[Peace-discuss] Rep. Keith Ellison: End the Gaza blockade to achieve peace

Fri Aug 1 17:48:18 EDT 2014

Rep. Ellison Statement on Passage of Resolution Condemning Hamas and the U.N. Human Rights Council

Jul 31, 2014
Press Release
WASHINGTON—Rep. Ellison (D-MN) made the following statement today after the U.S. House of Representatives passed H. Con. Res. 107, a resolution denouncing the use of human shields by Hamas, condemning the United Nations Human Rights Council’s inquiry into Gaza operations, and re-asserting Israel’s right to defend itself.  The resolution was passed by voice vote, not a recorded vote.

“There were several provisions in today’s resolution that I did not agree with,” Rep. Ellison said. “The resolution improperly condemns the United Nations Human Rights Council for forming a commission to investigate human rights violations. Potential human rights violations by both sides must be investigated.  The U.S. Congress should not be in the business of condemning an investigatory process before it has begun.  It should be working to make sure the process is fair.

“This resolution also fails to take into account the plight of innocent Palestinians in Gaza and the multitude of civilian deaths. Palestinians in Gaza cannot escape injury and death because Gaza is confined and is one of the most densely populated urban areas in the world - a fact the resolution ignores.

“I oppose the rockets being fired into Israel and I oppose the system of tunnels Hamas has built to attack Israelis. Indiscriminate rocket fire into Israel is a war crime and is unjustifiable.  I agree that any country facing attack has the right to protect its citizens, but given the population density and the restriction of movement, results show that it is impossible to exert enough care to avoid civilian casualties. 

“Finally, I'm concerned that H. Con Res. 107 undermines U.S. diplomatic efforts between Israelis and Palestinians to bring this tragic conflict to an end. There is no military resolution to this conflict. Intensive engagement to establish a cease-fire and an end to the blockade are the first steps towards re-establishing negotiations for a final status agreement.”

http://ellison.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-ellison-statement-on-passage-of-resolution-condemning-hamas-and-the

On Aug 1, 2014, at 12:47 PM, Robert Naiman via Peace-discuss <peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net> wrote:

