[Peace] SJP UIUC Condemns Israeli Assault on Gaza-What You Can Do

[SJP UIUC]

Students for Justice in Palestine UIUC unequivocally condemns the ongoing
Israeli military campaign in Gaza and is deeply concerned for the
well-being of civilians, medical personnel, and journalists in the Gaza
Strip whose lives have been endangered by Israel’s November 14th assault.


In the past week, Israeli attacks have claimed the lives of at least 134
Palestinians, of which at least 45% are women, children, or senior
citizens. In addition, 60% of the 1090 wounded Palestinians are women,
children, or senior citizens.


We are dismayed by the Israeli military’s decision to bomb residential
neighborhoods and ambulances. Despite the fact that geographic coordinates
of journalists are known by the Israeli military, Israel continues to
target journalists, resulting in the death of approximately three.


Israel’s flagrant disregard for Palestinian life has only been exacerbated
during this latest attack. Israel’s Operation Cast Lead in 2008 murdered
1,440 Palestinians, of whom 431 were children. In addition, the
Israeli-imposed blockade since 2006 has prevented direly needed medical,
school, and construction supplies from entering Gaza. In 2008, an Israeli
official calculated calories necessary to “put the Palestinians on a diet,
but not to make them die of hunger.” Even so, Israel allowed enough food to
satisfy only half of this chilling caloric requirement to enter Gaza.


We urge the American government and President Obama to exert diplomatic
pressure on Israel for an immediate cease-fire and initiate an
investigation into Israel’s misuse of U.S. weapons to continuously commit
human rights abuses. Israel should be required to comply with international
humanitarian law. The state receives more than $3 billion in US foreign aid
annually, making the United States government complicit in the ongoing
massacre.


SJP UIUC also encourages our own campus to divest from Israeli companies
that participate in the illegal occupation of Palestinian land. As a
diverse academic institution, it is important to uphold the values of
freedom, humanity, and integrity by investing in socially responsible
businesses.


What is happening in Gaza is a massacre and SJP encourages all to remain
informed of the atrocities that are occurring in this region daily. We urge
you to take decisive action including:



   1. Participating in emergency rallies or protests. An updated list of
   emergency response can be found here:
   https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Iq4XZx9Vj0BDIiWzlHi2mUS0VUOn_t-prgtGGCzatQw/edit
   2. Calling local politicians, the State Department, and the White House
   to demand an immediate cessation of all Israeli attacks against Gaza and to
   hold Israeli occupation forces accountable for the abuse of U.S. supplied
   weapons.
                                                               Call the White
   House at 202-456-1111. You can also find your elected officials
online<http://www.govtrack.us:80/congress/members> and
   contact them.

Talking points you can make:

 -The Gaza Strip is an occupied territory according to the United Nations

-Gaza has been under siege by Israeli forces for the last six years

-Attacking occupied civilian population in Gaza is against the Fourth
Geneva Convention, meaning Israel is in direct violation of international
law

-Israel is in violation of the U.S. Arm Exports Control Act by using U.S.
provided weapons against an occupied civilian population

3. Stay informed. Check out these resources from the Institute for Middle
Eastern Understanding via the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation
website <http://www.endtheoccupation.org/article.php?id=2949>.


As students in this country, we must ensure that we are global contributors
of peace and freedom, and not supporters of injustice.
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*Students for Justice in Palestine *
*University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign*
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