Wednesday, November 19, 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 November. We encourage you to take action and to share this with others.

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Violence in Israel and the occupied West Bank is escalating, leaving Israelis and Palestinians dead and injured and fanning the flames for even more violence. Tensions on the Haram al Sharif/Temple Mount complex have led to violence and threaten to further erupt. Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem expressed concern in a November 6 statement in which they called for protection of sites and preservation of access.

 At the same time, land confiscation, settlement expansion, and home demolitions continue in the West Bank, with Israel resuming its practice of demolishing homes as a punitive measure.

  And in Gaza, while some restrictions have been eased, the crippling blockade continues.

  As people of faith who believe in the value of every human life, we must speak and act to preserve life and prevent further suffering. We must condemn all violence and all calls for revenge. To prevent even more loss of life, it is crucial to address the underlying causes for the violence.

  To that end, a Capitol Hill briefing will be held on November 24, on the issue of land confiscation, specifically the recent actions threatening Wadi Foquin and neighboring areas near Bethlehem. This is an important opportunity for members of Congress to become informed on the broader issues that end up leading to what can seem like sporadic violence.

Tell your Members of Congress to: 

• Attend this important briefing, to learn more about what they can do to address root causes, stop further violence, & promote a just peace for both Israelis & Palestinians;
• Condemn all violence against civilians and calls for revenge by any person or party;
• Oppose settlement expansion & other actions & policies that perpetuate the occupation;
• Recognize the role of U.S. aid to Israel in enabling the Israeli occupation and take action to ensure that this aid is used in compliance with U.S. law and policy.

Use this link provided by our partners at the Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns to send a message to your members of Congress now.