The Israeli civil rights leader and longtime politician Shulamit Aloni has died at the age of 85. Aloni was a longtime champion of Palestinian and women’s rights in Israel. She served as a member of the Israeli Knesset for nearly three decades, holding a number of Cabinet posts. In 1991, Aloni helped found Israel’s Meretz Party after splitting with the Labor Party. Appearing on Democracy Now! in 2002, Aloni called on the U.S. government to end its support of the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land.

Shulamit Aloni: “The only thing is when your government will understand that the only backing they have to give to the conflict in Israel is to stop the occupation, to stop the settlers, to tell Mr. Sharon to stop the crimes against humanity and against individuals, and to stop taking away citizenship from people, which is a criminal thing to do.”