[Peace-discuss] Rep. Ellison calls for Gaza ceasefire

[Robert Naiman via Peace-discuss]

*"I support strong diplomatic intervention by the United States and
regional partners to help establish an immediate ceasefire agreement."*

http://ellison.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-ellison-statement-on-escalating-violence-in-gaza-and-israel

Rep. Ellison Statement on Escalating Violence in Gaza and Israel

Jul 10, 2014
Press Release

WASHINGTON—Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) released the following statement today
after violence in Israel and Gaza continued to grow following the murders
of three Israeli boys and one Palestinian boy.

“The current escalating violence between Israelis and Palestinians won’t
get either side closer to security. It empowers bad actors and puts
innocent people on both sides in harm’s way. Therefore I call on Hamas to
immediately stop launching rockets, and for Israel to cease air strikes and
not send in ground troops. I support strong diplomatic intervention by the
United States and regional partners to help establish an immediate
ceasefire agreement.

“Young people are disproportionately being harmed in the current round of
violence. Gilad Shaar, Eyal Yifrach, and Naftali Frenkel were teenagers.
Muhammad Abu Khdeir was a teenager too. *His cousin Tariq must be allowed
to reunite with his family in Florida.*

“Israeli and Palestinian mothers and fathers want the same thing: the
security of knowing their children are safe. But only weeks after
negotiations on a final status framework collapsed, war has broken out
again. Dozens of Palestinians have been killed since July, including
fifteen women and twenty-two children, while thousands of Israelis are
forced to seek shelter from damaging rockets fired from Gaza.

“A ceasefire must be followed by intense diplomatic outreach to restart
negotiations on a peaceful settlement between the two parties.  Until an
agreement can be reached, both Israelis and Palestinians must not give in
to vengeance.  We are united by far more than divides us.”

===

Robert Naiman
Policy Director
Just Foreign Policy
www.justforeignpolicy.org
naiman at justforeignpolicy.org
(202) 448-2898 x1
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