HOME ABOUT US JOIN US/ RENEW 80th ANNIVERSARY 75th ANNIVERSARY 2011 NATIONAL CONGRESS ENVIRONMENT RADIO NEWSLETTERS PAST EVENTS WILPF NATIONAL WILPF INTERNATIONAL Contact info for elected officials David Price CH office 919.967.7924 DC office 202.225.1784 website Tom Tillis Raleigh office 919-856-4630 DC office 202-224-6342 website Richard Burr WS office 800.685.8916 DC office 202.224.3154 website US WILPF ON GAZA We, the United States Section of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF US) condemn Israel’s current ruthless attacks on Gaza; and condemn the US government for providing Israel with $3.1 billion a year in military aid that is frequently and routinely used against civilians in Gaza and Palestine. We urge the following actions to be taken immediately: The US government must: Implore Israel to cease and desist its current deadly onslaught that is wantonly assaulting civilians with every move it makes against suspected “military targets” and support immediate efforts to begin negotiations between Israel and Gaza investigate human rights abuses by the Israeli military using weapons paid for by US taxpayers under terms of the US Arms Control Export Act Put Pressure on Israel to cease and desist its currently human rights abuses of the people in Gaza under the Geneva Conventions and other international laws US citizens should urgently request support of these actions by contacting: The White House Switchboard: 202-456-1414, Comments: 202 456-1111, http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20500 The State Department: 202-647-4000 Individual Members of the House of Representatives and Senators & Congress: http://www.congressmerge.com/onlinedb/index.htm Senate: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm Israel is using its might to attack an impoverished population that has no means of escaping the onslaught. With a population of 1.7 million within its 140 square mile borders, Gaza is one of the most densely populated places on earth. No attack on any "military target" in Gaza can “target” only the military – civilians are affected at every instance. A cease-fire must be called for and agreed to immediately. Attacks on Gaza perforce affect more civilians than military personnel. After a cease-fire, US support, directly and through the United Nations, for negotiations between these two unequal parties – one a nation-state that refuses to recognize the status of the other entity as a nation-state, is imperative. Negotiations are the only means of attaining peace and security for both, to bring Israel and Gaza out of this deplorable morass of intensifying mayhem and slaughter. We, WILPF US, therefore urge US government support for an immediate cease-fire between Israel and Gaza. We, WILPF US, also urge US government support for negotiations to be immediately undertaken between Israel and Gaza with respect for human rights under national and international laws. The US Arms Control Export Act provides for the allocation of funds for nations to have weapons for defensive purposes while strictly forbidding their use by recipient nations against civilian populations. Israel receives funds from the US under provisions of this law. Israel’s use of weapons funded through this law in its attacks on Gaza’s citizens should be investigated by the US. We, WILPF US, therefore urge the United States to investigate potential human rights abuses by the Israeli military using weapons paid for by US taxpayers and urge the United States to enforce the Arms Control Export Act provisions. Under the Geneva Conventions and other international laws, as an occupying power in Gaza, Israel is obliged to protect the indigenous Palestinian Arab population there and is also forbidden from moving its own population into the occupied area, yet Israel’s actions violate these directives. We, WILPF US, therefore urge the US government to do everything in its power to urge Israel to fulfill all legal obligations it has to protect the people of Gaza in its role as an occupying power there. It is our hope that a cease-fire, then negotiations between Gaza and Israel, would be first positive steps toward a permanent state of peace and security, and that this process and outcome would then include all other people in the Middle East. As part of that process, for Israel to acknowledge its responsibilities and fulfill its human rights obligations toward Gaza will be an important component. The tragedy unfolding in Gaza is in the news, but seldom will you hear in the mainstream media that our government gives $3.1 billion military aid to Israel, in violation of our laws that forbid use of that aid against civilian populations. $3.1 billion gives our government, our President, leverage to intervene not only to help assure permanent ceasefire brokered by Egypt, but to condemn Israel’s savage and disproportionate bombing of Gaza. Already the bombing has caused hundreds of civilian death and injuries in Gaza and the toll rises. 3 Israelis are reported dead from Hamas rockets. Our government has leverage to end Israel’s brutal siege of Gaza’s 1.7 million people – a siege that Israel has imposed since Hamas was democratically elected in 2006. 80% of Gazans need food aid, 45% are unemployed, economic development has been disrupted by the Israeli blockade. Further fueling the crisis was Israel’s recent assassination of Hamas Military leader, Ahmed Jabari. Known to Israeli intelligence, Israeli newspaper Haaretz reports that Jabari was poised to negotiate a permanent cease fire brokered by Egypt and was instrumental in securing the release of an Israeli soldier. Our government needs to hear our voices that demand not only a permanent cease fire in Gaza, but an end to the blockade, an end to the Occupation, an end to Israeli land expansion through its building of illegal settlements and demolishing Palestinian homes. Israel's actions with the support of our U.S. tax dollars endanger its security, democracy and world standing. Our voices must call for bringing the $3.1 billion war dollars home too, including right here in our State to secure funding for our pubic schools, build affordable housing, expand health care services and early childhood programs. Please call and get others to call the White House comment line at (202) 456- 1414, the State Dept. at (292) 657-4000, and Congress members and Senators at (292) 225-3121, and call or write media outlets to tell the whole story. For more information go to our trianglewilpf.org website where you can find other important news links. Miriam Thompson, Chapel Hill, a member the Triangle Branch of Women's International League for Peace & Freedom, Jews for a Just Peace NC and the Abrahamic Faith Initiative on the Middle East. HOME · ABOUT US · JOIN US · NEWS · EVENTS · NEWSLETTER · LINKS Steering Committee - Margaret Herring, Emily Keel, Mary Jenne. Email contact: Lucy Lewis at llewis2001@earthlink.net