Humanity Must Prevail

October 16, 2023

We are horrified and outraged by the staggering levels of killing, maiming, displacement, and dehumanization of the Palestinian people by the Israeli state through carpet bombing; military invasion; deliberate starvation; barring the entry of water, medicine, and electricity into Gaza; strikes against hospitals, schools, homes, and residential buildings; attacks against aid workers and journalists; increased Israeli settler violence in the West Bank; and other forms of collective punishment constituting war crimes and egregious violations of international law. We stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people against this genocide and the over 75 years of oppression, occupation, siege, and ethnic cleansing at the hands of the Israeli state.

Aiding and abetting Israel’s genocide is the US government with its over 100 military sales to Israel since October 7 and most recent provision of US$17 billion in military aid. Several US officials have joined their Israeli counterparts in issuing genocidal statements against the Palestinian people.

As Israel and the US wage a war against Palestinians, US colleges and universities wage a war against their students demanding that their universities divest from companies complicit in Palestinian occupation. These brave students have faced arrests, suspensions, harassment, and violence from police and organized mobs – all cheered on by US officials. We stand in solidarity with these students and are inspired by their valiance.

We call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, for an immediate end to Israeli occupation of Palestine, for the Palestinian right of return, for the US government to end military aid and arms sales to Israel, for US institutions of higher education to divest from Israeli apartheid, and for the return of political prisoners by Israel and hostages by Hamas. Israeli officials and all others responsible for war crimes must be held accountable.

United Nations bodies and the International Criminal Court (ICC) must be fully supported, protected, and funded so that they can perform their mandate effectively, in a way that is independent, free of threat and violence.

Below are several ways to take action and call on your representatives to stop the bloodshed and work towards peace and justice.

https://www.amnesty.org/en/petition/demand-a-ceasefire-by-all-parties-to-end-civilian-suffering/

https://www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org/resource/urgent-tell-congress-to-stop-fueling-violence/

https://act.newmode.net/action/mpower-change/ceasefire-gaza-now-0

https://actionnetwork.org/letters/urgent-stop-the-genocidal-bombing-of-gaza

https://uscpr.org/take-action

https://www.araborganizing.org/events