Recently we have witnessed a significant escalation in violence in the region, beginning with the assassination of Hamas official Ahmed Jabari and the initiation of a major new Israeli military offensive against Gaza. Armed groups in Gaza have responded to these actions with increasing rocket attacks on Israel. Both sides have suffered loss of life and injuries.
We call for an immediate end to the use of violence by all parties.
We also call upon the international community to take action without delay to help realize a ceasefire and to then continue working towards the realization of a just peace that will benefit all the people of the region.
Continued military escalation and violence will do nothing to make either Palestinians or Israelis safer. Rather, they will likely
increase suffering and result in the deaths and injury of many more people. There is also a serious risk that violence could expand into the West Bank and deeper into Israel, and every effort should be made to avoid this situation.
As Israelis, Palestinians, and the international community work to end this latest round of violence, there must also be a concerted effort made to end the Israeli military occupation of the Palestinian territories and the blockade of Gaza. It is the ongoing occupation that is at the root of this crisis.
The blockade restricts the movement of both people and
goods into and out of Gaza. This has devastated Gaza's economy, raising unemployment rates and creating significant levels of aid dependency and poverty. Restrictions on imports, combined with Israeli military actions, have devastated the water, sanitation, and electrical systems in Gaza, restricted access to medical care, and isolated the population of Gaza. The blockade must end.
Rockets fired from Gaza also cannot be ignored. There have been hundreds of rockets fired from Gaza during 2012 causing both physical and psychological harm to Israelis. The firing of rockets from Gaza into Israel, particularly into civilian areas, must stop.
Violence only begets violence and will not resolve this conflict.
The only way to truly end the violence of the conflict is to end the occupation, respect international law, and ensure equal rights for all.
We call for: 1. An immediate end to violence in Gaza and Israel by all concerned.
2. Intensified efforts by the U.S. government and the international community to realize a ceasefire.
3. A renewed diplomatic offensive that targets both Israel and all Palestinian factions and that has as its goal ending the occupation and realizing a just peace.
4. An immediate lifting of the Gaza blockade.
5. A pledge by Israel to stop assassinating Hamas leaders.
Contact the White house and our Congressional Delegation and urge them to support the above points and do all they can to help end the violence.
Senator Ron Wyden
wyden.senate.gov
202-224-5244,
Eugene: 431-0229
Senator Jeff Merkley
merkley.senate.gov
202-224-3753,
Eugene: 465-6750
Rep. Peter DeFazio
www.defazio.house.gov
202-225-6416,
Eugene: 465-6732
President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20500
Phone: 202-456-1111
Email: president@whitehouse.gov
Web page: www.whitehouse.gov
Thank You,
Michael Carrigan
