Palestine
Unitarian Universalists for Justice in the Middle East—Northern Virginia Chapter
United Methodists for Kairos Response
US Campaign for Palestinian Rights
Washington Interfaith Alliance for Middle East Peace

References

^ "VCHR - About Us". vchr.org. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
^ "VCHR - Education Campaigns". vchr.org. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
^ "Letter to Secretary Blinken from US Organizations and Leaders in Solidarity with Palestinian Civil Society". Human Rights Watch. August 29, 2021. Retrieved August 31, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
^ "After Losing Nearly 100 Relatives in Gaza, Palestinian American Doctor Refuses to Meet with Blinken". Democracy Now!. February 5, 2024. Retrieved August 21, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
^ Smith, Grant F. (August 2, 2021). "Israel's Energix Uses U.S. Tax Credits to Install Toxic Solar Panels in Virginia and Palestine". Washington Report On Middle East Affairs. Retrieved August 31, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)

[1] "VCHR - About Us". vchr.org. Retrieved 2024-08-30.

[2] "VCHR - Education Campaigns". vchr.org. Retrieved 2024-08-30.

[3] "Letter to Secretary Blinken from US Organizations and Leaders in Solidarity with Palestinian Civil Society". Human Rights Watch. August 29, 2021. Retrieved August 31, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)

[4] "After Losing Nearly 100 Relatives in Gaza, Palestinian American Doctor Refuses to Meet with Blinken". Democracy Now!. February 5, 2024. Retrieved August 21, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)

[5] Smith, Grant F. (August 2, 2021). "Israel's Energix Uses U.S. Tax Credits to Install Toxic Solar Panels in Virginia and Palestine". Washington Report On Middle East Affairs. Retrieved August 31, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)

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