Gaza Crisis: A Human Rights Disaster!

"I’ve just come from the Congressional briefing by representatives of Israeli human rights organizations sponsored by Americans for Peace Now, Churches for Middle East Peace and other groups.

These groups are doing invaluable work to provide a clear picture of what’s happening in Gaza and to preserve human ties between Israelis and Palestinians.

The organizations have joined to provide information at the blog site: http://www.gazaeng.blogspot.com

Their current summary of the dead and injured:

Gaza: at least 700 killed, of them at least 240 children and 100 women. More than half those killed since the ground incursion began (313) are women and children. Over 3,100 injured, of them over 350 severely injured. Israel: 10 killed, of them 1 woman and 7 soldiers. Over 68 civilians injured, of them 4 severely injured, not including those treated for shock, and 60 soldiers injured, of them one in critical condition."

And now organizations that were providing the small amount of humanitarian aid that was being allowed in to the Palestinians are being forced out. UN aid workers were caught in the Israeli attacks. So the UN can't provide aid. The Red Cross is being turned away.

What is the US response to this tragedy? The Senate just unanimously passed (by voice vote) a heavily one-sided resolution in support of Israel (although it does rightly state support for a 2 state solution). The Senate resolution states: "Whereas the ultimate goal of the United States is a sustainable resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict." However, the US' refusal to pressure Israel to improve this humanitarian crisis clearly shows that the US' priority is on supporting attacks on Gaza.

Urge your Congressmembers to STOP THE KILLING!

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