Actions and Statements on Gaza

The US Campaign Against the Occupation has compiled a list of emergency protests against the violence in Gaza. Please note: the actions listed are sponsored by all sorts of groups, and this does not imply endorsement.

Peace Now calls for an immediate ceasefire. This is interesting, as both Labor and Meretz, the political parties most associated with Peace Now, came out FOR the assault.

The Arab American Anti-Discrimination Committee denounced the attack and is asking folks to contact their representatives.

J Street's Executive Director, Jeremy Ben-Ami, has come out with an excellent statement against the attack. This is an important moment for the Jewish peace movement where it feels strong enough to come out against Israeli policy at the moment violent conflict begins, rather than waiting to see how it all pans out (as happened with the war in Lebanon two years ago.)

"...we believe that real friends of Israel recognize that escalating the conflict will prove counterproductive, igniting further anger in the region and damaging long-term prospects for peace and stability."

Yep.

Condi Rice had this to say:

The United States is deeply concerned about the escalating violence in Gaza. We strongly condemn the repeated rocket and mortar attacks against Israel and hold Hamas responsible for breaking the ceasefire and for the renewal of violence there. The ceasefire must be restored immediately and fully respected. The United States calls on all concerned to protect innocent lives and to address the urgent humanitarian needs of the people of Gaza.

The Pope: stop fighting right now.

And finally, some insane words from the Hamas leadership (Fathi Hamad):

"We will reach that Zionist in her house, inside the Knesset compound. We will also get to the traitors in the Muqata compound in Ramallah and to all those in the Arab world that had a hand in the scheme against us. We will hunt Barak down and reach all of them," Hamad said.
"Today we are sending a message through the sea of blood that was spilled here and we will not surrender and we will defeat the enemy. From here, from within the proud Strip, we say to all our enemies: We will get to you, defeat you, and hunt you down one by one.
"We will reach the Zionist leaders in their homes, we will get to you, the collaborators in the Muqata in Ramallah, and we will settle the score with you one by one."
"Hamas and the organizations will settle the score with anyone who was involved in the attack on Gaza, in the participation in this scheme and in supporting this attack.
"The heroes in the Strip will continue to fight and prove the youth and fighters of Islam and the Palestinian organizations cannot be defeated."

Do you wish there was something you could do? There is. Click here and write a letter to the editor expressing your views on the violence in Gaza and the need to move towards a peaceful solution.

[It seems like there is no better time that the present to emphasize the need for nonviolent approaches to the conflict. Remember that our end of year giveaway promoting A Force More Powerful and the wonderful group Nonviolence International is still going on.