> The resolution passed by voice vote. The progressive wing of the progressive caucus decided not to fight it on the grounds that it was going to pass overwhelmingly no matter what they did and putting up a quixotic struggle against it would only draw more attention to it. That's how they generally view such things.
> 
> Ellison put out a statement attacking the resolution.
> 
> Right now we are trying to get more Members of Congress to join Ellison in publicly calling for an end to the blockade.
> 
> 
> 
> Robert Naiman
> Policy Director
> Just Foreign Policy
> www.justforeignpolicy.org
> naiman at justforeignpolicy.org
> (202) 448-2898 x1
> 
> 
> On Fri, Aug 1, 2014 at 12:19 PM, C. G. Estabrook <carl at newsfromneptune.com> wrote:
> It seems that even Rep. Ellison joined the unanimous vote in the House of Representatives to support a resolution reaffirming full U.S. support for Israel’s “defense of its citizens” and condemning Palestinian “unprovoked rocket fire”. 
> 
> Meanwhile State Secretary John Kerry is said to work assiduously to arrange a cease-fire - while in fact the Obama administration resupplies Israel with ammunition for what it's expended killing people in Gaza. Naturally the US would like to have the fighting stop - it's an embarrassment - but not unless "the croppies lie down," as the Irish say.
> 
> The child-killer in the White House could of course order the Israelis to stop the massacre, with a serious threat of cutting off military and economic aid. But the value of Israel as an agent and ally of US imperial policies in the Mideast and elsewhere outweighs many more deaths in the Mideast, with which Obama has shown himself to be perfectly complacent. 
> 
> 
> On Jul 30, 2014, at 1:53 PM, Robert Naiman via Peace-discuss <peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net> wrote:
> 
>> Please help spread this all around. It doesn't matter if you don't think it's perfect; spreading it around doesn't mean you agree with every word. What matters is that we don't have anything else like this in mainstream U.S. political discourse. Rep. Ellison has moved the ball. Rally around him! 
>> 
>> http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/keith-ellison-end-the-gaza-blockade-to-achieve-peace/2014/07/29/e5e707c4-16a1-11e4-85b6-c1451e622637_story.html
>> 
>> By Keith Ellison July 29
>> 
>> Keith Ellison, a Democrat, represents Minnesota’s 5th District in the House of Representatives.
>> 
>> It seems as though each day brings new horrors and heartbreaks in the Holy Land. More than 1,000 dead. Gazan children blown up on the beach. A U.N. shelter hit. Two-thirds of Israelis living in fear from indiscriminate rocket fire launched by Hamas. But as the calls for a cease-fire gain momentum, it is important to understand that many Gazans who have no association with Hamas view the return to the way things were as unacceptable.
>> 
>> These people aren’t rocket shooters or combatants. For the past several years they have lived in dreadful isolation. The status quo for ordinary Gazans is a continuation of no jobs and no freedom. This is not an attractive future. Gazans want and deserve the dignity of economic opportunity and freedom to move. This can be accomplished only with an end to the blockade of the Gaza Strip, which must be considered within the framework of a cease-fire. Israelis likewise deserve to live free of rocket fire and terror attacks. In order for Israelis to live safely and securely in their homes, Hamas must give up its rockets and other weapons.
>> 
>> I have traveled to Gaza three times since 2009 and have visited hospitals and schools there. As I have talked with ordinary Gazans, I have not encountered anyone representing Hamas. During one visit, I had the opportunity to meet Scott Anderson, deputy director of the U.N. Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). Anderson, a 21-year veteran of the U.S. Army, said it best when I spoke to him again this week: “Unless there is material change to the status quo, you’re just resetting the clock for another cycle of violence.” Continuing to block goods and services to and from Gaza keeps the keys to opportunity away from the people who just want to live, work and travel.
>> 
>> The vast majority of Gazans do not support firing rockets into Israel or killing Israelis. In fact, the majority of people in Gaza are women and children. During my first visit to the region, this fact was clear: There were kids everywhere. This week, I also spoke with Yousef Moussa, chief area operations officer at the UNRWA office in Rafah. He puts this observation in context, noting, “50 percent of Gazans are under the age of 18. Seventy percent of Gazans are women and children. 80 percent of Gazans live below the poverty line. Relatively few Gazans are associated with Hamas.”
>> 
>> So how can the international community support those Gazans who don’t support indiscriminate rocket fire? We could take steps to allow for the safe flow of goods and services into Gaza and the export of goods and services to neighboring countries. We could advocate for Gazans to have freedom of movement. Now, if you’re a Gazan traveling in the West Bank, the Israeli military can forcibly return you to Gaza. Being able to import goods such as food, fuel and medicine would mean that Gazans would not be forced to buy necessities from a tunnel economy controlled by extremists. International actors should be involved in the process to address Israel’s security concerns about lifting the blockade.
>> 
>> The blockade prevents development in Gaza. Egypt and Israel argue that the blockade is designed to cut off resources from terrorists, but really it has brought those who want a better life to their knees while the bad actors still have their rockets. Before the blockade, the United Nations provided food to 80,000 in Gaza; today it provides food to 830,000 .
>> 
>> Israel and Egypt also view the blockade as a success because it pushed Hamas into a financial crisis. This is short-term thinking. It ignores the fact that the economic devastation from the blockade weakens the public and private sectors in Gaza and strengthens extremists and smuggling enterprises. Repression and deprivation fuel terrorism; economic development and inclusion can fuel long-term peace.
>> 
>> A viable path beyond the current crisis would empower Gazans and weaken extremists who benefit from their suffering. The international community, especially nations in the region, should help Gazans rebuild their demolished homes and businesses. But who will invest if war will predictably break out every two years?
>> 
>> There is no military solution to this conflict. The status quo brings only continued pain, suffering and war. Promoting economic development and social interaction in Gaza is in the long-term security interest of Israel and the rest of the region. The relative calm that existed during Secretary of State John Kerry’s extended diplomatic talks between Israel and the Palestinians during 2013-14 shows that engaging in dialogue is the first step toward stopping the violence.
>> 
>> Ultimately, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict must be resolved with a final status agreement, and ending the violence and the blockade is a first step toward a permanent solution.
>> 
>> ===
>> 
>> Robert Naiman
>> Policy Director
>> Just Foreign Policy
>> www.justforeignpolicy.org
>> naiman at justforeignpolicy.org
>> (202) 448-2898 x1
>> 
>> 
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