Please Call Congress NOW!

   Source: If Americans Knew Jan 8, 2009 2 Comments


The Senate has just made a grave mistake your help is urgently needed to stop the House from repeating it. The Senate just unanimously voted on a resolution that essentially pats Israel on the back for "defending itself" from Hamas, and the House will likely follow their lead tomorrow (Friday).

Call your Representative NOW to tell them to vote "NO" on any resolution which fails to call for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, and for unimpeded access for humanitarian aid into Gaza and a lifting of Israel's illegal siege.

There are several biased resolutions on the table, most of which applaud Israel for being a strong ally in the "Global War on Terror;" falsely blame Hamas for breaking the cease-fire; fail to recognize the legitimacy of Palestinian elections; and say absolutely nothing about Israel's responsibility for the killing and injuring of Palestinians and imposing collective punishment on them through a brutal siege-all with U.S. weapons.

If you don't know who represents you in Congress, then you can find out at Congress.org (enter your zip code in the upper right corner of the website). Once you know who represents you call 202.224.3121 and the operator will connect you to your Representative.

When you are connected to your Representative's office:

  • Be prepared to give them your name and address.
  • Keep your message short, polite and to the point.

Tell them:

Any vote that comes up in congress regarding the current crises in Gaza must include:

  1. An immediate and unconditional cease-fire.
    Biased resolutions that enable Israel to continue killing and injuring Palestinians are unacceptable. Israel has killed more than an estimated 700 Palestinians and injured more than 3,000 since Dec. 27. Resolutions that condition a cease-fire will only lead to more needless death and destruction.
     
  2. Israel must allow unrestricted access for humanitarian aid.
    Israelis allowing through only a trickle of humanitarian aid into Gaza. As the Occupying Power of the Gaza Strip, Israelis legally obligated by the 4thGeneva Convention to ensure that Palestinians receive adequate supplies of food, medical supplies, and other necessities of life. Israel's siege on the Gaza Strip imposes an illegal collective punishment on 1.5 million civilians by denying them access to these vital supplies in violation of international law. Israel must lift its siege of the Gaza Strip to comply with its Geneva Convention obligations and humanitarian aid deliveries must be allowed to enter without restrictions.
     
  3. Stop Israel from misusing U.S. weapons to attack a civilian population.
    Instead of placing blame for Israel's war on and siege of the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip on the victims, Members of Congress should join with Rep. Dennis Kucinich in demanding from the Secretary of State an investigation into Israel's violations of the Arms Export Control Act. Members of Congress must hold Israel accountable for its misuse of U.S. weapons to kill Palestinian civilians in violation of U.S. and international law, not vote for resolutions which justify these illegal killings.

Sources in Congressional offices say that 20 phone calls from each district can prevent Representatives from supporting these atrocious resolutions.

Encouraging Israel in any way, as they collectively punish the people of Gaza is against the principals of peace and justice that this country stands for.

If Americans Knew is partnering with CodePink, Peace Action, United for Peace and Justice, Progressive Democrats of America, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee and other national groups to make our voices heard in the House -Your call WILL make a difference - call 202.224.3121.

After asking your Representative to vote NO on these bad resolutions, we also encourage you to call your Senators at 202.224.3121 and register your displeasure with their abhorrent unanimous vote to blame Gazans for Israel's siege and assault.

Source: If Americans Knew

IF AMERICANS KNEW
Chart showing that approximately four times more Palestinians have been killed than Israelis.

American news reports repeatedly describe Israeli military attacks against the Palestinian population as "retaliation." However, when one looks into the chronology of death in this conflict, the reality turns out to be quite different.

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Older Comments:
HILAL SHAH FROM USA said:
What Senate did or what House of Representatives will do to show solidarity with Israel is not a news. What should be news is that 57 Arab and Muslim countries could not agree to stand up against the Israeli forces to stop the onslught. Woe to all the Muslim countries in general and to Arab countries in particular who have failed on consistent basis to protect their brotherens around the world. Innocent Muslims Palastinians are diying every day and we are talking about calling to Senators and Representatives to stop passing resolutions favering Israel. How stupid we can be?
2009-01-09
SALEEM FROM USA said:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jan/08/barack-obama-gaza-hamas

Obama Camp prepared to talk to Hamas.
2009-01-09