[GAZA ACTION ALERT] Call Congress: Urge Statements in Support of Cease-Fire

(I have ever so slightly adapted the following action to include & work for the reader of any US background - Why not also use this to write letters to US Congress from other places on the map, including Israeli & other Middle East Peace Activists?)

From Churches for Middle East Peace Email: info@cmep.org Phone: 202-543-1222 Web:
here

Members of Congress are being urged to issue one-sided statements supporting "Israel's right to defend its citizens from terrorism" with no mention of the urgent need for a comprehensive cease-fire that will end the human suffering on both sides. Legislation making a similar point is expected in both the House and the Senate.

It is important that your Representative and Senators hear from you now on the need for U.S. diplomatic leadership to help achieve an immediate cease-fire that ends the violence, addresses the humanitarian situation and leads to concrete steps toward a two-state peace agreement.

Several Members have made constructive statements (see post below), but many more have not. To express sympathy for only one side of the conflict is not compassionate nor smart policy. What is needed now is strong U.S. leadership that pulls Israelis and Palestinians back from the brink and puts them on to a path toward an agreement for creation of a viable Palestinian state that will enhance Israel's security.

CMEP sent a message to the Hill yesterday urging Members of Congress to make statements expressing support for U.S. policies that protect the well-being of Israelis and Palestinians and safeguard U.S. national security interests:

"The ongoing indiscriminate Palestinian rocket attacks from Gaza into Israel must be stopped and the massive Israeli military responses must be halted. Further spiraling violence will increase the toll of human suffering, strengthen extremists in Gaza and undermine Palestinian moderates as well as moderate voices throughout the region. It also risks broader Middle East destabilization and confrontation."

The CMEP message to the Hill also highlighted the deteriorating humanitarian situation, citing recent reports from aid organizations, and emphasized that a durable cease-fire must include a secure solution for the border crossings and the renewal of a meaningful political process.

Please take a moment now to call your Representative and Senators to urge their support for U.S. efforts to achieve an immediate, comprehensive cease-fire and please share this message with your friends and family.

TAKE ACTION:

Call your Representative and Senators today! Please check here to see if your Representative or Senator has already made a constructive statement. If so, please call and thank them for their leadership. If not, please use the talking points below to encourage them to support a cease-fire.

The Capitol Switchboard will connect you to any office (202-224-3121). The person who answers the phone may listen to your concerns or you can also ask for the staff member who handles Middle East affairs. We know that calls are being tallied.

Talking Points:

As an American ________, I deplore the tragic loss of life of civilians caught in the escalating violence in Gaza and southern Israel and care deeply about the welfare of both Israelis and Palestinians who are suffering and living in fear.

I ask that if and when the Senator/Representative makes a statement about the current crisis, he/she will express support for strong U.S. diplomatic leadership, together with international partners, to achieve an immediate, comprehensive cease-fire that:

*ends the escalating violence between Israel and Hamas;
addresses the humanitarian situation - including an opening of the border crossings that provides relief for the people of Gaza and meets Israel's security needs; and

*leads to concrete steps toward a two-state peace agreement - the best hope for long-term stability and security for Israel and the Palestinians.

Further background: See CMEP's Jan. 5th Message to the Hill

Please tell us about your efforts. CMEP maintains an ongoing dialogue with Members of Congress and their staff. Your advocacy is important to our work here in Washington. Please email CMEP's Legislative Director, Julie@cmep.org, with feedback on your calls.