Rabbi Lerner advocates for Palestinian rights at Muhammad Ali’s memorial service

Rabbi Michael Lerner spoke at Muhammad Ali’s memorial service on June 10. He called on the United States to recognize the oppression of the Palestinian people. 

“One of the reasons that we in Tikkun magazine, a magazine of Liberal and Progressive Jews but also an Interfaith magazine, have called on the U.S. to stand up to the part of the Israeli government that is oppressing Palestinians is that we as Jews understand that our commitment is to recognize that God has created everyone in God’s image. And that everyone is equally precious and that means the Palestinian people as well as all other people on the planet,” Lerner said during his speech at Ali’s memorial service.

“Tell Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu that the way to get security is for Israel is to stop the occupation of the West Bank and help create a Palestinian State,” he added.

Ali stood for justice globally, he was a supporter and activist for Palestinian human rights. He participated in rallies for Palestinian human rights in the U.S. such as the one he attended in Chicago in 1988. Ali stood firmly against Zionism and for the liberation of the Palestinian people.