A Statement on Israel and Palestine
As a potential candidate for Governor of Maryland, as a human being, and as a member of the Green Party, I am committed to peace, justice, and democracy for Palestinians and Israelis alike. I am deeply saddened by the violence, the occupation and the system of Israeli apartheid. I am angry at the United States federal government, and numerous state governments, for the direct and material enabling of Israeli regimes that continue to defy international law and make peace impossible.
After the October 7th Hamas attacks on Israel and the beginning of the latest wave of Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) attacks on Gaza, the Green Party of the United States (GPUS) released a statement condemning the “targeted attacks on civilians”, calling for an “immediate ceasefire”, "self-determination for both Israelis and Palestinians", "the right of return for Palestinian refugees, the dismantling of illegal settlements, and the establishment of a just and equitable society where all people have equal rights, and opportunity.” My campaign stands firmly on these values and policy positions, rooted in our party platform.
The global nonviolent movement for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) to end Israeli occupation via illegal settlement of the West Bank has been part of the GPUS Platform since 2005. In 2017, amid a national push to punish that movement, Democrats and Republicans in the Maryland General Assembly tried, and failed, to pass anti-BDS legislation. The Green Party, among many others, opposed this effort. Republican Governor Hogan responded by signing an executive order prohibiting the state of Maryland from contracting with entities boycotting or supporting the boycott of Israel. Notably this includes those that refuse to interact with businesses incorporated in the illegally Occupied Palestinian Territories.
During the 2022 gubernatorial campaign, then-candidate Wes Moore announced that he would keep that executive order in place stating ”I am affirmatively against the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement. I will support the continuation of this executive order and I firmly believe that our laws should reflect our values.” With his bipartisan commitment to Governor Hogan’s executive order, Gov. Moore is chilling free speech, stigmatizing non-violent movements and threatening the livelihoods of people and organizations.
In giving unwavering and unconditional support to Israel, by maintaining near-silence on the plight of Palestinians and the disproportionality of the assault on Gaza and the West Bank, Gov. Moore is ignoring many of his constituents. Worse than that, by accepting Israel’s claims to the Occupied Palestinian Territories and shutting down non-violent opposition he is governing in a way that ensures peace, justice and democracy are impossible.
Maryland needs a Governor whose work is rooted in peace, justice and democracy, not one who vigorously supports apartheid, war, occupation, and injustice.
I agree with Governor Moore that our laws should reflect our values. Thus, I will repeal the Anti-BDS executive order on day one of my gubernatorial administration.
It's going to take more than the revocation of an executive order to put Maryland in alignment with international law and the struggle for a just peace. Much of Maryland’s Congressional delegation and a bipartisan group of state legislators have been calling for unconditional and uncritical support for Israel's military campaigns, and punishment of any person or organization that dares to speak out.
This month, prominent Maryland Democrats have targeted vital community organizations and their leaders who have spoken out for Palestine. Organizations like CASA - which provides crucial direct services to Maryland’s immigrant communities - have been smeared as anti-semitic and had their funding cut. The Maryland Chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), which works to advance civil rights and mutual understanding on behalf of Maryland Muslims, demanded that Governor Moore repeal the anti BDS executive order. One week later their director Zainab Chaudry was suspended from a statewide commission on preventing hate crimes. Despite the racist punishment being meted out on activists of color and their organizations, grassroots groups like Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle are speaking out in solidarity with Palestinians. This underscores the necessity of independent people powered fundraising, politics, and organizing.
So what do we do?
First, I am committed to exploring every possible avenue of change available to the Governor's office, and will call for such changes throughout the campaign. We want to rewrite the way the Governor of Maryland does business not just with Israel, but with the world, so let us know your ideas by emailing us at ideas@gogreen2026.com.
Second, if we want peace, we're going to need more pro-peace candidates, more pro-peace platforms, and more choices for pro-peace voters. Join the Green Party and run for office! The Baltimore Greens' recent call for pro-peace candidates is a great place to start. Our campaign is echoing that and calling for candidates up and down the ballot in 2024 and 2026 to stand for justice, peace, and democracy.
The question of justice, peace, and democracy for Israel and Palestine cannot be resolved in a two party system. Elected leaders of both parties are using every measure at their disposal to defend the current political order. We must work in every realm possible to make justice, peace, and democracy possible, no matter what those in power try to tell us. Our campaign is committed to do that work and we invite you to join us.