Monday, October 20, 2014

The Faith Forum on Middle East Policy, of which Pax Christi USA is a member, sponsors a "Third Thursday for Israel-Palestine" action each month. This is the action for October. We encourage you to take action and to share this with others.

____________

Seven weeks of war between Israel and Hamas has left Gaza in ruins. "The scale of damage ... is unprecedented since the beginning of the Israeli occupation in 1967," according to a UN report. "All governorates in Gaza witnessed extensive aerial bombardment, naval shelling and artillery fire, resulting in the widespread loss of life and livelihoods. Damage to public infrastructure was also unprecedented, leaving hundreds of thousands of people without adequate services, including electricity, clean water and quality healthcare."

    Financial support for reconstruction is urgently needed. Adequate oversight will be important to ensure that materials are used for their intended purposes, but restrictions should not be so onerous that they tie the hands of those seeking to rebuild. In addition, to end the cycle of violence, underlying causes must be addressed, including the lifting of the Gaza blockade.

    In January 2009 the UN Security Council called for "...arrangements and guarantees in Gaza in order to sustain a durable ceasefire and calm, including to prevent illicit trafficking in arms and ammunition and to ensure the sustained re-opening of the crossing points..." (UNSC Res. 1860).

    For Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace and security, it is essential that this and other calls to address root causes be heeded. Hamas and other groups must stop firing rockets, and at the same time, the people of Gaza must be allowed to live normal, free lives. The best way to shut down illicit tunnel traffic is to open the monitored Gaza borders for aid, commerce, and movement of people.

Read more on the situation by clicking here.

Tell Congress: For the peace and security of all people in the region, Israelis and Palestinians alike, Gaza must be rebuilt and the blockade must be lifted.  Use this link provided by our partners at the Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns to ask your members of Congress to support funding for Gaza needs. Insist that while security controls are necessary, they should not obstruct the urgent delivery of aid, and should allow for commerce and movement of people. And ask them to make public a statement calling for an end to the Gaza blockade now.

Use this link to send a message to your members of Congress now.