Action alert

Action Alert: Contact White House, State Dept. and demand end to Israeli violence!

AMP demands end to Israeli violence against Palestinians

Other actions for Palestine

Join the $1/Day Club to help AMP continue its programs!

 Rallies are planned across the country.
Find one near you. 
Continue to educate yourself. Invite AMP to provide a free program at your mosque or organization.   

(CHICAGO 07/08/2014) – While President Barack Obama attends the so-called Conference on Peace in Tel Aviv and publishes an op-ed in an Israeli newspaper calling on Palestinians to commit to “non-violence,” Israel has launched “Operation Protective Edge” against the Palestinians of the Gaza Strip.

The American Muslims for Palestine, a national advocacy and education organization, decries the double standards and demands that President Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry pressure Israel to end its violence against and collective punishment of the Palestinian people. 

 

The Israeli air force and navy launched more than 50 airstrikes in Gaza overnight, killing 14 Palestinians, including at least four children. Two of the children were under five years old. One attack targeted a house in the southern Gaza Strip, killing several members of one family. Israeli attacks have injured an additional 22 Palestinians, including seven children, according to media reports.

The ramped up assault comes after two weeks of deadly incursions into the West Bank that resulted in the arrests of more than 500 Palestinians, including dozens of children, home demolitions, thousands of raids and the arrests of more than 100 Palestinian citizens of Israel. Israeli Occupation Forces have killed 19 Palestinians since June 12 and Israeli settlers have killed four – including 16-year-old Mohammed Abu Kdheir, who was burned alive.

 Israel’s actions amount to collective punishment in violation of several international laws, including the Fourth Geneva Conventions. Its use of American weapons and weapons purchased with US taxpayer money against a civilian population not only violates international law, it directly contravenes the US Arms Export Control Act.

The fact that an American president is attending a “peace conference” at a time when Israel is unleashing barbaric collective punishment on Palestinians is an affront to the American values of justice, liberty and self-determination. President Obama says in his op-ed published today by Haaretz that peace is the only true path to security in the region. But he then repeatedly stresses the US commitment to Israel’s security. He writes, “[I was] struck by the fact that Israel’s security can be measured in a matter of minutes and miles. I’ve seen what security means to those who live near the Blue Line, to children in Sderot who just want to grow up without fear …”

It is time to ask President Obama: What about Palestinian security? What about Palestinian children who want to grow up secure in the knowledge their home won’t be demolished? Secure from the fear of being pulled from their beds in the middle of the night by heavily armed Israeli border police? Secure in the knowledge they can walk to school without being attacked by religious militant Israeli settlers?

As an occupying force, Israel is obligated under international law to provide security for the people it occupies. When are we going to stop demanding that the occupied Palestinians provide for the security of their occupier?

It is words like Mr. Obama’s that allow Israel to act with impunity. It is time for it to stop. The US must hold Israel accountable!

TAKE ACTION
Call and email President Barack Obama and US Secretary of State John Kerry and demand the United States hold Israel accountable and demand it immediately stops its attacks on Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and within 1948 Palestine.

TALKING POINTS

  • Supporting Israel at a time when it is launching an offensive against the Palestinians of Gaza is anathema to the American value of justice and our stance on human rights.
  • Israel’s Operation Protective Edge and its actions in the West Bank and against Palestinian citizens of Israel amounts to collective punishment and is against international law.
  • The United States must investigate Israel’s abuse of the US Arms Export Control Act and withhold US foreign aid until Israel complies with international and US laws.
  • Several human rights organization, including Amnesty International, have condemned Israel’s actions against the Palestinian people.
  • Supporting Israel’s illegal actions hurts American standing throughout the world and calls into question our country’s status as the upholder of human rights.
  • Supporting Israel hurts the US in the Arab and Muslim world, and threatens US national security.
  • The United States must stop pandering to the pro-Israel lobby elements and finally uphold human rights for everyone, especially Palestinians.

CONTACT INFO

The White House - Comments: 202.456.1111; Switchboard: 202.456.1414
USSecretary of State John Kerry 202.647.5291 and then Press ‘1’.

Send a prepared email to President Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry.

More action alert

Call Your Members of Congress to Vote NO on Israel Supplemental Appropriations Bill

On Thursday, a $14.3 billion stand-alone supplemental appropriations bill for Israel is set to be voted on, and we must overwhelm Congress to take a...

Sign the Petition: NO to Israel’s Inclusion into the Visa Waiver Program

Recently, the U.S. and Israel signed an MOU last week to facilitate Israel’s entry into the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). Israel is currently undergoing...

Say NO to Marvel’s Israeli Mossad Agent Superhero

We are troubled by the distasteful announcement that an upcoming Marvel movie, Captain America: New World Order, will feature an Israeli Mossad agent...